Web Page No 2434

25th December 2017

First Picture: 1950 Guinness Calander

Second Picture: Toys for Girls

Third Picture: Traditional Cakes

Forth Picture:  Vintage Christmas Lights

Firstly a very Happy Christmas to you all

1950's Trivia Quiz Questions

Answers below

1. Which film, starring Yul Brynner and Deborah Kerr, was released in June 1956?

2. Bill and Mark Richards invented what new sporting equipment in 1958?

3. Which company introduced the first plastic credit card in 1950?

4. In 1954, which British athlete broke the Four Minute Mile?

5. Which children's toy made television history in 1952 by becoming the first toy ever to be advertised on TV?

6. The first issue of which British children’s comic was published in April 1950?

7. In 1955, a woman in Alabama, U.S.A was arrested for violating the segregated seating laws on a bus. What was her name? 

8. Which five swinging drinking friends made up the famous "Rat Pack"?

9. In 1952 Gibson introduced what model electric guitar?

10. One of Hollywood's favourite "tough guys" lost his battle against cancer in 1957 who was it. 

11. What toy made it's debut at the 1959 New York toy fair?

12. Which British comedian had the massive-selling 1965 hit Tears?

13. Which Ben won 11 Oscars in 1959?

14. Disneyland, which opened in 1955, was divided into which four themed areas?

15. Frank Sinatra married which actress in 1951, this marriage lasted until 1957?

16. Which Doctor Who became TV's first Robin Hood in 1953? 

17. Who founded the Tamla Motown record label? 

18. What was the name of the Soviet Union's satellite that was put into orbit on October 5, 1957?

19. Which toy, brought from Australia, was huge in 1958 and sold over 70 million?

20. Which 1960s easy-listening Irish crooner was famed for his rocking chair and knitted jumpers?

21. Which company produced the first jukeboxes to play 45 rpm singles in 1950?

22. What was Elvis Presley's first number one hit?

23. What folksy British singer-song writing guitarist was famous also for his whistling? 

24. Who sang the theme song to the film Born Free?

25. Leslie Caron and Maurice Chevallier co-starred in which movie released in 1958?

26. What is the brand name of the fabric hook-and-loop fastener which had its commercial introduction in the late 1950's?

27. In 1953, Edmund Hillary and Tenzing Norgay became the first men to reach the summit of which mountain?

28. Who were the famous backing singers on most of Elvis Presley's early hits?
29. Whose nickname was a derived from the term satchel-mouth?

30. What Eastenders star sang on the novelty hit Come Outside? 

Keep in touch

Yours

Peter

Answers

1.       The King and I
2. Skateboard 
3. Diners Club
4. Roger Bannister
5. Hasbro's Mr. Potato Head
6. Eagle
7. Rosa Parks
8. Frank Sinatra, Dean Martin, Sammy Davis Jr., Joey Bishop and Peter Lawford
9. Les Paul
10. Humphrey Bogart
11. Barbie
12. Ken Dodd
13. Ben Hurr
14. Frontierland, Adventureland, Fantasyland and Tomorrow land
15. Ava Gardner
16. Patrick Troughton
17. Berry Gordy
18. Sputnik 1
19. Hula-Hoop
20. Val Doonican
21. Seeburg
22. Heartbreak Hotel in 1956
23. Roger Whittaker
24. Matt Monro
25. Gigi 
26. Velcro
27. Everest
28. The Jordanaires
29. Louis Armstrong (Satchmo)
30. Wendy Richard

Maureen Writes about Christmas

How Christmas has changed since our childhood. I don't recall ever making demands on my parents for particular presents under the tree, we were always grateful for what we received.

The magic started on the late afternoon of Christmas eve, we as a family would take the bus to town where we would go to Ships in Meadow Street and Deacons in Charlotte Street for our vegetables and fruit. We would buy our Christmas Tree in the market and then go to the meat lorry for a piece of pork and a Capon. This shopping was always left to late as the stalls in Charlotte Street had to clear their stock by the end of the day or throw it away, so you could buy a string of sprouts for next to nothing and they would literally give the first BOGOF's known, a pound of carrots turned into two or three, they would give you as much as you could carry and more. (this practice changed in later years when most of the stall holders then owned shops in different parts of Portsmouth, so left over produce would be kept a day or two until their shops opened again. (Refridgeration was also more common by then)

We then struggled with all our bags and the tree, back onto a bus to take us home. Try that today and you would be told to walk. The tree was set up and decorated in the evening - and 'Yes' we had real candles on our tree, plastic decorations and real glass baubles, we also hung chocolates on the tree and the fairy on the top, then off to bed before Santa came.

