Things the younger generation wouldn’t believe when you were a kid

[maniacmartin]

I'm in my mid-thirties (born late 1980s) so not as old as some of the commenters on this thread. Here's some things I remember:

Going to the hardware store where nails were sold by weight, just like pick & mix sweets.

Our house had storage heaters that ran on economy 7 (1am - 8am only), and a single coal fire downstairs. By the evening, the storage heaters had lost all their heat. I remember having to go to the coal bunker in the evenings (seemingly always in the rain!), which was down the street from our house behind our garage. We also used to burn food and other household rubbish on the fire in the house. I remember whenever we saw people cutting down trees or getting a new kitchen fitted etc, my mother would go in the car and ask if we could have the waste wood which we would then cut up for use on the fire. I think we were a holdout here, as other people my age seemed to all have had central heating. In winter, we used to masking tape up the keyhole and around the edge of all but one of the doors to the house to stop draughts, and everyone would either go to bed at 9pm because it was too cold downstairs, or we'd bring our duvets downstairs to hide under.

Our hot water came from an immersion heater so we all had to share the same bathwater because it'd take too long to heat more water. (We didn't have a shower because of a low ceiling in the bathroom).

My uncle was a holdout for not getting a landline, but he used to go to his local payphone at the same time each evening and wait there for a few minutes on the way to the pub. If you wanted to call him, you had a 3 minute window every day to do so.

Our TV didn't have a remote control, and my TV in my bedroom was an old black and white hand me down that couldn't store channels. It had a dial to turn with the frequencies marked on it.

Every Friday the "chip van" would come down our street. This was a van with a deep fat fryer in the back which sold fish and chips.

At school, we had a mix of whiteboards and blackboards. As someone with asthma, being near the front in a blackboard classroom wasn't too pleasant due to all the chalk dust. My primary school had BBC Micros and Acorn computers which none of the teachers had any idea how to operate.

At university, I remember that all of the clubs and societies wanted all the membership and event fees paying my cheque. I think I got through a dozen cheques at freshers' fair alone! Rent was paid by cheque, as was topping up your card for the canteen. Also, some of the older lecturers still used hand-written transparencies on the overhead projector which were impossible to read due to their bad handwriting.

It seemed to be an unwritten rule of clubs during that time that the bar takings were legitimate, but that the front door takings were used to pay people under the table.

It's still very much a thing. This is one reason why the government used covid as an excuse to push for people moving to card payments. It makes that sort of tax evasion more difficult.

Do teachers today still take the register at the start of class? With the teacher reading each pupil's name and the pupil replying 'Yes Sir' or 'Yes Miss'.

We had to reply "Here", or "je suis là" in french class.

 

[Acey]

Seems like most of this post should be in " Where does the North start thread"

I'm in my mid-thirties (born late 1980s) so not as old as some of the commenters on this thread. Here's some things I remember:

Going to the hardware store where nails were sold by weight, just like pick & mix sweets.

Our house had storage heaters that ran on economy 7 (1am - 8am only), and a single coal fire downstairs. By the evening, the storage heaters had lost all their heat. I remember having to go to the coal bunker in the evenings (seemingly always in the rain!), which was down the street from our house behind our garage. We also used to burn food and other household rubbish on the fire in the house. I remember whenever we saw people cutting down trees or getting a new kitchen fitted etc, my mother would go in the car and ask if we could have the waste wood which we would then cut up for use on the fire. I think we were a holdout here, as other people my age seemed to all have had central heating. In winter, we used to masking tape up the keyhole and around the edge of all but one of the doors to the house to stop draughts, and everyone would either go to bed at 9pm because it was too cold downstairs, or we'd bring our duvets downstairs to hide under.

Our hot water came from an immersion heater so we all had to share the same bathwater because it'd take too long to heat more water. (We didn't have a shower because of a low ceiling in the bathroom).

My uncle was a holdout for not getting a landline, but he used to go to his local payphone at the same time each evening and wait there for a few minutes on the way to the pub. If you wanted to call him, you had a 3 minute window every day to do so.

Our TV didn't have a remote control, and my TV in my bedroom was an old black and white hand me down that couldn't store channels. It had a dial to turn with the frequencies marked on it.

Every Friday the "chip van" would come down our street. This was a van with a deep fat fryer in the back which sold fish and chips.

At school, we had a mix of whiteboards and blackboards. As someone with asthma, being near the front in a blackboard classroom wasn't too pleasant due to all the chalk dust. My primary school had BBC Micros and Acorn computers which none of the teachers had any idea how to operate.

