Eating in the 1950s

[Fan of Big Tone 𝕏 @mainstandpie]

This will amuse some of our older members.

Eating in the 50s
Pasta was not commonly eaten.
Curry was a surname.
A takeaway was a mathematical problem.
A pizza was associated with a leaning tower.
Crisps were plain; the only choice we had was whether to add salt or not.
Rice was only served as a milk pudding.
A raincoat was what we wore when it rained.
Brown bread was considerd food only for the poor.
Oil was for lubricating; fat was for cooking.
Tea was brewed in a teapot using tea leaves, and green tea was unheard of.
Sugar was highly regarded, considered "white gold," and cubed sugar was seen as luxurious.
Fish didn’t have fingers.
Eating raw fish was seen as poverty, not sushi.
None of us had ever heard of yogurt.
Healthy food consisted of anything edible.
People who didn’t peel potatoes were viewed as lazy.
Indian restaurants existed only in India.
Cooking outdoors was called camping.
Seaweed was not recognized as food.
"Kebab" wasn’t even a word, let alone a type of food.
Prunes were considered medicinal.
Surprisingly, muesli was available, but it was called cattle feed.
Water came straight from the tap; if someone had suggested bottling it and charging more than petrol, they would have been laughed at!
And the things we never, ever had on our table in the 50s and 60s: elbows or phones.
Credit Goes To The Respective Owner

[Robbie 𝕏 @Robbie_NCFC]

Nice post. It was a different World then wasn't it.

I can remember as a boy getting the bus from Cotgrave on Matchday, one shilling return, got off at the Trent Bridge Inn, across the road to the chippy, 6d for Chips & peas, into the newspaper shop next door, 8 chews for a penny, across Trent Bridge to the ground, got my match programme for 6d then into the ground for 2 shillings. A good afternoon out for just over 4 bob. Different World.

[Fan of Big Tone 𝕏 @mainstandpie]

It certainly was @Robbie I’ve said on here before I used to live in a terraced 2 up 2 down rented house just off Meadow Lane I used to pass the ground on the way to school, we had no central heating or bathroom the toilet was outside in the yard,  me and my two brothers had a bucket for night time pees. The tin bath was hung on the wall outside in the yard. If we wanted a bath we had to fill the tin bath with hot water from kettles and have a bath in front of the fire in the living room. Or go to the Portland public baths.

Heating was by coal fire, frost used to form on the inside of the sash windows. Dad was a postman working long hours, mam had two jobs. We never had a car, neither did anyone else on our cobbled street, life was a struggle for mam and dad bringing up three boys with very little money.

Any food we had was pretty basic, going to a restaurant was unheard of, fresh veg and meat usually beef which was cheap, chicken was eaten on Christmas Day only, chips were cooked in lard on the stove. Bottles of pop were only drank as a treat at Christmas.

My parents and Grandparents would be amazed at the advances we’ve made since then, when I see people wasting food in restaurants, kids demanding things etc., I think how lucky they are to live in todays world.

[Piethagoram 𝕏 @piethagoram]

In the sixties, South Notts or West Bridgford chocolate and cream liveried buses from Clifton to London Road on matchdays. 

The Clifton House with outside toilet, rediffusion tv changer on the wall. Midland Counties ice cream, vanilla block in a wafer.

The free GEM bus to the GEM now ASDA in West Bridgford

My earliest memory was the vast expanse of the cinders on Broad Marsh bus station with the unique Barton's hut, buses for far flung destinations I could only dream of. Aged 10 or 11, I would take myself off exploring, like the Bartons bus to Lambley and then walk over the hill to Lowdham and get a bus back.

 

[Fan of Big Tone 𝕏 @mainstandpie]

As kids we used to play on a waste ground which was known locally as “bomdowsers” it wasn’t until years later I realised it was actually “bombed houses” most of a row of terraced houses just round the corner from us had been bombed, when the Germans were targeting the oil refinery on the banks of the Trent. This was before I was born but the rubble was still there in the 50s.

We used to play football on the wasteland and a goal was drawn on the wall of the remaining house, so we were thumping the ball against the wall continually, you can imagine how this sounded in the house and “pyjama man” would come out and chase us off, as kids we didn’t realise but he probably worked nights and was trying to sleep during the day.

