Web Page 1112

12^th January 2013

Top Picture: Jim Clark at Silverstone with Colin Chapman

Bottom Picture: Princess Alexandra married the Hon. Angus Ogilvy.

1963

Take a look at the sidebar, there is now a companion booklet to 'The Time of our lives'. It is called 'The Days of Our Youth' and like the previous one is priced at £2.95 + 75p P&P

All those years ago

At the start of another year I thought that I would take a look back 50 years to when we were at School in 1963 and I was seventeen and just leaving school. What a year that was, so much happened we were teenagers and believe it or not the Queen was only 37. So what of 1963?

The Average Weekly Wage in 1963 was only £18.2s.2d  and my Dad bought his first car since my parents were married in 1945.                                      

A  Sliced white loaf from Campions or Smith & Vospers cost 1s 2d (5.8p)                                                                                      
20 untipped Cigarettes - 4s 11d (24.6p)                                                                                         A Litre of petrol - 1s 0.24d (5.1p) 4/10p a gallon                                                                                A Pint of milk - 9d (3.8p)                                                                                                   A Pint of beer - 1s 6.5d (7.8p)

It was a very eventual year and one, which would seem to change the World, as we knew it.

In the UK the Beatles first made it into the Charts and were followed rapidly with other 'Groups' playing the new 'Mersey Sound'. Gerry and the Pacemakers, Billy J. Kramer and The Seachers were first on the list.

The year ended with the assassination of President John F Kennedy in Dallas Texas. This sent shock waves around the World ( I think we can all remember where we were when this happened. I was in the Manor Court Youth Club). The new smiling face of American Politics had gone and the United States were in turmoil.

The Cold War continued but the people, especially the young were ready to take action and be heard and the Peace Movement came to the fore.

The Main news Stories here at home.

The Winter of 1963 was the worst winter since 1948 with snow lasting in some areas until well into April

In April Princess Alexandra married the Hon. Angus Ogilvy.

Double Agent Kim Philby disappears having defected to the Soviet Union

Charles De Gaulle first vetos the United Kingdom's entry into the EEC

In Paris, 6 people are sentenced to death for conspiring to assassinate President Charles de Gaulle.

The Labour Party elects Harold Wilson as its new leader and he becomes the Leader of the Opposition

The Beatles release the album Please Please Me

The Alcatraz Island federal penitentiary in San Francisco Bay closes after years of campaigning

Doctor Beeching announces huge cuts in the railway system in an attempt to make British Rail viable but in so doing cutting off hundreds of communities from the railway system

Coca Cola start the production of Diet Coke

70,000 protesters march from Aldermarston to London to demonstrate against Nuclear Arms

Tottenham Hotspur are the first British Team to win a European Trophy (European Cup beating Athletico Madrid 5 - 1)

The Christine Keeler affair forces Secretary of State for War, John Profumo to resign causing much scandal amongst the Government and many reshuffles in Ministerial posts

The Great Train Robbery takes place in Buckinghamshire

Prime Minister Harold MacMillan resigns through ill health

Alec Douglas Home takes over as Prime Minister

The Dartford Road Tunnel opens linking Essex and Kent under the Thames

The first episode of Doctor Who is broadcast

Lee Harvey Oswald, the alleged assassin of John F. Kennedy, is shot dead by Jack Ruby in Dallas, Texas

The years top selling Album (UK)

With the Beatles - The Beatles

The Years top selling Single (UK)

She Loves You - The Beatles

The best Movie Oscar

Tom Jones

The best Actor Oscar

Sidney Poitier - Lilies of the Field

The best Actress Oscar

Patricia Neal - Hud

The notable films that were distributed to our local Cinemas in 1963 were

The Birds, Charade, Carry on Cabby, Carry on Jack, Cleopatra, From Russia with Love, The Great Escape, 
The Nutty Professor, Lord of the Flies, Jason and the Argonauts, The Mouse on the Moon, This Sporting Life

Famous people born in 1963 (now this will make you feel old!)

James May, Philip Glenister, Jarvis Cocker, David Seaman, Eva Cassidy, Michael Jordon, Jimmy Osmond, Graham Norton, Johnny Depp. Helen Hunt, Whitney Houston, Brad Pitt

Stay in Touch

Peter

DUSTYKEAT@aol.com

Pj.keat@ntlworld.co.uk

You Write:

Mary Writes:-

I went to the Kings last week it brought back happy memories of seeing Charlie Drake in a panto many years ago. When Charlie Drake walked along the road from the theatre people shouted out to him and he would shout back "Hello, my Darlings". I remember seeing Billy Cotton on stage at the Kings in the early 60`s. He was amazing and his energy , well!!! I wasn`t that keen on him when my parents watched his show on TV, but I really enjoyed a live show.

Gloria writes:

I remember Verrechia's, I loved their ice cream and I was very disappointed to see it had gone on my first visit back to Portsmouth with my husband. As a child I can remember the van's coming round the streets and we would go out with a bowl and get enough scoops for us to have with our tinned fruit for our tea.

News and Views:

In the New Years Honour's list Stella McCartney will receive an OBE for designing the country's Olympic uniforms.

On this day 12th January 1960-1965

On 12/01/1960 the number one single was Why - Anthony Newley and the number one album was South Pacific. The top rated TV show was not listed and the box office smash was North by Northwest. A pound of today's money was worth £13.68 and Burnley were on the way to becoming the Season's Division 1 champions. The big news story of the week was Aswan Dam foundation stone laid.

On 10/01/1962 the number one single was Moon River - Danny Williams and the number one album was Blue Hawaii - Elvis Presley. The top rated TV show was Coronation Street and the box office smash was Lawrence of Arabia. A pound of today's money was worth £12.89 and Ipswich Town were on the way to becoming the Season's Division 1 champions. The big news story of the week was Avalanche buries 16 villages in Peru.

On 10/01/1963 the number one single was The Next Time/Bachelor Boy - Cliff Richard & the Shadows and the number one album was Black & White Minstrel Show - George Mitchell Minstrels. The top rated TV show was Coronation Street and the box office smash was The Great Escape. A pound of today's money was worth £12.64 and Everton were on the way to becoming the Season's Division 1 champions.

On 10/01/1964 the number one single was I Want to Hold Your hand - The Beatles and the number one album was With the Beatles - The Beatles. The top rated TV show was Steptoe & Son (BBC) and the box office smash was Dr Strangelove. A pound of today's money was worth £12.24 and Liverpool were on the way to becoming the Season's Division 1 champions. The big news story of the day was Anti-US demonstrations over Panama Canal.

On 10/01/1965 the number one single was I Feel Fine - The Beatles and the number one album was Beatles For Sale - The Beatles. The top rated TV show was Coronation Street and the box office smash was The Sound of Music. A pound of today's money was worth £11.69 and Manchester United were on the way to becoming the Season's Division 1 champions.