On Christmas morning we would find a stocking, aka pillow case, at the end of the bed filled with goodies. I wouldn't be far wrong if I were to say it contained:

A magic drawing pad (when you scribbled lightly over the page a picture appeared) in later years this was exchanged for a Colouring book and crayons or colouring pencils.

A pretty picture tin of Bluebird Toffees

A small stocking of fresh peanuts and raisins

A Clementine or Mandarine Orange

An Annual (first ones were Rupert the Bear advancing to The Robin or The Swift then onto 'Girl')

There was always some form of clothing such as bobble hats and scarves, gloves, socks and if you were really lucky a jumper or cardigan.

Usually a Dinky toy or animals for the farmyard

There would be a board game or a small pack of cards and simple toys that would have only cost pennies or two.

Of course Santa's present was always left under the tree to be opened with all the family.

And we were very happy with our lot

What Happened on Christmas Day in the 1950’s

On Christmas Day 1950, four Scottish students from the University of Glasgow (Ian Hamilton, Gavin Vernon, Kay Matheson and Alan Stuart) removed the Stone of Scone from Westminster Abbey in London and took the Stone back to Scotland. The students were members of the Scottish Covenant Association, a group that supported home rule for Scotland. In 2008 the incident was made into a film called Stone of Destiny.

1951 1st Christmas Day in test cricket, Aust v West Indies at Adelaide

1951 West Indies defeat Australia by 6 wkts on 3rd day of 3rd Test Cricket

1953 Avalanche of lava kills 150 from Ruapehu volcano in New Zealand

1955 Pope Pius XII publishes an encyclical on sacred music & popular music

1958 Alan Freed's Christmas Rock & Roll Spectacular opens

1959 A synagogue in Cologne Germany desecrated with swatstikas

1959 Richard Starkey (Ringo Starr) receives his first drum kit.

On Christmas Day 1960. The General Post Office stopped delivering letters on Christmas Day in 1960 in England, Wales and Northern Ireland, and in 1965 in Scotland.

Web Page No 2432

18th December 2017

First Picture: Dinky Toy

Second Picture: The View Master

Third Picture: Scalectrix

Forth Picture: Dolls House

Christmas Presents of our Childhood.

Whether they'd been naughty or nice, children in the 1950s dreamed of finding very different things in their Christmas stockings to the kids of today.

There is a lovely film taken in the UK back in 1959, this black and white footage shows a group of adorable youngsters being asked by Santa what they'd like him to bring them. And they weren't looking for a Barbie, Buzz Lightyear, or Scalextric and definitely not electronic games.

Dressed in shirts, pinnies, winter coats with sewn in gloves, centre-partings and bobs, these cute primary schoolchildren only wanted for simple things - especially the girls.

Two little boys tell Father Christmas that they most wanted 'a bike', with two wheels and a bell, a clockwork mouse and a penny whistle.

But the girls are even cuter with their humble requests.

The kids of the 1950s didn't want for extravagant gifts. Bright-eyed Gillian, seven, asks for a toy ironing board - no doubt so she can help her mum around the house. Eight-year-old Lynne just wants to dress smartly and asks Santa for 'an underskirt' - not exactly a pony, is it?

The two other little girls ask for 'a bible' and 'oh, anything'.

Who's betting their grandchildren are asking for smartwatches, iPads, computers, talking dolls, robots and TVs?

The toys of our childhood were certainly simpler than today. No computer games, no internet, in fact we rarely needed batteries let alone a wireless connection! The ultimate high-tech toy was probably Scalextric or an electric train set and you were very lucky to have one of these.

We still loved simple games from the past like Jacks, but toys influenced by TV and film characters were the new thing - from Sooty puppets to James Bond’s Aston Martin and the ultimate… Thunderbird 2. It was F.A.B.!

Times were changing but play time still tended to be dolls and home making for the girls; cap guns and Airfix models for the boys. It was the likes of the Etch-a-sketch and Spirograph we all loved.

Here are a few favourite toys from the 1950s and 1960s. Bet you had at least one of them and we bet you wish you’d kept the box!

1. Dinky toys

Few things were more exciting than a bright yellow box containing the latest model.

