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A little run-a-round. Part 1

By Phil

30 May 2007

Writing between coats of paint drying.

Part 2 tomorrow - if you can tolerate it.

(Oct 2008 - Spelling changed - thanks Rosemary)

Back in the seventies, only the privileged had the financial freedom they do now. Yet even then, I knew we weren’t well off.

Being two years younger than my brother, I was almost always dressed in hand-me-downs and home made clothes. While my friends rushed round the school yard in grey cargo pants, I was wearing the fashions of two years previous. Oddly, my mum always insisted on paying top money for Clark’s shoes. Unfortunately, while all my friends were running around in the latest beetle crushers, I was strolling around in sensible Clark’s black lace ups. (I still have flat feet and a growing bunion.)

At a time when most of my friends had large colour TVs, we had a small black and white portable. I can still remember how to twizzle the dial on the front to change from BBC 1 to 2 or ITV. To be honest, most of the films I enjoyed as a boy were in black and white anyway, so it didn’t make much difference.

At a time when some of my friends were starting to experience the delights of the Costas, we were still travelling to Mablethorpe for a week in a borrowed caravan. This isn’t a complaint; I number those holidays amongst the best I’ve ever had.

Even though I was aware of our financial situation, it didn’t really bother me. I wasn’t a stay in and play with shiny toys sort of kid anyway; I liked to be out and about building dens and climbing trees.

The one thing that really set us apart from many of our friends and neighbours was our lack of a car. I suppose the seventies saw a real boom in ordinary working folk owning their own transport – old, rusty and made in Britain maybe – but still their own.

My father had a motorbike licence and a small, low powered bike to get to work and back. I don’t know if it’s still the case, but in those days you were allowed to drive a three wheeled car on a motorcycle licence. My father, who has a history of sudden purchases, arrived home one day in a blue and battered Reliant Supervan III. For those of you not familiar with the particular model, it’s the exact same one as the Trotter’s van in ‘Only Fools and Horses.’

The car was powered by an oil burning 750cc engine. The two front seats were low slung and flimsy. Neither of my parents were particularly broad, but when they were both sat in the car their shoulders brushed the side doors and each other. It was snug. There was a thinly padded back bench with space for my brother and me to travel. Of course, we could never see anything except between the shoulders of our parents as there were no side windows in the back. Acceleration was non-existent. If there was a side wind, the car would often tip up onto two wheels – I swear! (Only having three wheels in the first place, this caused major steering troubles.) When we went over a bump, both my brother’s and my head were slammed into the unpadded ceiling of the car. ‘Luckily,’ it was made of plastic.

At last we had a car - of sorts.

This thing had absolutely nothing going for it – but we loved it.

(This one isn't ours - borrowed from the internet.)

Reviews

Hi, Phil!
Written by Bagheera (683 comments posted) 30th May 2007

Great memories .... but when I think that in the 70s I was actually old enough to be a wet-behind-the-ears newly-hatched teacher (!!!) maybe my earlier childhood growing up in Liverpool mirrored your quite closely.

My Dad was one of the first in our street to get a car (Austin 7, c. 1957 and it was quite an elderly vehicle even then!)

On the other hand our part of Liverpool didn't get hooked onto the National Grid until about the same time, so there was no point in buying a telly before we had 'lecky to run it off .......! :eek

Enjoyed your reminiscences - any more to share?

only fools...(Go DEL BOY!)
Written by strawberryshrapnel (61 comments posted) 30th May 2007

I love that car! But lets face it,who the hell decided that a 3 wheel car was ever going to work? I also remember being made to wear clarkes shoes,cos they were sensible and lasted a long time,my mates had funky platform shoes...my skirts were long when short skirts were fashionable and short when long ones were in.
We holidayed in caravans also,but WE always argued and caravans are smaller when youre not getting on.
Climbing things was the best! Getting down was hard!
(Shiny toys suck!) I do remember my first record player (T.REX) and my first tape recorder (T.REX) Indoor fireworks,outdoor fireworks,all gone now.
Ill look forward to your next installment.
SS

Written by Lizzy (822 comments posted) 31st May 2007

We never had a car and I can even remember having gas lighting (no I'm not approaching my telegram from the Queen).
My whole family was really impressed when one of my first boyfriends had a car, and an MG Midget at that. I wonder if we are too old (boyfriend is now hubby) to buy another sports car and drive, hood down in all weathers and die of hypothermia!
Lizzy

Sorry I got distracted. Enjoyed this, a good read.

Hi Lizzy!
Written by Bagheera (683 comments posted) 31st May 2007

Nothing wrong with remembering gas lighting - what d'you think we used in Liverpool pre-1957!!!
And my favourite pub ("Ship & Mitre") is the only public building I know of which STILL uses gas lighting :grin

Quite apart from that, it's a FACT that toast ALWAYS tasted better done on a long brass fork in front of the coal fire in the living room :roll

Like memories? Can I offer you "R Ouse" in the non-fiction section of my earlier work..........

Written by Bottleblondesurfer (3444 comments posted) 31st May 2007

Well remembered and a great bit of storytelling. The trick with reminiscences like these; it's what you leave out is as important as what's put in. You put just enougth in to tell the story and set the scene so it never became self- indulgent, and kept our interest. Told with real warmth and affection.
J

Written by Livinginanattic (465 comments posted) 3rd June 2007

Really enjoyed your reminiscences. Just one slight niggle: I think the text would flow slightly better if you lost some of those commas. For example:

Yet even then I knew we weren’t well off.

While my friends rushed round the school yard in grey cargo pants I was wearing the fashions of two years previous.

Unfortunately, while all my friends were running around in the latest beetle crushers I was strolling around in sensible Clark’s black lace ups.

(Or: Unfortunately while all my friends were running around in the latest beetle crushers, I was strolling around in sensible Clark’s black lace ups.)

Etc.

Of course it's your own work and you're free to ignore, but it's worth thinking about anyway. Hope this helps.

Cheers,

Ben

Written by Phil (6836 comments posted) 3rd June 2007

Thanks fro reading and commenting. Ben, you're quite right. I do tend to be heavy handed on the comma key. I'll try to keep it mind for next time.

Phil.

Written by bluecity (416 comments posted) 4th October 2008

Hello Phil. I enjoyed your reminisences, although I think I have come across this very late. My father used to have a series of bulky Austin Cambridges in the 1970s, sturdy and not fashionable - a bit like him really.

"Licence" as a noun is spelt with a c.

To do a "proper review", I wonder what point that you were trying to make. That you were poor and enjoyed it? That the 3-wheeler story was special to you?

Rosemary

Fabulous . . .
Written by Katanga (1388 comments posted) 4th October 2008

. . . story, fabulous car!

I had a car called 'Roger', more to follow by PM . . .

I still have a motorbike called 'Dildo'.

Cheers!

John X

Written by Phil (6836 comments posted) 4th October 2008

Thanks Rosemary - spelling changed - I had no idea!

Thanks John. I look forward to it.

Phil

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