General Chat

Hi, Peculiar request this but I am hoping someone can help! I am writing a story for a creative writing course on memories of childhood. I remember the Queen's Silver Jubilee celebrations, and our local street party well, but can' t remember if we had the day off school or not? From my own memory, all the parties were on the same day, and concluded with lighting a 'beacon bonfire'. I've always assumed it was on a weekend but the web says that all the parties were on June 7th, which was a Tuesday. Can anyone recall if we all had the day off school? Also, can anyone tell me if the first Star Wars film was released by then? any other memories of that summer are very welcome! Many thanks, Sal

It was a weekday. Both my sons infant & junior schools ( next door to each other. Had a huge street party. Sue

My son was at school and I have photos of them all at a party in the playground and in fancy dress. Seems like only yesterday! Jacky :-)

Didn't we also have a water shortage that year? I remember using stand pipes in the street Kim

Star Wars was released 25th May 1977. We took my son aged four . First time he's been to the cinema and was more fascinated by the toilets and kept wanted Dad to take him lol Linda

I remember that my street collected money (50p) every week for 18 months before the street party, a few months before the party all the children were given bags of red, white & blue sheets of plastic and a stapler and string to make the bunting that decorated the whole street. The curb stones were all painted red white & blue also....Every child in my street was given a queens silver jubilee coin, I still have mine... Everyone decorated their windows with posters of the queen, flags and union jacks...

I know that we had a party but even though I was on the commitee I can't remember what day it was. I know we had to write to the council to get permission to have the road closed. Linda

According to my late mum's diary I went with her and dad (and the dog!) to the Jubilee street party in the village on Tuesday 7th June. As I was a teacher at that time we must have been off school. I think it fell during half term holiday, as I was teaching miles away and wouldn't have been able to visit my parents if we'd only had one day off. That was in the days when the bank holiday at the start of the half term holiday was usually on the day after Whit Sunday, and wasn't fixed to the last Monday in May like it is now. That year they delayed the Monday bank holiday by a week and added an extra bank holiday on the Tuesday for the Jubilee. Now you've set me off reading parents' diaries. Dad, who had just retired earned £14.63 that week for 22 and a half hours work painting the local sailing club!

Oh yes, I'd forgotten about that, Linda - our road was closed, and we had a 'parade' of all the neighbours along the coast road to the street party, waving our flags! I remember the 'bonfire beacons' across the country, and Blue Peter lighting their's. I've still got my coin and mug, presented to me at the party. I can remember that all the parties were on the same day, but still can't recall getting the day off school. I do remember the queen touring the country, coming to us in mid-July, we were allowed off school to go and watch, or we could go with our class. Thanks also for the info on Star Wars - aah, Mark Hamill, my first love! Many thanks for triggering more memories! Sal

I know Virginia Wade won Wimbledon that summer as well x

I remember at the time i lived in the east end of London and we had to give up the street party and carry on in a hall because it rained. Annie

Judith, Thank you for that. I didn't even consider that it might have been half-term. How lucky you are to have your parents' old diaries - that must help you feel connected to them, and to your own past, We must have been lucky with the weather, Annie, as we were outside all day, til after it got dark. Other memories - spacedust, John Noakes and Shep, ABBA 'Knowing me, knowing you', fruit salads, opal fruits. I remember our lighthouses were lit as part of the bonfire beacons, which was on the Monday June 6th (thanks wikipedia!). Sal

Hi yes remember it well i was 11 at the time. We had a street party , and the queen visited portsmouth that year so mother took us kids down to see her. The water shortage if I remember correctly was 76 the year my youngest brother was born , hottest summer for years my mum carried all through the summer and had him in the october. Grandad took me and my brother to see star wars he snored all the way through it but we loved it. Memories of that time / bay city rollers, clackers , plastic balls on string , that broke your fingers it you couldnt get the knack of them/ wedge shoes , that we couldnt walk in / purdy hair cuts / Elvis died whilst we were on holiday in sussex , mum cried all week and wanted to go home , spent all her time in the tv room. lorraine

We had a party at school. It was a gloriously hot day.

Hi Lorraine, Clackers were lethal! i remember the sound of them even now. Yes, 1976 was incredibly hot. Big drought - i think we were one of the few houses that weren't on standby pipes. We went to the Lakes on a coach and Mam poured cold cola down our backs to try to cool us down. I had a Purdy haircut and fancied David Macullum! Saphire and Steele...He was old enough to be my Dad! I preferred Donny Osmond to the Rollers - you were either in one camp or the other (like Duran or Spandau in the 80's!). We had so much freedom back then - less cars so we could play in the street. Sal

<How lucky you are to have your parents' old diaries> Mum's diaries are an especial joy. They are written in the back of big books in which she kept household accounts and all sorts of information is muddled in together - family events, village births, deaths and marriages, Royal events, odd snippets of village gossip, jokes she wanted to remember and comments on the weather. There is even a complete list of all the adults living in the village with their addresses!

Hi sal Yes we did have freedom then, went to the beach on our own , got sunstroke once though and couldn't get out of bed. Bike rides for miles with jam sandwiches, Scumping apples , carol singing , Fancied les mckeown something rotten. Going to watch pompey play with my best friend alison 50p entry now about £20! 1st kiss with Alisons brother brian. Family holidays to sussex in caravan with no toilet or tv. Girl guides camping with scouts great fun. Bluebell picking , collecting horse s**t for grandads allotment , he paid us 10p a bag! Happy days. lorraine

Hi Sal, I remember the day as being wonderful. At 17 years old the world is perfect...and the day was too. The weather was wonderful, a real feelgood factor in the air. Everyone was happy, moral was high. Day off work..and parties well into the night. Tina x

I'm sure I was off school - think we had half term late that year to coincide with the jubilee. I remember rehearsing for ages because I was in the orchestra welcoming the Queen to Doncater racecourse on her jubilee tour. We had all been given the gen on how to address her etc. - all we saw of her was a fleeting glimpse in the distance. What a disappointment!! We had or own celebrations that day though as it was my parents Silver Wedding Anniversary - I remember they got a free silver dish from a local jeweller because it was the same day as the Jubilee. Kate

Hi Judith, It's those sorts of things you treasure - I've got an old shopping list of my Mam's that i treasure cos it's so her. I can't bear to throw out her old cooking books cos they're full of little notes about which recipes we all liked. Ann, i can remember how all the 'grown-ups' discussed entering Europe - and how eveyone thought it was a mistake! Lorraine, I too was allowed to go to the beach with my mates. I can remember being 11, lying all day in bright sunshine sunbathing, cos i thought that was what being grown-up was about. I woke up the next day in agony - i felt like i was on fire from the inside. the pain was unbearable and i had to be cut out of my nightie. It was the day of Princess Di's wedding and I sat watching it with cold cloths on my burns. When I think now of the danger we were in - we used to play on the cliff tops, in the war batteries, walk for miles, explore abandoned beaches, swim in the sea, all without adult supervision. It's amazing I'm still here! Sal