A 1950s Childhood

I recently wrote a book for Amberley Publishing called '1950s Childhood'. It would be hard for a child of today to imagine life for a child back in the 1950s. There was no internet, mobile phones (most homes didn't even have a landline) or any type of digital camera, digital music player or many of the other appliances that we take for granted nowadays. Few homes had televisions and the ones that did could only watch in black and white with only two television channels available. Their screens were tiny and it wasn't unusual, if one person had a tv in the street, for their neighbours to come in and watch it too. Music came from a gramophone player with heavy shellac records, usually playing at 78 rpm. Later, when more modern vinyl records came in, pop records were available, playing at 45 rpm. Indoor entertainment mostly came from reading books or listening to the radio. Gathering around the radio to listen to the latest serials, dramas, comedies and news was something a family all did together.
Outdoors, children played in the streets either kicking a can or football around, playing hopscotch, skipping or playing 'it' (tag). If it was spring or summer, children would play marbles or if it was autumn, they'd all find the nearest horse chestnut tree to play conkers.
Children with a bit of know-how (and help from their dads) would build wooden go-karts using discarded bike or pram wheels and any wood that they could find. Roaring downhill on a home-made go-kart was a hairy experience although many had makeshift brakes.
There were few cars about then, especially in the back streets, so it was quite safe to have a game of football in the street without coming to any harm.
Many more people talked to their neighbours and many left their doors open. Everyone knew theirlocal 'bobby', by name, and he would patrol the beat (on foot) looking out for any misdemeanours. Kids could be brought home (sometimes by the ear) by the local policeman for crimes such as cherry knocking (knocking on doors and running away), scrumping (pinching apples) or even for running across the road. Schools were more strict places and anyone who stepped out of line could get the cane, strap or be given lines. There'd be no talking in class and the teachers would expect to be called 'Sir' or 'Miss' as would all adults. Spelling, multiplication tables and fractions were all taught parrot fashion and would be expected to be learnt by the time the teacher gave a spontaneous test. The cane could be given for talking in class, not working fast enough, bad handwriting, running in the corridor, back-chat or numerous other minor offences.
More children played outside and either pretended to be cowboys and Indians, Robin Hood and his Merry Men or war heroes. It wasn’t unusual to see gangs of boys playing war games in the street and pretending to machine gun each other. If there were woods nearby, they'd also be climbing trees or building dens. Bomb sites also made an ideal playing ground and there was much to find such as discarded guns, hand grenades and various other items. There was no health and safety in those days!
Of course, with the Blitz, Plymouth changed greatly over the 1950s as much was rebuilt. Rebuilding started soon after the end of the war but continued well into the 1960s. Plymouth was seen as a modern city back then but would still seem like an alien planet to most children of today who are used to the digital world. There was something special about a childhood back then which seems to have been lost over the years. Perhaps it's just me, I am getting older!