2. Spirograph

The most amazing invention ever. Countless hours spent creating incredible, magical patterns and shapes with a few coloured pens and some plastic discs.

3. Etch-a-sketch

The laptop of its day! The instructions were simple: Turn the knobs to draw. To erase, turn it upside down and shake. I never quite mastered curves though…

4. View Master

Another bright red classic and a must on the Christmas list. Cartoons, Batman and Doctor Who in glorious Stereoscopic vision.

5. Sindy

‘The doll you love to dress’. Our own, far more wholesome, truly British alternative to Barbie and we loved her. Remember her Beatles era boyfriend, Paul?

6. Action Man

Dolls have never come more macho than this. He even had gripping hands. Deep sea diver, soldier, cricketer, martial arts expert. Was there anything he couldn’t do?

7. Scalextric

Days spent mastering the fine art of keeping those little cars on the track. Hours spent mesmerized by cars going round and round and round the racing track. Complete Heaven.

8. Play doh

“Don’t play with that in the front room. You’ll ruin the carpet!” was mothers cry!. Oops! Too late.

9. Dolls house

Usually made by Dad or an uncle from odd bits of wood with scraps of carpet on the floors and tiny curtains in the windows. Miniature versions of the home girls dreamt of living in with Prince Charming.

Has my pick of toys from simpler times put a smile on your face? Before you rush up to the attic in search of your original Mr Potato Head or Hornby train set, why not take a moment to share your play time memories with all of us?

Keep in touch

Yours

Peter

DUSTYKEAT@aol.com

You Write:

Chris Writes:-,

Just received today’s blog and was curious about the Carmarthen Avenue picture. I think I am right in saying the picture shows Aberdare Avenue. The white houses to the left cascade away down and around in Drayton Lane. The lower of these houses on the bend would have a view into the chalk pit.

In the picture of Aberdare Avenue, the top most on the east side of the road has yet to be built. This house with integral garage is of a completely different later style. The house opposite on the west side of the road is also different style to all but three others in the road, but looks like it was built in the same era late 1920s I believe.

The  scrub and the long grass is exactly as I remember it when I came to the area 1958. For some years, for November 5^th a large bonfire was assembled 50/60 yards up from the top of the Avenue. There was also a sort of groove than ran down the hill in this vicinity that was very popular when we had a decent lay of snow.

Phil Writes re Fred Helyer:  

I was in the Senior Scouts when Fred Helyer was a leader (I think his surname had a single “L”) and he lived in Hilary Avenue. Looking at Google Maps I think he and his wife, June, lived at number 18; there was garage access gap between some houses and (I think) his house was one house from the access that went dog-legged through to The Close. I know he worked at the The Highbury Tech School (now the Highbury College) ; I think he was a lecturer for gas fitters. He used to drive a Bedford Dormobile which he also used to carry us scouts and equipment around in; he’d allowed the scouts to paint the Dormobile in 2-tone household paint light blue and light grey.

                I left the scouts in 1966 and moved to London. I don’t know what Fred did after that time.

                I may have a photo or two that include him; I’ll have a hunt for them. The scout leader (not senior scouts) around that time was Alan Nossiter who lived in Park Avenue, Purbrook. Alan turned up at my house in Australia 10 – 15 years ago and handed me a copy of 35mm film of those scouting days; I’m sure Fred Helyer was on that film, too. Alan was primarily in Australia visiting friends or relatives in Adelaide. He must have obtained my address from my brother. 

News and Views:

On this day 18th December 1960-1965

On 18/12/1960 the number one single was It's Now Or Never - Elvis Presley and the number one album was South Pacific Soundtrack. The top rated TV show was Knight Errant (Granada) and the box office smash was Psycho. A pound of today's money was worth £13.68 and Tottenham Hotspur were on the way to becoming the Season's Division 1 champions.

On 18/12/1961 the number one single was Tower of Strength - Frankie Vaughan and the number one album was Another Black & White Minstrel Show - George Mitchell Minstrels. The top rated TV show was Coronation Street (Granada) and the box office smash was One Hundred and One Dalmations. A pound of today's money was worth £13.25 and Ipswich Town were on the way to becoming the Season's Division 1 champions.

On 18/12/1962 the number one single was Return to Sender - Elvis Presley and the number one album was West Side Story Soundtrack. The top rated TV show was Coronation Street (Granada) and the box office smash was Lawrence of Arabia. A pound of today's money was worth £12.89 and Everton were on the way to becoming the Season's Division 1 champions.

