The 1970s

The 1970s doesn't seem that long ago to me but it's amazing that 1970 is almost 40 years ago now. It was a time of crazy fashions - flared trousers, platform shoes, kipper ties and long hair. Being a teenager back then, there's a few events in Plymouth that I remember from that decade.

Doctor Who is very popular nowadays and I'm sure if David Tennant was to appear in a store in the city centre, there would be a huge queue of kids (and probably adults) waiting to see him. Back in 1975, Tom Baker was Doctor Who and I remember that he appeared at Debenhams to promote a new book called 'The Doctor Who Monster Book'. He was arriving at about 9am and I remember getting up early to go and see him.

The store had a Tardis set up and a table for him to sign copies of his book. I remember all the kids cheering when he came up the escalator to the third floor, dressed as Doctor Who complete with scarf, and I was also surprised how tall he was. He was very friendly and lovely to all the kids and happily signed autographs and posed for photos. I took several photos on that day but the one that appears here is the only one I still have.

 

Another event I remember in Plymouth in the 1970s took place on the Hoe in 1977 and involved knights jousting. This was very popular and was followed by a display featuring characters from Planet of the Apes. This attracted a large crowd , mainly kids, who

   

had enjoyed the popular tv series that ran until the late 1970s. I remember the apes going back to the Hoe Theatre to take off their make up and they posed for pictures for me. Unfortunately, like the Hoe Theatre, the pictures have long since disappeared. These two short movies show the two events. Film of the Planet of the Apes characters appearing anywhere in the UK in the 1970s is quite rare. The event also included celebrities of the day but the only one I can remember is Carolyn Jones from Crossroads.

 'Who?', I hear you say!

My third film features the Shire Horse Centre in about 1977. The centre is now long gone and there doesn't seem to be much film of it around. To be honest, I never did find it very interesting watching horses trot up and down but I know a lot of people have enjoyed watching this movie on YouTube so I thought that I would feature it here.There are many other events that I remember from the 1970s. I regularly went to the Radio One roadshow on the Hoe and I remember that one year it featured Dave Lee Travis and on a different occassion, Tony Blackburn. The Multi Coloured Swap Shop, with Keith Chegwin, also made an appearance on the Hoe as well as other events, many of which I've long since forgotten.

Perhaps being a kid in the 1970s has made this period in Plymouth seem more interesting to me than it was but I hope other people will also enjoy reading and watching a few of my memories here!

Christmas during the air raids

In the 1955 copy of 'Christmas Cheer', Pat Twyford writes about Plymouth and the Christmases during the Second World War. Some people may have read Pat's diary that he kept during the war which was called 'It Came to Our Door'. Henry Patrick Twyford was born in 1892 and joined the Western Morning News in 1910 as a junior reporter. He fought in the First World War but was invalided out in 1918 after being wounded and gassed in the trenches. He rejoined the Western Morning News and specialised in articles about football and agriculture. He became the newspaper's war correspondent during the Second World War. He was also a special constable and a member of the Seven O'Clock Regulars, who regularly swam off the Hoe.

He was very interested in local history and compiled his book, 'It Came to our Door' in the years shortly after the war. He died in 1964.

His article in the Christmas Cheer magazine of 1955 mentions each year during the bombing of Plymouth. It begins,

'The approach of the 1939 Christmas was heralded with the distant rumble of war guns. Hearts were heavy. The war clouds hung dark and menacing. Would it all be over by Christmas? We hoped and we prayed but how fearful we were. Yet, even in our most anxious moments, we little realised how grim would be the Christmases of the next few years, what ordeals and sorrows we would have to endure before we could again capture the real spirit of Peace on Earth, goodwill towards men.'

When Christmas 1940 came, people tried to keep their spirits up but times were difficult, with shortages of nearly everything that went to make a good Christmas. The celebrations and presents had to be planned far in advance as people did their best to get what they could. The Christmas bells remained silent and brightly lit shops and jostling crowds became just a memory. There were no Christmas trees with brightly coloured lights and tinsel and all the streets were dark and dreary with homes darkened by heavily blacked out curtains. Something that grew out of this was that people learned to live closer and draw strength from one another and also to share what little they had.

No-one could have predicted the destruction that came the following year. Christmas in 1941 followed a trail of destruction which destroyed much of Plymouth and many people lost their lives.

