I don't think they would believe it nowadays?

[TominDales]

The 60s and 70s were not at all crime free, and down right dangerous at times.
You could get yourself badly beaten in the wrong neighborhood. there were a few no go areas. I found too many adults didn't believe children if they were criticising other adults bad behaviour, and too many in authority assumed they new best and did their damnedest to protect their reputations.

When we reported the French teacher to the headteacher for touching up some of the boys, he wrote the man a good reference and he moved to another school. The geography teacher was complety erratic, and unpredictable and would beat you up for no apparent reason. He claimed he had a war wound and drank from a flask. He hit a boy with a chair and smashed it onto the school piano. He would scowl at boys in the shower after rugby and threw his lever arch file at one. His time on duty was terrifying. I told my mum, but she just assumed it was a tall story, until a cleaner told her that he had strangled her and as she was about to pass out he let go and walked off. He disappeared suddenly. Years later the head told me he sacked him as he was a raging alcoholic. But that was after a 10 to 15 year reign of terror. To be fair to the head, it was probably only 3 years into his stint. The replacement geography teacher was equally creepy and vindictive and years later got sent to gaol for child abuse.

Strangely enough I had an enjoyable time despite it, as other teachers were fantastic, dedicated and did interesting things in their free time. One would take us for drives in his MG (about 5 of us could cram in) after school to see historic sites in the nearby countryside. Also as some of the teachers were so obviously out of order the, kids tended to band together in solidarity, so there was not that much bullying at that school.

 

[Jonty]

I came to think of one thing....... how many people today know how to harvest grain with a sickle and tie it into bundles for hand threshing?
The old lady next doors often looked after me when my parents were away and every autumn she harvested some oats the old way to feed the birds in winter. In her youth in the late 1920-ies and 30-ies that way of harvesting was still fairly common on small less mechanized farms an even on larger farms as a way of cutting up room for the horse pulling the mower so it wouldn't trample any grain.
Anyway she still did it in the 1980-ies. One way of keeping me calm and in one place was to keep me busy learning things so I learned to use the sicle and how to tie the bundles together with straw and I still know it.
She was left handed and to this day I tend to tie left handed knots on the straw band if I try to do it.

Weren’t they called stukes ? Not sure of the spelling, but remember them from the 50’s.

 

[Keith Cocker]

I remember life back pre 1980 when thuggery and general idiocy were a fraction of what they are today

I remember getting two black eyes, a bust lip, broken tooth and a Stanley knife cut across my scalp in 1972. I was on a train going home from a cinema with my girlfriend. A bunch of skinhead football hooligans ran amok on the train. Several people were badly injured before the police arrived. Probably less thuggery now than goodness.

 

[Rorschach]

I remember getting two black eyes, a bust lip, broken tooth and a Stanley knife cut across my scalp in 1972. I was on a train going home from a cinema with my girlfriend. A bunch of skinhead football hooligans ran amok on the train. Several people were badly injured before the police arrived. Probably less thuggery now than goodness.

Sshhh, you are fogging up his rose tinted spectacles

 

[TominDales]

You were all incredibly lucky, that was a really dangerous thing to do as I’m sure you realise now. Makes the things I did look really time thank goodness. Ian

It was the stupidest thing we did, although no-one said anything, I think we realised it at the time. We were pretty well unsupervised and learnt the hard way. My mum was rather naive, she had four sisters and I don't think she realised how stupid a group of boys can be. HSE was pretty absent and when you add up the casualties it was pretty bad. A friend died while camping in the garden when he went to put out a fire in the neighbors greenhouse and it collapsed on him. And another went on a canal trip with other 16 years olds and no adults and got crushed against the lock wall. Another is a paraplegic after diving into a rock pool. Not to say those written off in car accidents. We stopped messing about with weedkiller and sugar after someone got shrapnel in their hand and my grandad told us of a boy who blew his garage doors off. The perchlorate weedkiller was unstable and could be set off by vibration. I doubt is sold these days. Cyanide was sold to farmers to kill wasps nests.
We tend to be supper protective of the young these days, but I wouldn't advocate going back to what it was. there is a sensible medium where you need to let kids explore for themselves but help them get an awareness of hazard and risk. Our childhood was fun at the time, but there were tragedies.