On 18/12/1963 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 Coronation Street (Granada) and the box office smash was The Great Escape. A pound of today's money was worth £12.64 and Liverpool were on the way to becoming the Season's Division 1 champions.

On 18/12/1964 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 (Granada) and the box office smash was Dr Strangelove. A pound of today's money was worth £12.24 and Manchester United were on the way to becoming the Season's Division 1 champions.

On 18/12/1965 the number one single was Day Tripper/We Can Work It Out - The Beatles and the number one album was The Sound of Music Soundtrack. The top rated TV show was Coronation Street (Granada) and the box office smash was The Sound of Music. A pound of today's money was worth £11.69 and Liverpool were on the way to becoming the Season's Division 1 champions.

Web Page  No 2430

11th December 2017

First Picture: Terry Scott

Second Picture: Terry and June

Third Picture: My Brother

Forth Picture: Blue Plaque in Bushey

Terry Scott

Owen John "Terry" Scott was born on 4th May 1927 and died on 26th July 1994 in his long career he appeared in seven Carry On films but was best remembered for the BBC1's popular domestic sitcom Terry and June with June Whitfield.

He was born and brought up in Watford and educated at Watford Field Junior School and Watford Grammar School for Boys. He was the youngest of three children and the only surviving son after his brother Aubrey died when he was six. After National Service in the Navy at the end of World War II, he briefly studied accounting then he used his demobilisation gratuity to enter show-business as a manager of seaside shows around Britain.. Spells on the radio on shows like Workers Playtime were followed by appearances on TV and he got an opportunity in farce when he joined the Whitehall Theatre Company of Brian Rix. With Bill Maynard he appeared at Butlin's Holiday Camp in Skegness and partnered him in the TV series Great Scott, It's Maynard!. During the early 1960s, he became well known to television audiences for his role alongside Hugh Lloyd in Hugh and I and they both appeared as Ugly Sisters in pantomime at The London Palladium and Terry Scott reappeared in that same role with Julian Orchard in later years. Later appeared with Hugh Lloyd as gnomes in the 1969 sitcom The Gnomes of Dulwich.

His novelty record "My Brother" (written by Mitch Murray, released 1962 on Parlophone) was based on a schoolboy character (he dressed in the uniform to sing it on TV) and it received regular airplay on BBC Radio (in particular Ed Stewart's Saturday and Sunday morning programme Junior Choice) for many years. In the 1970s, he had a memorable role in TV commercials for a chocolate coated caramel bar called Curly Wurly, in which he again appeared dressed as a schoolboy, complete with short trousers and cap. This performance he also repeated more than once on BBC TVs long running variety show The Good Old Days. He had played a small role in the very first of the Carry On films series of films, Carry On Sergeant in 1958 but in 1968 he returned to the series with a role in Carry On Up the Khyber and went on to play main roles in six of the later films.

He is best remembered for starring alongside June Whitfield in several series of the comedy Happy Ever After and its successor, Terry and June. They had first worked together making a series of the sketch show Scott On (1968). They also featured in supporting roles together in the film version of Bless This House. From 1981 to 1992, he was the voice of Penfold the hamster in the series Danger Mouse.

In 1974 he narrowly escaped death when he was driving from a stage performance in Billingham to a radio interview in Middlesbrough nearby. His route took him onto the Middlesbrough Transporter Bridge which consists of a "gondola", carrying passengers and cars, suspended from rails on an overhead structure. He mistook this for a conventional toll bridge and accidentally drove his car through the safety gate on the approach road and off the riverbank, landing in the safety netting below.

He underwent surgery for a brain tumour in 1979 and in the late 1980s suffered a nervous breakdown and cancer of the bladder.

He suffered from ill health for many years. In 1979, he had a life-saving operation after a haemorrhage. He also suffered from creeping paralysis and had to wear a neck brace, even on television. When Terry and June ended in 1987, he suffered a nervous breakdown. The attack was in part brought on by his public confession that he had had a series of affairs since his marriage to dancer Margaret Peden in 1957. The couple had four daughters: Sarah, Nicola, Lindsay and Sally. He was also diagnosed with cancer in 1987and died at the family home in Witley near Godalming, aged 67 from the cancer he had suffered for seven years he was surrounded by his wife Maggie and their four daughters. His doctors had sent him home when nothing more could be done to treat the disease.

