Sign of the times,

[alfred]

Thinking back over seventy years , and thinking about standards and principles,
the English method of teaching has gone really soft, for example although by todays standards ,

years ago children were caned if they really misbehaved, or were told to write out a  hundred times i must not keep interrupting the class when teachers  talking ,or
having to stand in a corner  at  other times given a good dressing down,

today the cane even slapping is outlawed so how do you reprimand a child who is out of order as children today use knives on any one who up sets them,

 all this seems by todays standard, and seemed  barbaric but the principle was to toe the line and pay attention to what you were being taught, you were at school to learn , no play games, 

crime in those days especially were murder was involved meant that the death penalty was invoked and the lesson was if you take a life when or if found guilty you would lose your life , the old Arabic saying a eye for an eye    etc., even though the odd case of hanging in error due to say incomplete facts played a part,

where as to day murder is common place and the perpetrators are given light prison sentences living a relatively easy life in prison , almost like having full board
 and lodging without having to sleep rough on the streets which today is normal,

 but in the past was rarely heard of. except may be by tramps sleeping rough , their choice,of course

drugs are easy for people to obtain if they know where to find them admittedly for many drugs give the user a high i suppose much like a person well merry as a result of too much drinking not counting for the after effects when the people is sobering up,

the government then although not in any way perfect did try to get the population working as then in those times England was still manufacturing and then the word made in England  was good to know as then the English standard  was high and believe or not respected through out the world as in previous times much like china today,

then  England manufactured almost everything being sold and shipped around the world   England then being an innovator and inventor of new ideas  

in those times  fruit and produce was grown in the Kent orchards  where as today virtually most of our food is imported and sadly although looking good the fruit is almost taste less, in the past fruit had a taste and the juices were memorable as you tasted  the flavors,

then hospitals were run by matrons and the antiseptic smell would hit you and you went into the entrance of the hospital wards , corridors were kept almost in a pristine condition, and wooden floors polished which gave off your reflection as you walked along,

as many of you would remember week end activities such as speed way, greyhound racing ,cinemas were in the posher ones the organist would play before the main films were shown , in those days the B film a short film was shown before the main film, which for some was a block buster of a film , but not all the time,
usherettes would stand at the  foot of the stage and with trays straps draped across their shoulders  supporting the trays would sell ice cream sweets and so on usually in the interval between the films, so Saturday nights out was some thing many people looked forward too,


visiting the circus or fair ground was an exciting time riding on the carousel the bumper cars  , the whip if any of you ever had a ride on it , the moving cat walk a corridor which was moving side to side as you walked along it , and all the many and various stalls which even with a penny you could win but have fun with , throwing three darts on three separate playing cards could win you a small prize. Candy floss and ice cream to mention just a bit more ,

my favorite was the flying chairs  did you ever have a go on that sitting on a chair as it went round getting higher and higher and eventually coming down to earth.
i could go on but ill leave that to you, 


others preferred a simpler form of entertainment  the pub, complete with the piano player as he /she played popular tunes of the day whilst other pubs had  a jellied eel stall out side, which sold whelks winkles , even prawns , plus of course the vinegar , salt and pepper. just to whet your appetite,.

police  then actually patrolled the streets  and some even checked on locked high street shops testing the door checking and making sure the shop hadn't been broken into , and at time called out  to pub bawls where in the east end dockers had too much to drink and invariably the talk turned to fight , as result of too much drinking, sore knuckles, and noses , 

Q; so well iv given you i hope a taste from the past so now its your turn what do you remember way back then in the early fifties and sixties, possibly even earlier ,.

so  will you share your memories  with us ,what do you remember of those times ??,

[Scrumpy]

Walking over to the local common where the fair had been set up.. Standing on the steps of the Bumper Cars .. Hoping someone popular would invite you to ride with them..
Driving a Bumper car and squealing when (he) bumped into you or the cocky worker jumped on to the back of your car..Thinking you were special.. 
Sitting in the back row... of the 1/9... Progressing to the balcony in the 2/6..
Rushing out before the Anthem was played..
Boating over the lakes.. and swimming naked in there on the way back from a night out.. Great fun.

[klondike]

Not so posh after all then 

[Scrumpy]

[Jacqueline]

I remember the town where I was born without  bloody great big mosques, men in pyjamas and women in bodybags. 

[Scrumpy]

I remember feeling safe walking home late at night across the common..
Hitch hiking all over the place.. We jumped in any car that  stopped..We never felt threatened..

[Alex]

The neighbours were all "Aunty" someone.
Doors weren't locked, except at night.
You could walk home in the dark without fear.
There were policemen on the streets.
The doctor knew your name and your Mum & Dad's names.
It was unusual to see a black face on the street.
As Jacq has said, there were no mosques.
Britain was a good place to be.

[Scrumpy]

And saying it was good because we were young is crap.. 
My grandchildren envy me the sixties..  

[klondike]

The doctor knew your name

there was a good chance that you could pronounce his and understand what he said too...

[Sheila]

I remember our GP popping in unexpectedly on his way home from work to check on our baby who had not been too well.

[Flying Bomb]

I remember if one wished to see a doctor one just turned
up at his waiting room and was seen then.
Everything that has changed in my lifetime has been for the worse,
except for less painful medical practices now and dentist visits.
I would willingly give up the rest of my life in exchange for a
year of reliving pre 1960