 

[johnny]

My mum had a tin of shillings for the electric meter bin men used to come up the drive for the bin coalman used to deliver in sacks from the road into our coal hole we used to get maggots from the butcher for fishing in the mill dams.
Tufty used to tell us how to cross the roads and we also had watch with mother with captain pugwash, bill and Ben, Andy Pandy, anybody remember spotty dog.

My favourite was Muffin the Mule and the Flower Pot men. Used to wait until the mid day Billy Cotton Band show ended and listen with mother came on the old valve radio. I can still hear that Billy Cotton tune in my head today 65 years on. If you hadn't warmed it up first it used to take ages for all the valves to warm up to a bright glow and you could hear anything lol. Anyone remember Twizzle ?

 

[Phil Pascoe]

The replacement geography teacher was equally creepy and vindictive and years later got sent to gaol for child abuse.

I remember the olden days, as well. When everyone spelt "jail" gaol. I still do.

 

[Phil Pascoe]

I remember doing the First Class hike in the Scouts with a friend - a twenty five mile hike with full kit and an overnight stop on a farm. This was obviously pre arranged, but we had to ask the farmer's permission to camp on his land for the night. I was slightly older so got the job of spokesman. I remember the farmer looking us up and down and saying I know what I'd do if you were mine, I'd kick your asses and put you on the bus home. (In the days you could get a bus at 7.00pm in the countryside.) We were twelve years old.

 

[Jacob]

I remember doing the First Class hike in the Scouts with a friend - a twenty five mile hike with full kit and an overnight stop on a farm. This was obviously pre arranged, but we had to ask the farmer's permission to camp on his land for the night. I was slightly older so got the job of spokesman. I remember the farmer looking us up and down and saying I know what I'd do if you were mine, I'd kick your asses and put you on the bus home. (In the days you could get a bus at 7.00pm in the countryside.) We were twelve years old.

I was patrol leader of the Peewits! Went off Scouts after my mate and I went to school in our full uniforms with Baden Powell style hat and everything, for Remembrance day ceremony. Girls weren't impressed and took the p***ss!

 

[Nigel Burden]

My brother, and his friend Brian, who was one of the local farmers sons, were playing cowboys and indians around a hayrick, lighting small fires to send smoke signals. Yes, you've guessed it, one got out of control. Good by hayrick. Two wallopings were duly administered afterwards.

Nigel.

 

[Glitch]

My brother, and his friend Brian, who was one of the local farmers sons, were playing cowboys and indians around a hayrick, lighting small fires to send smoke signals. Yes, you've guessed it, one got out of control. Good by hayrick. Two wallopings were duly administered afterwards.

Nigel.

In todays world that just wouldn't happen

Non-structured play outdoors without parental supervision?
Allergens and germs?
Cultural appropriation?
Negative stereotyping?
Unconscious bias?
Risk of winners and losers?
Ability to light a fire?
Child abuse?

 

[BHwoodworking]

as a 17 year old, i think i am alowed a fair amount of freedom what i do with my self. i cant drive (yet) but am alowed to go out and about, and when it comes to tools, there is only one the parents didnt let me get until i was 16, whitch is a chainsaw, but fair do's, because chainsaws are blummin dangerious.

i personally dont have a phone, all my classmates do, and i dont seem to be any worse off. in fact, i find they get distracted easier. i used to go and help on freinds and relations houses, and i build stuff outdoors. i find that oulthough i am allowed a certan amount of freedom, compared to what the parents did when they are my age, i do jack .

i do protests sometimes, but otherwise i get on with life, witch mine has a large dolop of woodwork in it. so everyone that is saying that all the youth of today do is look at a screan and get stroppy if they dont get avacodo toast and a fair chance, not everyone is like that, i may be in the minority, but there is still quite a few kids my age that do, and enjoy woodworking and other non electronic divice related activites

 

[Jacob]

In todays world that just wouldn't happen

Non-structured play outdoors without parental supervision?
Allergens and germs?
Cultural appropriation?
Negative stereotyping?
Unconscious bias?
Risk of winners and losers?
Ability to light a fire?
Child abuse?

A set of vague Daily Mail style memes here.
Are you for or against them, or just moaning a bit?