He said of his last illness: "I know it would be better to give up the booze, fags and birds, but life would be so boring, wouldn't it?".

Keep in touch

Yours

Peter

DUSTYKEAT@aol.com

You Write:

Martin Writes:

6 5 Special and R S G that does go back and you are right about Cathy McGowanshe came off like a real twerp.

In reference to Fred Hellyer and Hilary Road I not sure where Hilary Road is but if you mean Hilary Avenue. we lived there, number 44 right opposite the school from 1956 until I moved to London in 1968 so I knew  most of the families. Hilary Avenue was on my paper boy route so that helped me meet most of the Hilary Avenue residents..But I do not recall a Fred Hellyer. If I had met him, as he was a Scout leader I would remember him as  I was a member of the 70th Drayton Troop

Looking forward to book number eight

Steve Writes: I believe that Jonathon got it wrong regards Mrs Magee's dog "Bosun" it was more a Dachshund than a Corgi!!

News and Views:

On this day 11^th December 1960-1965

On 11/12/1960 the number one single was It's Now Or Never - Elvis Presley and the number one album was South Pacific Soundtrack. The top rated TV show was Armchair Theatre (ABC) and the box office smash was Psycho. A pound of today's money was worth £13.68 and Tottenham Hotspur were on the way to becoming the Season's Division 1 champions.

11/12/1961 the number one single was Tower of Strength - Frankie Vaughan The top rated TV show was "Coronation Street (Granada) and the box office smash was One Hundred and One Dalmatians. A pound of today's money was worth £13.25 and Ipswich Town were on the way to becoming the Season's Division 1 champions. The big news story of the day was Sunday Night at the London Palladium.

11/12/1962 the number one single was Lovesick Blues - Frank Ifield and the number one album was On Stage with the Black & White Minstrels - George Mitchell Minstrels. The top rated TV show was Coronation Street (Granada) and the box office smash was Lawrence of Arabia. A pound of today's money was worth £12.89 and Everton were on the way to becoming the Season's Division 1 champions.

11/12/1963 the number one single was She Loves You - The Beatles and the number one album was With the Beatles - The Beatles. The top rated TV show was Coronation Street (Granada) and the box office smash was The Great Escape. A pound of today's money was worth £12.64 and Liverpool were on the way to becoming the Season's Division 1 champions.

11/12/1964 the number one single was Little Red Rooster - Rolling Stones and the number one album was A Hard Day's Night - Beatles. The top rated TV show was Coronation Street (Granada) and the box office smash was Dr Strangelove. A pound of today's money was worth £12.24 and Manchester United were on the way to becoming the Season's Division 1 champions.The big news story of the day was Poet Edith Sitwell dies

11/12/1965 the number one single was The Carnival is Over - Seekers and the number one album was The Sound of Music Soundtrack. The top rated TV show was Coronation Street (Granada) and the box office smash was The Sound of Music. A pound of today's money was worth £11.69 and Liverpool were on the way to becoming the Season's Division 1 champions.

Web Page  No 2428

4^th December 2017



Firstly can any one help? I have had this request, where is Fred?

 I recently had lunch with two other former Patrol Leaders from the 62^nd (1963-1967) who now live in north Wales and on the Isle of Wight.  The three of us moved on to a Senior, later Venture Scout group housed in a Nyssen hut sub-leased from Portsmouth Rugby Club at the former war-era army barracks at Hilsea.  The leader was Fred Hellyer, at the time in his thirties and living with his family on Hilary Road in Cosham.  I was wondering whether you or any of your local contacts might have any information about Fred and what became of him beyond about 1969, when the three of us left the scouts and the area.

First Picture: RSG Set

Second Picture: Donovan and Cathy McGowan

Third Picture: The Beatles, Helen Shapiro, Dusty Springfield, Eden Kane and Keith Fordyce on the set of RSG!

Ready Steady Go

Having Last week dealt with Don Lang who appeared on the 6-5 Special which was an hour programme and which ran for 97 episodes, it is time to look at the ITV challenger  Ready Steady Go which was only 30 minutes long for the first year and was extended to 50 minutes later and it lasted 52 episodes.

It was broadcast every Friday night from 1963 during its run until it ended on 23/12/1966. Presented by Keith Fordyce and Cathy McGowan  it featuring many performances by The Beatles, Rolling Stones,  Mick Jagger, Dusty Springfield, Del Shannon, the Animals, the Rolling Stones, the Beatles, and Dave Berry and The Who amongst other 60's greats. It had a simple formula – to showcase artists from both the UK and USA (usually miming), alongside an audience who danced or stood around during the performances. Performers were declared live from 2nd April 1965 when lip syncing was abolished.