Pat Twyford remembered,

'It was indeed with a heavy heart that we approached the 1941 Christmas. Yet, my memory tells me, that there was still shining through the smoke and rubble of a distraught devastated city, the spirit of enduring courage, the will to make the best of things, to carry on as individuals and a community drawn together by tragedy. There was the simple roughly painted board over the north porch of the destroyed mother church of St Andrew, bearing the single word, 'Resurgum', which was an inspiration in Plymouth's agony.'

The Western Morning News of 1941 described the Christmas as 'a revelation of enterprise and improvisation, and above all things the abiding qualities of the people.'

There were now many people missing at family gatherings. These included people who were away fighting, children who had been evacuated and people who had unfortunately been killed during the Blitz. Carols were sung in darkened streets and collections were taken to aid welfare and relief funds. There were visits to the hospitals by civic heads and crowded services in many churches. Amazingly, a pantomime was performed at the Palace Theatre, 'Robinson Crusoe' which lifted many people's spirits. It was a make-do Christmas and the shortages were acute and rabbit featured on many a Christmas menu. It was still a Christmas that mothers made memorable for their children using courage, ingenuity and sacrifice. Old and discarded toys were rescued from cupboards and redistributed to children less fortunate. People opened their doors to service men and women so that they could share their Christmas. Carols were sang and everyone tried to keep up their spirits even though devastation lay all around them.

There were many more hardships to be endured in the Christmases of the next few years even after the end of the war in 1945.

Pat Twyford concluded in 1955, 'the lights have long since gone up in our streets and shops, out of the ashes of the old Plymouth, the new Plymouth has arisen. The bells ring out their message again with increased meaning, the good things are back for all to enjoy.'

Perhaps with all the hardships of a Christmas during the war, the thing that kept it all together was the generosity of friends, neighbours and strangers and everyone making do and sharing what they could.

Christmas Cheer

Every Christmas, there used to be a booklet sold in Plymouth called 'Christmas Cheer'. The one pictured here cost one shilling and dates from 1955. The front cover shows children having a snowball fight by Drake's statue on the Hoe. The booklet was 64 pages long and featured some interesting stories including tales of the Old Stoke Gibbet, Plymouth in 1855, Disaster in the Sound, Christmas in the Air Raids, the Story of Gogmagog, an article about the old people of Plymouth, as well as plenty of Christmas quizes and the odd ghost story. The tale of the Stoke gibbet is a dark and macabre one. It is a true story that tells of the murder of a dockyard clerk on the night of July 21st, 1787. Philip Smith was brutally bludgeoned to death near to Stoke Church. His murderer, a John Richards, together with an accomplice, William Smith, were both soon apprehended. Richards was a dock worker who had earlier been suspected of killing a Fore Street sentinel. At first, there were no clues to who had committed the crime but Richards soon boasted of the crime and was, shortly afterwards, arrested. However, there was little evidence against him and he was soon released. A hat found beside the body was identified as belonging to Richards' accomplice, William Smith. Hearing of this, Smith fled to Dartmouth but was soon caught and admitted to his role in the murder and implicated Richards. Both men were tried for murder at Heavitree. They were found guilty, condemned to death and executed in 1788. The judge in the case, Judge Buller, declared that their bodies wouldn't by given to surgeons for dissection, which was usually the case, but were to be 'suspended between Heaven and Earth as they were fit for neither.' The corpses were brought from Exeter to Stoke and displayed near the scene of the crime. This gruesome practice was common at the time. The bodies were hoisted in wire cages and chains on a gibbet erected on the muddy Deadlake beach just below Stoke Church. Smith's body stayed there for seven years before the gibbet collapsed and Richards' body stayed there slightly longer. People avoided the spot and it was said to be 'the terror of some and the disgust of many'. Nettleton's 'Stranger's Guide to Plymouth' says that the gibbet stood in place upwards of 38 years near the Mill-bridge until it was blown down in the gale of 1827. In 1788, a bestseller called, 'The Genuine Account of the Trial of Richards and Smith' sold 25,000 copies. Some were sold around the base of the gibbet. Long after the gibbet disappeared, people shunned the area after dark which, during the 1830's, left the area quiet enough for grave robbers to carry out their grim practices in the secluded Stoke churchyard. I hope to include some more stories from 'Christmas Cheer' and hopefully, they'll be a lot less morbid!

