26.01.2011 08:09 - 1970 - What We Didn't Have
In 1970, we didn't have
A Telephone (let alone a mobile phone!)
A Colour Television, and video tape recorders for the home were an unbelievable dream.
Central Heating.
Internet.(Computers were big things that sat in air-conditioned rooms and ate punched cards.)
A Record Player. We didn't have one until about 1974. Tape recorders were large, heavy reel-to-reel things. Cassettes were expensive. All we had was a Bush Transistor Radio. That was it. (Interestingly enough, it survived until the mid-90s, even though it had been partially melted. Long story.)
TV for more than 7 hours per day (it started at 4, and went on till 10:30) and only three channels.
Banks only opened 9 - 4, and forget weekends, internet- or phone-banking.
Everything, and I mean everything, closed half-day on Wednesday.
Everything was also closed on Sunday. Even the pubs.
Holidays were one or two weeks in a tent at the seaside in Wales, in a Morris 1100 that could only be relied on to break down when it was really awkward. No bucket seat shops, budget airlines or foreign travel. It took months to apply for a passport. Passport, what's that then?
Only kids wore jeans. Men either wore suits or overalls to work - the more daring would try and get away with a sports jacket. Women wore dresses.
Deodorants were a new thing. Most people didn't have daily showers, and bathed once a week.
Don't give me all that "it was better then" rubbish.