Cathy MacGowan was an irritating, mini-skirted, giggler, while Keith Fordyce would have looked more at home as an assistant in a furniture shop – still, it was a start and pre-dated Top of the Pops by a few years. Big names who appeared on Ready, Steady, Go, included Dusty Springfield, Del Shannon, the Animals, the Rolling Stones, the Beatles, and Dave Berry. The theme tune was provided by Manfred Mann (the catchy 54321).

Perhaps it was not the most inventive of music shows – and suffered from the miming aspect which made most artists look ridiculous as they lip synched to a track which resounded around the huge space. It was hardly definitive but was the first attempt on British TV (after 6-5 Special) to provide a weekly showcase for the movers and shakers of popular music. As Cathy MacGowan would say, 'The weekend starts here …'.

The programme was broadcast every Friday and was conceived by Elkan Allan, head of Rediffusion TV. He wanted a light entertainment programme different from the low-brow style of light entertainment transmitted by ATV. The programme was produced without scenery or costumes and with a minimum of choreography and make-up. The programme was produced by Associated-Rediffusion, the weekday ITV contractor for London, called Rediffusion-London after 1964. The live show was eventually networked nationally.The show gained its highest ratings on 20th March 1964 when it featured the Beatles being interviewed and performing "It Won't Be Long", "You Can't Do That" and "Can't Buy Me Love" - the last a hit at the time.

In the 1980s Dave Clark of the Dave Clark Five acquired the rights to the 1960s UK music show and bought the rights to the surviving recordings.

In 1965 the programme was parodied in The Benny Hill Show  where Benny Hill impersonated Cathy McGowan, Peter & Gordon and a singer named P. J. Orbison (the amalgam of the names of P. J. Proby and Roy Orbison). Although not actually mentioned by name. Ready, Steady, Go! was parodied in the 1967 film Bedazzled featuring comedians Peter Cook and Dudley Moore (who both had appeared on Ready Steady Go).  The song used was filmed on the actual Ready Steady Go set in late 1966.

In the mod film Quadrophenia, the main character is watching the Who perform on Ready Steady Go!.

In episode 3 of Alan Plater's 1995 TV drama Oliver's Travels, Oliver (played by Alan Bates) says "Ready, Steady, Go!", to which his B&B hostess (played by Molly Sugden) replies, "If you're old enough to know that, you're as old as you look."

English group Generation X wrote a song about the show "Ready Steady Go" in 1978, which made various references and had the lyric "because I'm in love with Cathy McGowan". As part of the Southbank's Meltdown Festival 2011, curator Ray Davies recreated Ready Steady Go on Saturday 11th June.

Looking back it is very lucky that some of the original ideas never were instituted. Their early intentions were to present the main show to an audience of about 150 inside Rediffusions London studio at Television House, Kingsway, where compere Keith Fordyce would introduce the artists, with additional activity in the lobby where his Canadian co-host, David Gell, would chat with audience members about their personal current favourites. Other ideas for show considered at the time included: selection of one of the invited audience members to be an amateur disc jockey; giving someone the chance to win that week's Top 50 singles; blindfolding members of the audience and getting them to try and identify a current chart hit; and having a weekly section with 'showbiz' news items. Thankfully, all these were dropped and the production concentrated largely on the artists and dancing inside the studio itself.

Keep in touch

Yours

Peter

DUSTYKEAT@aol.com

You Write:

Jonathan writes:-

Hello Peter,

It's a lovely warm day in Johannesburg and I have just read your Blog of the week. I noticed the picture of the Solent Road teacher Mr Wing "Pop" as we called him. It set me to thinking on the other school teachers of that era the 50's. I had in succession the following Form teachers. Mr White, Mrs Magee and Miss Moore. Mr White was strict and wielded the cane occasionally. He gave us all a model animal at year end. Mrs Magee was much easier and used to bring her corgi to school (imagine that being allowed now). Miss Moore was as hard as nails to the point of extreme cruelty I will say no more on this I have written about it before. Other teachers I remember were "Doc" King who sported an RAF style mustache a bit scary but really rather a good teacher. Les Rose our PT teacher and would today be in trouble........Mr Hawkins our headmaster, another slightly scary bloke who would fill in occasionally when a teacher was off sick. We enjoyed the finest education in those days as a result of the 1944 Education Act. The education system has been tinkered with by successive governments to the point that the UK has gone from the best in the world to well down the list. 

