I recently read a post on this blog describing bus travel across Manchester in the 1960’s which included a section on free travel passes for schoolchildren.
This prompted me, in a fit of nostalgia, to delve into my “treasure trove’ of mementoes, which I secreted away for posterity during the late 1960’s and early 1970’s, in the sanguine belief that I would one day find a further use for them.
I found the two school travel passes above and a potpourri of other artefacts which reveal not only my story but also record some of the history of those decades.
For example with these passes – of interest is the fact that the later one was issued by the short-lived “SELNEC” transport executive.
“I Spy” Books:-
These were a series of educational booklets published by The Dickens Press.
These gave the reader a schedule of informative facts around a central theme.
These were presented in the form of an adventure trail in which points could be collected by observing relevant items. In the ‘History I Spy” for example 15points were awarded for observing an Elizabethan Manor House and 10 for spotting a painting of a historic subject. Young “I-Spyers” could also for a fee join a club by sending a remittance to:-
Big Chief I-Spy, “Wigwam-by-the-Water”, 4, Upper Thames Street, London E.C.4
The nature of these books and the associated club is indicative of an age when childhood was much simpler.
In the present more complicated times I suspect they might be construed as political incorrect and be seen as dubious as regards to both health and safety and child protection.
Also noteworthy is the significant price increase from 6D for the one published in 1963 to 1/- for the one from 1968. In the same period the club membership rose from 2/6 to 5/-.
This may in part reflect the books increased popularity but mostly shows the effects of that scourge of the U.K.’s economy in the 1960’s--- Inflation.
The Highway Code – 1964 Edition:-The historic significance of this book is that it was given to me at my primary school and I can remember memorizing it to partake in school quizzes on its contents.
The background to this was growing government concern over Road Safety. Official figures show a steady rise in road accident fatalities during the early years of the rapid expansion of motor transport in the 1930’s reaching a peak in 1941 (when the effects of the wartime blackout caused an upsurge in night time accidents)
There had been a general downward trend in the annual figures during the 1950’s but the early 1960’s saw an alarming rise: so much so that in 1966 the reported road deaths reached a peacetime high of very close to 8,000.
In response to this increase the government introduced a raft of measures over the next decade or so.
Often these fell foul with one group or another but most are now commonly accepted as life savers.
The 1967 Road Safety Act saw the introduction of the first legally enforceable blood alcohol level and the first roadside breathalyzer usage.
This new law faced opposition from some who thought it an infringement of civil liberty and from some sections of the licensed trade who feared its impact on their takings.
In 1970 the “clunk-click” campaign began to educate the public in the Road Safety value of the wearing of seat belts. As from January 1971 the now disgraced Jimmy Saville fronted the T.V. Ads.
On television too at this time were seen ads. promoting a revamped a road safety awareness campaign aimed at children – “The Green Cross Code” .
1973 saw a law come into force making the wearing of crash helmets compulsory for all motorcyclists. This measure again fell foul of civil libertarians, who found a perhaps unlikely champion in Mr. Enoch Powell, and more especially among the Sikh community who objected on religious grounds. (After a sustained campaign they managed to get an exemption written into the Act.)
Two injunctions in this version of the code are of some interest in that they indicate a certain change of attitude as regards footpaths viz. the prohibition both of cars parking, and of cyclists riding along them – both of which no longer seem to apply.
N.U.S. Card 1975-6:-
Like the rest of this collection of items this N.U.S. membership card not only reveals some of my individual history but also reflects wider historical changes within society. On a personal level it indicates that I attended the Cardiff College of the University of Wales (1) (note its bi-lingual wording) where I was studying Sociology.
Its wider social history context is in the fact that I was the first member of my family to attend a University and part of a growing number of working class students to do so. The dates on the card are also of some significance in that it was in these years that trade union membership was reaching its zenith, (2) and although not at the height of student protest the N.U.S. was still very politically active.
Badges from holidays in Wales
These simple badges picked up on family holidays illustrate how family holidays were changing from being taken at quite local resorts on the Fylde coast or, as in my family’s case, North Wales to venturing further afield.
Although my family never travelled to the “Costas” we did have holidays in Cornwall and later Co. Cork in Ireland.
Cornwall Holiday Badges
World Cup Mascot -1966:-
As a big fan of football I had to include this badge. Who was to know then, in July, 1966, that England would still to this day be waiting for a repeat appearance in a World Cup Final!