At university, I remember that all of the clubs and societies wanted all the membership and event fees paying my cheque. I think I got through a dozen cheques at freshers' fair alone! Rent was paid by cheque, as was topping up your card for the canteen. Also, some of the older lecturers still used hand-written transparencies on the overhead projector which were impossible to read due to their bad handwriting.


It's still very much a thing. This is one reason why the government used covid as an excuse to push for people moving to card payments. It makes that sort of tax evasion more difficult.


We had to reply "Here", or "je suis là" in french class.

 

[maniacmartin]

Seems like most of this post should be in " Where does the North start thread"

According to Prof Dorling's study, I actually grew up in the south (just)!

 

[SargeNpton]

That "The Avengers" comprises John Steed and Emma Peel, not a collection of Marvel superheroes.

 

[GusB]

That "The Avengers" comprises John Steed and Emma Peel, not a collection of Marvel superheroes.

Or that they were cars manufactured by Rootes group and successors under the Hillman, Chrysler and Talbot marques!

 

[AY1975]

Not sure if anyone has already mentioned this, but being allowed to play out in the street unsupervised. We lived on a main road so you couldn't play on our street but there was a large park opposite our house where kids would often go to play. When I was a kid in the early 1980s you would often see kids out playing on the side streets near us, especially the cul-de-sacs. Even in the cul-de-sac where I briefly lived in the early 2000s when I was in my mid-20s it still used to happen. These days parents tend to be much more protective of their offspring, and kids and teenagers often prefer more high-tech activities such as video games.

 

[Bletchleyite]

Not sure if anyone has already mentioned this, but being allowed to play out in the street unsupervised. We lived on a main road so you couldn't play on our street but there was a large park opposite our house where kids would often go to play. When I was a kid in the early 1980s you would often see kids out playing on the side streets near us, especially the cul-de-sacs. Even in the cul-de-sac where I briefly lived in the early 2000s when I was in my mid-20s it still used to happen. These days parents tend to be much more protective of their offspring, and kids and teenagers often prefer more high-tech activities such as video games.

I live in a "Radburn" 1970s estate, which has the cars at the back and a tree-lined cycle path at the front. You do see local kids playing out at the front. It's quite nice to see it.

Notably the family in the house at the end is French, and their kids seem to have a far looser leash than the others.

I've also noticed a north-south divide. One thing I find very noticeable when using Merseyrail is the number of fairly young kids using it on their own*. In Milton Keynes or even London they'd likely be accompanied other than to/from school if a bus service provides for that.

* No doubt many using it without paying because typically these are suburban journeys not involving the gated city centre stations, but in some ways we might as well fight the battles we can win.

 

[Runningaround]

Not sure if anyone has already mentioned this, but being allowed to play out in the street unsupervised. We lived on a main road so you couldn't play on our street but there was a large park opposite our house where kids would often go to play. When I was a kid in the early 1980s you would often see kids out playing on the side streets near us, especially the cul-de-sacs. Even in the cul-de-sac where I briefly lived in the early 2000s when I was in my mid-20s it still used to happen. These days parents tend to be much more protective of their offspring, and kids and teenagers often prefer more high-tech activities such as video games.

Plenty of kids are out now in the snow, while the adults whinge about it ''not being like it was'' while sitting in the warm I see more kids at local football than adults who are sat inside the clubhouse watching SKY Sports and plenty on trains going to school passing adults in cars going to work.
Teenagers today are far more likely to go to a gig, festival or film than my generation did who chose to stay in once you could watch these at home.

 

[AM9]

Not sure if anyone has already mentioned this, but being allowed to play out in the street unsupervised. We lived on a main road so you couldn't play on our street but there was a large park opposite our house where kids would often go to play. When I was a kid in the early 1980s you would often see kids out playing on the side streets near us, especially the cul-de-sacs. Even in the cul-de-sac where I briefly lived in the early 2000s when I was in my mid-20s it still used to happen. These days parents tend to be much more protective of their offspring, and kids and teenagers often prefer more high-tech activities such as video games.

In the cul-de-sac where I live we've just been through a phase of young families living here, where the children of three houses regularly played in the street. As they played near the entrance of the road, they used to have one child posted as a lookout, who called when a vehicle turned into the road. Drivers hare happy to slow down (less than 20mph) when seeing the children clear the road which made it work well.*
* There was one resident from the far end that didn't and would storm through at about 30mph irrespective, but 'modified their behaviour' once a couple of parents spoke to them.