The Education Act of 1944 was authored by Conservative Rab Butler and known as "the Butler Act", it defined the modern split between primary education and secondary education at age 11; it also established the Tripartite System, consisting of grammar schools, secondary modern schools and secondary technical schools. Academically gifted students who passed the "Scholarship" exam (later replaced by a "Grading Test" and the 11+ examination) were able to attend a grammar school. Children who did not pass the selection test attended secondary modern schools or technical schools. The school leaving age was raised to 15. The elite system of public schools was practically unchanged.

The new law was widely praised by Conservatives because it honoured religion and social hierarchy, by Labour because it opened new opportunities for the working class, and by the general public because it ended the fees they had to pay. 

In 1965 the Labour government started to mess around with the Education System and required all local education authorities to formulate proposals to move away from selection at eleven, replacing the tripartite system with comprehensive schools. The introduction of such schools was resisted by many Local Education Authorities. The changes were finally put into effect by the Direct Grant Grammar Schools (Cessation of Grant) Regulations 1975. Some schools (almost all Catholic) became fully state-funded, while the majority became independent fee-paying schools.

In this same period the school leaving age was raised to 16 and saw the introduction of the Education (Work Experience) Act, allowing LEAs to organise work experience for the additional final year school students. In some counties around the country, these changes also led to the introduction of Middle schools where students were kept at primary or junior school for an additional year, meaning that the number of students in secondary schools within these areas remained virtually constant through the change.

Many secondary schools in areas without a Middle School were unable to accommodate the new 5th year students. The solution to the problem was to construct a new building for these schools (often referred to as "ROSLA Buildings" or "ROSLA Blocks") that needed to extend their capacity. providing them with the capacity to cope with the new generation of ROSLA students. The "ROSLA Buildings" were delivered to schools in self-assembly packs and were not intended to stand long-term, though some have proven to have stood much longer than was initially planned and some are still standing now.

The 1988 Education Reform Act further tinkered around with the education system. These changes were aimed at creating a 'market' in education with schools competing with each other for 'customers' (pupils). The theory was that "bad" schools would lose pupils to the "good" schools and either have to improve, reduce in capacity or close. The reforms included the following:

-The National Curriculum was introduced, which made it compulsory for schools to teach certain subjects and syllabuses. Previously the choice of subjects had been up to the school.

-Formula funding was introduced, which meant that the more children a school could attract to it, the more money the school would receive.

Best regards Jonathan 

News and Views:

On this day 4^th December 1960-1965

On 04/12/1960 the number one single was It's Now Or Never - Elvis Presley and the number one album was South Pacific. The top rated TV show was Armchair Theatre (ABC) the first episode of Coronation Street on shown and the box office smash was Psycho. A pound of today's money was worth £13.68 and Tottenham Hotspur were on the way to becoming the Season's Division 1 champions.

 On 04/12/1961 the number one single was Tower of Strength - Frankie Vaughan . The top rated TV show was Coronation Street and the box office smash was One Hundred and One Dalmations. A pound of today's money was worth £13.25 Ipswich Town were on the way to becoming the Season's Division 1 champions. The big news story of the day was Sunday Night at the London Palladium (ATV).

 On 04/12/1962 the number one single was Lovesick Blues - Frank Ifield and the number one album was On Stage with the Black & White Minstrels - George Mitchell Minstrels. 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 Everton were on the way to becoming the Season's Division 1 champions

 On 04/12/1963 the number one single was She Loves You - The Beatles and the number one album was With the Beatles - The Beatles. 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 Liverpool were on the way to becoming the Season's Division 1 champions. Christine Keeler arrives in prison to serve her sentence of nine months for perjury.

 On 04/12/1964 the number one single was Little Red Rooster - Rolling Stones and the number one album was A Hard Day's Night - Beatles. The top rated TV show was Coronation Street and the box office smash was Dr Strangelove. A pound of today's money was worth £12.24 and Manchester United were on the way to becoming the Season's Division 1 champions. Poet Edith Sitwell dies.

 On 04/12/1965 the number one single was The Carnival is Over - Seekers and the number one album was The Sound of Music Soundtrack. 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 Liverpool were on the way to becoming the Season's Division 1 champions.