 

[TominDales]

as a 17 year old, i think i am alowed a fair amount of freedom what i do with my self. i cant drive (yet) but am alowed to go out and about, and when it comes to tools, there is only one the parents didnt let me get until i was 16, whitch is a chainsaw, but fair do's, because chainsaws are blummin dangerious.

i do protests sometimes, but otherwise i get on with life, witch mine has a large dolop of woodwork in it. so everyone that is saying that all the youth of today do is look at a screan and get stroppy if they dont get avacodo toast and a fair chance, not everyone is like that, i may be in the minority, but there is still quite a few kids my age that do, and enjoy woodworking and other non electronic divice related activites

Well said. Apparently Aristotle used to moan that the youth of today aren't like they were.., we are no different as we get older the glass in our old specs gets a rosier tint. In many ways its best not to remember the bad stuff and just look forward. Seize the day as they used to say and live for the moment and move forward. So ignore this stuff on the forum, they are harmless reminiscences.
The other thing is, when we were your age we were full of anxieties about ourselves and somewhat axious about the future and that clouded our experience at the time, looking back on things knowing how they turned out, we realised there was no need to worry - the past is often more rosy than we give it credit at the time, it only looking back that we realised how much we enjoyed it. So your are spot on to look forward and ignore the nativity. Another thing. Many of us enjoy doing things with our hands, making stuff. Most modern employment does not give this skill an outlet, so keep up with woodworking as it is an enjoyable pastime that is useful whatever you go on to do. And in 50 years time you can repeat Aristotle and moan about the youth of today.

 

[Cabinetman]

as a 17 year old, i think i am alowed a fair amount of freedom what i do with my self. i cant drive (yet) but am alowed to go out and about, and when it comes to tools, there is only one the parents didnt let me get until i was 16, whitch is a chainsaw, but fair do's, because chainsaws are blummin dangerious.

i personally dont have a phone, all my classmates do, and i dont seem to be any worse off. in fact, i find they get distracted easier. i used to go and help on freinds and relations houses, and i build stuff outdoors. i find that oulthough i am allowed a certan amount of freedom, compared to what the parents did when they are my age, i do jack .

i do protests sometimes, but otherwise i get on with life, witch mine has a large dolop of woodwork in it. so everyone that is saying that all the youth of today do is look at a screan and get stroppy if they dont get avacodo toast and a fair chance, not everyone is like that, i may be in the minority, but there is still quite a few kids my age that do, and enjoy woodworking and other non electronic divice related activites

Yes what Tom said, sounds like you’ve got your head screwed on, but then you live in North Yorkshire and it’s more common there. Any ideas what you intend to do with your life yet? Edit, just had a thought you don’t live on a farm by any chance do you?Ian

 

[Glitch]

Aristotle was never the same after he moved from Olympiacos to Barcelona.

 

[Glitch]

Nostalgia is an affectionate feeling you have for the past, especially for a particularly happy time.
To reminisce is to talk or write about past experiences that you remember with pleasure.

Typically thinking back to the carefree days before you started taking on responsibilities and finding out what real life was about.

By definition it tends to be a bit rose tinted.

It's certainly not a criticism of todays youngsters. They are born into a society that previous generations have created.

 

[chrisdt]

Good point, but times they are a changing.
I'm more than happy to have a cashless society. Little need for it these days.
Cash Management is expensive.

Cash will always be King....Especially for the self employed !!!!

 

[JimB]

I remember doing the First Class hike in the Scouts with a friend - a twenty five mile hike with full kit and an overnight stop on a farm. This was obviously pre arranged, but we had to ask the farmer's permission to camp on his land for the night. I was slightly older so got the job of spokesman. I remember the farmer looking us up and down and saying I know what I'd do if you were mine, I'd kick your asses and put you on the bus home. (In the days you could get a bus at 7.00pm in the countryside.) We were twelve years old.

I was in the cubs but wasn't allowed by my parents to join the scouts. I found out later that the scoutmaster had a dodgy reputation with children.

 

[JimB]

Yes what Tom said, sounds like you’ve got your head screwed on, but then you live in North Yorkshire and it’s more common there. Any ideas what you intend to do with your life yet? Edit, just had a thought you don’t live on a farm by any chance do you?Ian

I friend gave me a coffee mug with the inscription, 'it's hard to be humble when you come from Yorkshire".