 

[philthetube]

Being able to go into the ironmongers and buy a single split ring for 1p, I had just made a key fob at school.

 

[AM9]

Being able to go into the ironmongers and buy a single split ring for 1p, I had just made a key fob at school.

Yes that was missed, many rued the loss of 'fork handles' ironmongers where the shelves were full of boxes of obscure things that were required once, maybe twice in a lifetime. Unfortunately, that was their downfall, holding massive stocks of things for years (all with their different purchase tax levels) on the off chance that it would be just the thing that the customer wanted.
Ronnie Barker's portrayal of the 'proprietor' was so good that it must have brought fond memories to many.

 

[trebor79]

Yes that was missed, many rued the loss of 'fork handles' ironmongers where the shelves were full of boxes of obscure things that were required once, maybe twice in a lifetime. Unfortunately, that was their downfall, holding massive stocks of things for years (all with their different purchase tax levels) on the off chance that it would be just the thing that the customer wanted.
Ronnie Barker's portrayal of the 'proprietor' was so good that it must have brought fond memories to many.

There are still some like that. There's one in Southwold. I think there's one in Eye and in Norwich we have Thorns which is legendary. Proper rabbit warren building too!
I went in there not long ago for some oddly sized screws, so went to the "fasteners counter". I only needed a few, sold loose came to 27p!

 

[Gloster]

Yes that was missed, many rued the loss of 'fork handles' ironmongers where the shelves were full of boxes of obscure things that were required once, maybe twice in a lifetime. Unfortunately, that was their downfall, holding massive stocks of things for years (all with their different purchase tax levels) on the off chance that it would be just the thing that the customer wanted.
Ronnie Barker's portrayal of the 'proprietor' was so good that it must have brought fond memories to many.

Ronnie Barker was the customer with the dodgy haircut and moth-eaten jumper. Ronnie Corbett was the proprietor with flat cap, dust coat and, something I thought showed a superb piece of observation of the real people, those long side-burns that just about every male working in ironmongers had.

There used to be a briliant one in Shepton Mallet. It sold just about everything from chainsaws to cotton underwear.

 

[PG]

There used to be a briliant one in Shepton Mallet. It sold just about everything from chainsaws to cotton underwear.

Similar kind of one in Brechin. It occupied two adjoining terraced houses and many items required you to follow the assistant 'next door' by leaving the shop onto the street outside before going into the other 'house'. They'd even used the attic as additional floor space, though that's a relative term given the miniscule distance between adjacent shelves

 

[AM9]

Ronnie Barker was the customer with the dodgy haircut and moth-eaten jumper. Ronnie Corbett was the proprietor with flat cap, dust coat and, something I thought showed a superb piece of observation of the real people, those long side-burns that just about every male working in ironmongers had.

There used to be a briliant one in Shepton Mallet. It sold just about everything from chainsaws to cotton underwear.

Yes of course it was, however both were magnificent characterisations of the type of individuals on both sides of the counter.

 

[johnnychips]

Did your parents, or you, have ‘accounts’ at shops? The above posts reminded me my parents had an account at Mr Woods, the ironmongers, and my dad would send me on errands to buy screws etc. and I would ask Mr Woods to ‘put it on the account‘.

Every month a bill was sent and paid. I have a feeling the same thing happened at the grocer’s, to whom we sent an order every week, which was delivered in a large cardboard box. My parents weren’t rich at all, but I suppose living in a (quite big) village meant any non-payment would soon be widely known. This was in the late 60s.

 

[AM9]

Did your parents, or you, have ‘accounts’ at shops? The above posts reminded me my parents had an account at Mr Woods, the ironmongers, and my dad would send me on errands to buy screws etc. and I would ask Mr Woods to ‘put it on the account‘. Every month a bill was sent and paid. I have a feeling the same thing happened at the grocer’s, to whom we sent an order every week, which was delivered in a large cardboard box. My parents weren’t rich at all, but I suppose living in a (quite big) village meant any non-payment would soon be widely known. This was in the late 60s.

No, we bought everything with cash when it was needed apart from milk from the UD milkman and bread delivered from a local bakery, both of whom were paid weekly.

 

[johnnychips]

No, we bought everything with cash when it was needed apart from milk from the UD milkman and bread delivered from a local bakery, both of whom were paid weekly.

