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We met and married a long time ago,
we worked for long hours when wages were low
Nae TV nae wireless, nae bath, times were hard. Just a cold water tap and a walk
doon the park.
Nae holidays abroad, nae carpets oan the floors, we had coal burning fires and
we didnae lock doors
Oor children arrived....nae pill in those days, and we were brought up without
any state aids.
They were safe tae go oot and play in the park, and old folk could go fur a walk
in the dark
Nae valium, nae drugs and nae LSD, we cured awe oor ills wi' a good cup o' tea
Nae vandals nae muggings there wis nuthing tae rob, we felt we were rich wi' a
couple o' bob
People wur happier in those bygone days, mer caring and kinder in so many ways.
Milkman and papery boy would whistle an' sing, and a night at the pictures was
like a mad fling
we all got oor share o' trouble an' strife, we just had tae face it as a lantern
of life
And noo am alone, I look back through the years, but ah don't think of bad
times, the troubles and tears
I remember the blessing, oor home and oor love, that we shared them the
gither..I thank God above!
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Looking back........how did some of us "auld yins" survive? from
the 30's, 40's, 50's, 60's & 70's?
As children we would ride in cars with no seatbelts or airbags.
Our cots were covered in brightly coloured lead based paint.
We had no child-proof lids on medicine bottles. We rode our bikes
we had no helmets.
We would spend hours building go-karts out of scrap and then ride them down
hills
only to find out we forgot the brakes..
No-one was able to reach us there was no mobile phones.
We suffered cuts, and broken bones and teeth, but there were no suing. they were
accidents.
No-one was to blame, but us. Remember accidents??
We had fights, punched each other and got black and blue and learned to get over
it.
We ate cakes, bread and butter, and drank ginger, but we were never overweight.
because we were always outside playing. |
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We shared a drink with friends from one bottle and no-one died from this.
We did not have Playstations or X-boxes, 65 channels on pay TV, video films.
DVD`s, mobiles computers, Internet chatrooms-we had friends. We went outside and
found them.
We rode bikes or walked to a friend`s home and rung the doorbell, or
just walked
in and talked to them. imagine such a thing, without asking your Ma or
da!! By ourselves..Out there in the cold cruel world.
How did we do it??
Footie and netball had trials and not everyone made the team.
Those who didn`t
had to learn to deal with disappointment.
Our actions were our own. No-one to hide behind
The idea of your Ma or Da bailng you out if you broke a law was unheard of,
they
actually sided with the law-imagine that!!
This generation produced some of the best risk takers, problem solvers and
inventors ever.
The past 50years has been an explosion of innovation.
We had freedom, failure, success and responsibility and we learned how to deal
with it all. Congratulations!! |
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remember......
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Knowing all your neighbours and all the people in the local shops |
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House parties where yer aunties, uncles and everybody sang their songs |
Outside toilets
wi' newspaper torn into
squares for toilet paper
the lavvy
the
cludgie |
Lots of blankets on your bed
Houses without telephones
Yer mammy washing the stairs/close
Linoleum.....and waxcloth
Your first fitted carpet
Fireside rugs
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Yer Mammy going tae the steamie wi' the clothes in a pram |
Getting sent tae the steamie for a bath, rows of cubicles with individual
steamin' hot baths
Big brushes for yer back ( ...ah used it as a
boat! ) and carbolic soap in either green or luxury pink! |
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Remember
when a stranger or passing friend gave you some coppers and before you could
open your mouth your Ma would cry “ Whit dae ye’say?”
.....................…thanks!!! |
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When around the corner seemed far away and going into town seemed like
going somewhere |
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The smell of Ham Haughs from Healeys on a Saturday morning |
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A trip tae "the Richie" tae feed the swans in Richmond Park |
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Fishing
for baggy minnies in the Richmond park, small net and jamjar |
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A visit to the "Sonnie pon" at Glasgow green next to the Gymnastic
rings and parallel bars |
Going tae "the shows" at Glasgow green in July, remember the noise and
the smells!!
the dodgems, the ghost train, the big wheel, the waltzers, rib
tickler, steam boats, dive bombers, Caterpiller..... |
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A real coal fire |
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All huddling 'round a big roaring coal fire wi the lights out listening
tae the radio or watching telly. |
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The
wee man selling briquettes from his barrow and shouting
“coa...aal briqueeeettes |
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Coal bunkers.....soot!
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Coalmen delivering your coal |
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The smoke belching oot the lums and Foggy "pea-soup" nights |
Blinds made of brown paper, which were held to the wooden pole using
press-in tacks,
fancy blinds had a tassle! |
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The spray baths in the school playground and the smell o' carbolic soap |
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The school dentist coming tae fix wur teeth |
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Marching into class 4-abreast, a teacher playing a marching tune
on the piano at the top of the stairs. |
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Getting the belt at school.....both hands held out crossed over, then the
teacher let fly! Ooooya! |
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A stone hot water bottle in your bed on a winters night |
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Smoking cinnamon sticks and playing wi' fire lighters |
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Going the messages wi' yer mammy, standing in queues in every shop. |
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Scrambles at weddings....
all the weans would wait
outside the church, for the
bride to throw pennies out
the car window
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Christening pieces....remember getting the christening piece, money between two
digestive biscuits.
if the baby was a girl it was given to the first man
the parents met, and vice-versa. |
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Boys Brigade companies and Boy Scout troops were everywhere |
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BB bugle bands and church parades |
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Girls Brigade, Girls Guides and the Brownies, remember 'Brown Owl' |
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see Sunday School choruses.....'running over', 'deep and wide' ( remember the
hand actions!) |
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Sunday school trips...all singing on the bus and races at the beach. |
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Salvation Army playing round the back and at street corners. |
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Band of Hope |
.. when a funeral cortege passed by you said:-
Touch my collar to be a scholar Never to be a patient
Touch my nose, touch my toes Never to be in one of those. |
Student's rag day! I used to love going into the town on the rag
day....all the students were dressed up
and carrying oan all over the place, raising
money for charity. Shame it was stopped. |
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Blue 'Polis' boxes with the wee flap which housed a telephone |
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"Race issue" meant arguing about who ran the fastest. |
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Walking everywhere or getting the tram or bus.........no cars |
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ABC minors at the picture hall, luminous ABC
badge! see song |
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Going away for the day tae Ayr, Saltcoats, Largs, Millport & Rothesay |
Standing in the chip shop queue every Friday getting the family treat.
Fish suppers, Pie 'n chips, Black Pudding, Hamburger, Big Pickles |
| Beehive hairdos & Winklepickers |
Teddy Boys with their stove pipe trousers |
Writing out hundreds of "lines" because you spoke in class or committed some other awful infraction
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| Babies
dressed like little princes or princesses with their hand knitted
outfits, sitting up in their big prams with the fringed canopies |
| Getting a new hat and new white ankle socks for church at Easter |
| Going dancing at the Palais or the Barrowland |
Having PT classes on concrete playgrounds |
General
memories
doesn't