Finally I found this Collector Card Album for picture cards given away in packets of Brooke Bond Tea. Although it dates from 1963-4 I suspect that a very similar collection of “Wildlife in Danger” cards could be produced today; however it might be very revealing to discover the fate of the 50 original species depicted in the intervening 55 years.
Tony Goulding © 2019
Pictures; from the collection of Tony Goulding
Notes:-
1) This was the same University College that Neil Kinnock (now Lord Kinnock), the leader of the Labour Party in the 1980’s, attended but he had left 7 or so years before my arrival there.
2) 1979 saw the peak figure for Trade Union membership at 13,212,000.
I found the two school travel passes above and a potpourri of other artefacts which reveal not only my story but also record some of the history of those decades.
For example with these passes – of interest is the fact that the later one was issued by the short-lived “SELNEC” transport executive.
“I Spy” Books:-
These were a series of educational booklets published by The Dickens Press.
These gave the reader a schedule of informative facts around a central theme.
Big Chief I-Spy, “Wigwam-by-the-Water”, 4, Upper Thames Street, London E.C.4
The nature of these books and the associated club is indicative of an age when childhood was much simpler.
In the present more complicated times I suspect they might be construed as political incorrect and be seen as dubious as regards to both health and safety and child protection.
Also noteworthy is the significant price increase from 6D for the one published in 1963 to 1/- for the one from 1968. In the same period the club membership rose from 2/6 to 5/-.
This may in part reflect the books increased popularity but mostly shows the effects of that scourge of the U.K.’s economy in the 1960’s--- Inflation.
The background to this was growing government concern over Road Safety. Official figures show a steady rise in road accident fatalities during the early years of the rapid expansion of motor transport in the 1930’s reaching a peak in 1941 (when the effects of the wartime blackout caused an upsurge in night time accidents)
There had been a general downward trend in the annual figures during the 1950’s but the early 1960’s saw an alarming rise: so much so that in 1966 the reported road deaths reached a peacetime high of very close to 8,000.
In response to this increase the government introduced a raft of measures over the next decade or so.
Often these fell foul with one group or another but most are now commonly accepted as life savers.
The 1967 Road Safety Act saw the introduction of the first legally enforceable blood alcohol level and the first roadside breathalyzer usage.
This new law faced opposition from some who thought it an infringement of civil liberty and from some sections of the licensed trade who feared its impact on their takings.
In 1970 the “clunk-click” campaign began to educate the public in the Road Safety value of the wearing of seat belts. As from January 1971 the now disgraced Jimmy Saville fronted the T.V. Ads.
On television too at this time were seen ads. promoting a revamped a road safety awareness campaign aimed at children – “The Green Cross Code” .
1973 saw a law come into force making the wearing of crash helmets compulsory for all motorcyclists. This measure again fell foul of civil libertarians, who found a perhaps unlikely champion in Mr. Enoch Powell, and more especially among the Sikh community who objected on religious grounds. (After a sustained campaign they managed to get an exemption written into the Act.)
N.U.S. Card 1975-6:-
Like the rest of this collection of items this N.U.S. membership card not only reveals some of my individual history but also reflects wider historical changes within society. On a personal level it indicates that I attended the Cardiff College of the University of Wales (1) (note its bi-lingual wording) where I was studying Sociology.
Badges from holidays in Wales
These simple badges picked up on family holidays illustrate how family holidays were changing from being taken at quite local resorts on the Fylde coast or, as in my family’s case, North Wales to venturing further afield.
Although my family never travelled to the “Costas” we did have holidays in Cornwall and later Co. Cork in Ireland.
World Cup Mascot -1966:-
As a big fan of football I had to include this badge. Who was to know then, in July, 1966, that England would still to this day be waiting for a repeat appearance in a World Cup Final!
Finally I found this Collector Card Album for picture cards given away in packets of Brooke Bond Tea. Although it dates from 1963-4 I suspect that a very similar collection of “Wildlife in Danger” cards could be produced today; however it might be very revealing to discover the fate of the 50 original species depicted in the intervening 55 years.
Pictures; from the collection of Tony Goulding
Notes:-
1) This was the same University College that Neil Kinnock (now Lord Kinnock), the leader of the Labour Party in the 1980’s, attended but he had left 7 or so years before my arrival there.
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