I am now reminded that my grandma and grandad lived in a council house, and every Friday evening - presumably coinciding with payday - the rentman (and it was always a man) would come round from the council and work his way along the street. Of course my grandma and grandad were very law-abiding citizens, but I can imagine a few on that street having to hide behind the settee from time to time.

 

[GusB]

Did your parents, or you, have ‘accounts’ at shops? The above posts reminded me my parents had an account at Mr Woods, the ironmongers, and my dad would send me on errands to buy screws etc. and I would ask Mr Woods to ‘put it on the account‘.

Every month a bill was sent and paid. I have a feeling the same thing happened at the grocer’s, to whom we sent an order every week, which was delivered in a large cardboard box. My parents weren’t rich at all, but I suppose living in a (quite big) village meant any non-payment would soon be widely known. This was in the late 60s.

When I was younger I had friend whose parents ran two businesses. His father, as well as having a physical shop, had a van fitted out as a mobile shop and they had an account at one of the local filling stations.

When Z passed his driving test (initial changed to protect the guilty), he made quite a big show about filling up his car and "putting it on account". I was quite impressed by this, until the day when I witnessed him getting a thorough dressing-down for doing so without permission!

 

[AM9]

I am now reminded that my grandma and grandad lived in a council house, and every Friday evening - presumably coinciding with payday - the rentman (and it was always a man) would come round from the council and work his way along the street. Of course my grandma and grandad were very law-abiding citizens, but I can imagine a few on that street having to hide behind the settee from time to time.

Then there were two assurance collectors, Pearl and Royal London.

 

[johnnychips]

Then there were two assurance collectors, Pearl and Royal London.

I am sure you can remember catalogues - ‘Gratton’ rings a bell - and ‘Avon ladies’ then, though these seem to have been administered by friends and neighbours.

 

[Mcr Warrior]

I am sure you can remember catalogues - ‘Gratton’ rings a bell - and ‘Avon ladies’ then, though these seem to have been administered by friends and neighbours.

Think it was actually Grattan, who were based in Bradford (West Yorkshire).

Possibly still in business, in one form or another.

 

[PG]

Then there were two assurance collectors, Pearl and Royal London.

My dad always used to trot out the story of how a young me caused him some embarrassment when I answered the door to one of these people and in answer to the "who is it" query innocently shouted out "its ruddy peters"

 

[GusB]

I am sure you can remember catalogues - ‘Gratton’ rings a bell - and ‘Avon ladies’ then, though these seem to have been administered by friends and neighbours.

There were numerous catalogues on the go, and it's what people turned to when they didn't have the money to go and buy outright in the shops. Grattan was one, but there were also Kay's, Littlewoods and numerous others. My mum was an agent for Great Universal, although most of the time she was simply just a "customer"; in those days the "agent" could take orders from friends and neighbours and make payments to the company on their behalf. In the early days it was all done by post, and goods were delivered by a White Arrow van (was there a railway connection there?)

Great Universal Stores (GUS) was absorbed into what eventually became the Shop Direct Group (now the Very Group), along with Kay's and Littlewoods. I "worked with" them for a time around 10 years ago and there were still a few of the old "agent" accounts around, although they were no longer available for new customers. The agents were still responsible for collecting payments from their customers and they had to apportion the right amount of money to the right customer when they called to make payments; it was a nightmare to fix when things went wrong!

I definitely remember the "Avon lady", and there were also people going door to door with Kleeneze and Betterware.

 

[PG]

In the early days it was all done by post, and goods were delivered by a White Arrow van

Supposedly returns were done by sticking an A5 sized blue card in your window which the near clairvoyant van driver would see, then come and knock on the door to collect...

 

[GusB]

Supposedly returns were done by sticking an A5 sized blue card in your window which the near clairvoyant van driver would see, then come and knock on the door to collect...

I can't honestly remember that; I do recall being sent to the post office with return parcels, though. Maybe they eventually went by rail!

 

[DelayRepay]

Did your parents, or you, have ‘accounts’ at shops? The above posts reminded me my parents had an account at Mr Woods, the ironmongers, and my dad would send me on errands to buy screws etc. and I would ask Mr Woods to ‘put it on the account‘.

That reminds me of another thing. As a kid, adults were always Mr... or Mrs...

That applied to neighbours, shopkeepers, friends' parents, and all the other adults I had contact with. Never would I be allowed to address an adult by their first name (apart from relatives). That would have been the height of rudeness.