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July 28, 2010
Filed Under (Anti-Social Behaviour, Good Old days) by Keith on 28-07-2010
Then I got to thinking about those halcyon days when we didn’t have a care in the world. That is until the media attacked the Teddy Boy culture in 1953 following a murder from a ‘gang’ stabbing on Clapham Common and moral panic ensued condeming all teens dressed in the flamboyant Edwardian style. We were banned from dancehalls, restaurants, some cafes and cinemas if we dressed in our “gear”. In those days the pubs closed at 10:30pm and you had to be 21 and over, strictly enforced, before you could buy alcohol but our gang wasn’t interested in booze anyway. Drugs were rare, in fact I don’t think any of us ever tried them, I much preferred to have a Strawberry Mike Shake in the company of a nice girl! I still sometimes sneak into McDonalds for a sly milk-shake, but the company of a nice girl has long since eluded me. Yes, we did go to Margate and Skegness on Bank Holidays and raise hell, but although there were a few scuffles with the “Mods” we didn’t go in for shooting and stabbing that seems to be so popular nowadays.
15 Comments posted on "The good old days"
Comments:
Sarah on July 28th, 2010 at 4:55 pm #
I remember those years well, though I lived on this western side of The Pond at the time. We were actually quite well-behaved but very opposed to any reminder of authority. We’d leave the local soda shop before closing–unless we were reminded about closing time by the proprietor, in which case we’d protest at the imposition of the rule. Not exactly consistent, were we? But that wasn’t the point…
Brennig on July 28th, 2010 at 10:43 pm #
Hmmm… Don’t I remember several instances of chain-wielding thugs in the 50s in Weston-Super-Mare? And maybe four or five knifings on the pier at Southend-on-Sea (and some bike-chain incidents there too)? And several fatalities on the Brighton seafront? And an entire train being so wrecked so badly on the way back from Hastings, that BR had to abandon the service en-route (and subsequently throw all of the carriages away) and hundreds of passengers had to make their own way home – and three people dead?
Bart on July 29th, 2010 at 8:20 am #
Ooooh, the gangster of loooove!
helen on July 29th, 2010 at 2:49 pm #
It’s a shame we can’t go back. I have moved again Keith
helen on July 29th, 2010 at 2:53 pm #
I think this should link to it
helen on July 29th, 2010 at 2:56 pm #
I am trying again
Pat on July 30th, 2010 at 3:41 pm #
Cider was our guilty secret and the occasional fag.
betsy on July 30th, 2010 at 5:32 pm #
this is so cute… I much preferred to have a Strawberry Mike Shake in the company of a nice girl!
Rona on August 1st, 2010 at 11:04 am #
Keith, I happened to see your comment on Zoe’s blog, and I came to see what you were up to. Your post brought a smile to my face…. I’ll go with you to MickyD’s… but can I have chocolate?
Keith on August 1st, 2010 at 11:05 pm #
Sarah: We opposed authority too, because we thought we knew everything (as most teens do) but now I realise that we knew ‘naff all’, as they say! Brennig: Well I suppose there are good and bad in all walks of life, we tried to behave ourseves as our parents would have wanted. All those incidents you state did happen I admit, and this is why we were all “tarred with the same brush”. Take football fans nowadays, it’s the same thing, you get thugs, vandals, troublemakers saying that they are fans of certain football teams but all they do is cause fights and other trouble at football grounds and are not really interested in the game. This of course reflects on the genuine fans who go solely to watch football and wouldn’t dream of causing trouble whether or not their team wins. Bart: Pardon? Helen: So you have moved again have you? I’m afraid that you have moved out of my line of sight! All I get back is a 404 error when I try to get to your page. Pat: Cider? Awful stuff, I much prefer a milkshke any day; that’s when I’m not drinking Pedigree, Bass or Marstons. Betsy: “I much preferred to have a Strawberry Mike Shake in the company of a nice girl!” What? You too? I am surprised!
Keith on August 2nd, 2010 at 11:16 pm #
Rona: I read your comment and I have emailed you with my answer.
guyana gyal on August 3rd, 2010 at 12:08 am #
I read somewhere that, as we age, we tend to remember only the good times. Not that I’m saying that’s what’s happened with you Keith, There’s a song which, to me, captures what’s gone wrong with modern society: Don’t blame it on the children.
helen on August 3rd, 2010 at 5:58 am #
how about this
Pat on August 3rd, 2010 at 11:00 am #
I don’t drink it now silly!
sablonneuse on August 4th, 2010 at 2:02 pm #
Makes my teenage days seems very tame. I hardly went out at all but it sounds as though you had a good time in a (mostly) gentle way. Post a comment
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Life back then really does sound better. From what my mother tells me, life then was less traumatic too, not much crime, no drugs. 
Here are a few facts, which might help you decide if you've had the unfortunate experience of meeting me in real life or not ... I am 74, divorced and available. I enjoy French cooking, drinking lots of wine, (French of course!) and holidaying in France (on a pittance, I might add!). I also have a passion for amateur radio and electronics. I design and make stained glass windows now purely as a hobby (It used to be my trade until I retired). My other interests are archery and French boule; playing Petanque with friends and a nice bottle of vin rouge on the side.