Every Sunday an old man who was our neighbour used to sing hymns at the top of his voice as he listened to Songs of Praise on the radio.

The girls on the street used to play skipping and the skipping rope would stretch across the road, it would be lowered on the rare occasion a car drove down the street.

The rag and bone man would visit the street regularly on his horse and cart shouting “rag bone”. Anyone lucky enough to have a garden would collect the horse manure to put on their rhubarb (I prefer custard  old joke).

I remember Forest winning the cup and my dad took me to see the open top bus drive down Arkwright Street, I’d be 7 he put me on his shoulders so I could see over the crowd. A year or so later I went to my first match at Notts I can’t remember who we played but I went with an older friend of my brother, from then on I was Notts till I die.

[Chris Website URL Visit Site 𝕏 fmcj10 Instagram fmcj10]

It seemed my generation was more bothered about the future, and even to a degree, my youth was spent wishing my life away. My childhood, despite some issues with school and how I was treated, was always some of the best memories I have. Especially when I later moved schools, which helped change my perspective quite a bit. This said, even from the age of 6 onwards, I found the past to be very interesting.

The 1950s were a huge point in the United Kingdom's history, with both previous world wars and the situation most would have found themselves in.

I have a great amount of respect for this era, and although I am unable to contribute in terms of the food. I have often wondered what it would be like to have experienced it, the show on the BBC which gave families a glimpse into the past being something I wished I could have done.

Also, I think just the way life used to be in the 1950s seems much better. Community spirit amongst neighbours, what seemed a much safer space for children. Plenty of family, and focus on that. Whilst we are in despair about how things are now, I think the 1950s really summed up how people tried to make the best of the possibilities they had. These days, change is focused on making someone else suffer, and it's only getting worse.

[Fan of Big Tone 𝕏 @mainstandpie]

26 minutes ago, Chris said:

Also, I think just the way life used to be in the 1950s seems much better. Community spirit amongst neighbours, what seemed a much safer space for children. Plenty of family, and focus on that.

There were lots of things that were great in the 50s as you mention @Chris but there were also things that weren't so great, I know we all moan about the doctors and NHS these days but medical procedures have advanced so much since then, some of the methods used in those days would be considered barbaric now, people died of things that are curable now, children were treated very differently by teachers, nurses, doctors etc., they didn't have the compassion they have now.

Homosexuality was a crime people who chose to love one of their own sex were hounded and hid their sexuality for that reason, thank god that's now changed and anyone can be what they want to be.

Food was very basic and bland for the general population, working class people had to work very hard to maintain a decent standard of living. When I think of my life now and what it would have been like then as a pensioner I don't think I would want to go back to those times to be honest.

[Chris Website URL Visit Site 𝕏 fmcj10 Instagram fmcj10]

7 minutes ago, Fan of Big Tone said:

There were lots of things that were great in the 50s as you mention @Chris but there were also things that weren't so great, I know we all moan about the doctors and NHS these days but medical procedures have advanced so much since then, some of the methods used in those days would be considered barbaric now, people died of things that are curable now, children were treated very differently by teachers, nurses, doctors etc., they didn't have the compassion they have now.

Oh, for sure, there are improvements, and I don't wish to overlook them.

My focus was more on the better aspects of the 1950s, as we could talk about how hard life was in the 1800s and how the 19th century was the real turning point for a better lifestyle. My points are more focused on the things we take for granted, something which I don't.

[Piethagoram 𝕏 @piethagoram]

I can only speak from the 60's, food remained bland then, it was only til the dawning of the new supermarket age, Tescos, Sainsbury's, Fine Fare at Clifton that some resemblance of choice became available. Sterilised milk as we didnt have a fridge in Clifton, just a pantry. Plain yoghurts, not sure when in time the fruit yoghurts were introduced. Pikelets heated on the coal fire, shilling in the electricity meter...

Was there less anti social behaviour back then? I would pass along Queens Drive in the Corporation Bus from Clifton, and there was a zip wire with a tyre. Looked exciting but remember being told, under no circumstances to mix with the kids from that area. Perhaps would have been aged 7 or 8