Kinterbury Villa 1923

This old postcard from 1923 is probably the only photo of Kinterbury Villa, who played against local teams and hailed from St Budeaux. They were the winners of the Junior League Cup in that year. When the team disbanded in 1924, some players left to join other teams including the popular nearby team, the Saltash Stars. Football was as popular then as it is now and there were many local teams including Woodland Villa who were great rivals of the St Budeaux teams from 1918 onwards. Most of the names of the players have long since been forgotten though two members of the team at the time were Bob Foster and Reuben Woolway. Bob, who played inside left, left the team to join the Saltash Stars and later played for Cornwall. Reuben was the team's goal keeper and later joined Looe FC.

The Forum in Devonport

Passing the Forum in Devonport today, it's hard to imagine that it once formed part of the busy and popular, Fore Street. The heavy bombing during the Second World War and the demolition afterwards, has left the now bingo hall almost on an island with constant traffic passing all day long.

The Forum was once a popular and busy picture house. The cinema, which seated 1,800, opened on the 5th August, 1939. It's first film was 'Honolulu', which was shown at 5pm, which starred Robert Young and Eleanor Powell. It was built by Charles Tyler of Swansea and was run in conjunction with the nearby Hippodrome. Due to the heavy bombing in the war, Fore Street was partly cleared away and taken over by the dockyard and the cinema was never fully restored

to its former glory. Television also played a part in dwindling audiences. The cinema stayed open until 14th May, 1960 and soon after, it opened as a bingo hall. Bingo seemed to lose favour for a while but now appears to be as popular as ever. The photos show the bomb damaged Forum, Fore Street (including David Greig)as it once was, and the Navy helping to clear rubble, shown passing the damaged Forum.

The State Cinema

I pass the State Cinema in Victoria Road, St Budeaux, nearly every day. Of course, it's a long time since it's had that name. I read recently that there are plans to demolish it which I think would be a great shame. In March 1939, just before the start of the Second World War, the St Budeaux cinema company was formed. They had a capital of £10,000 which was all in £1 shares. Perhaps if the cinema had been proposed further into the war, it might not have been built due to the lack of materials and resources. On 16th October, 1939, a month into the war, the State Cinema opened at the junction of Victoria Road and Stirling Road. It seated 1,000 people and was the first cinema in Plymouth to be fitted with a four channel stereophonic system. The first film shown was 'That Certain Age' starring Deanna Durbin and Melvyn Douglas. The seats were 6d, one shilling and 1/6d. There were two shows daily. The cinema was certainly popular and attracted huge queues whenever a new film was showing. It escaped the bombing during the war and stayed open for many years after.

I can remember in the late 1960s, queueing with my mum and brother to see films like 'Oliver' and 'Chitty Chitty Bang Bang'. I particularly remember queueing for Oliver because it was pouring down with rain and the queue went right around the building. I remember one evening, our parents took us there to see 'Ice Station Zebra' probably one of the most boring films I've ever seen!

In 1970, the name of the cinema was changed to the Mayflower to coincide with the Mayflower celebrations of that year.

Eventually, the popularity of the cinema seemed to die off with the introduction of the video recorder. The Mayflower closed its doors to the film going public in 1983 and it became a carpet warehouse and, some time later, a snooker hall.

Once the cinema closed, the building was never kept in a particularly good condition and seems to have deteriorated ever since. Today, it stands boarded up with many of the younger generation not even realising it was once ever a cinema. It would be a great shame to see it go and hopefully, there'll be some way to preserve it.

Dad's Army

Remember the 1970s when there was actually something decent to watch on the telly? We all used to love Dad's Army then and it seems to have been repeated ever since! I was reading the other day about Arnold Ridley who played Private Godfrey in the show. In Dad's Army, Godrey's character was that of a former conscientious objector but in real life, Ridley fought as a Lance Corporal with the 6th Somerset Light Infantry during the First World War. When war broke out in August 1914, Ridley wanted to enlist straightaway but he was rejected because of a broken toe injury that he had endured while playing rugby. The following year, he tried to enlist again and was accepted and was sent, with other raw recruits, to train at Crownhill in Plymouth. The regimental Sergeant Major told them that they would not be seeing their families for a while because,'you will all be bleeding well dead on the Western Front!' Ridley was lucky to survive the battlefields of the Somme after being rescued by a fellow soldier who was later killed himself. In later life, he had nightmares and suffered terrifying flashbacks. After the war, Ridley became a successful playwright but then experienced financial ruin until he regained fame in the classic sitcom. Arthur Ridley's story made me think about the real Dad's Army who protected Plymouth in the Second World War. The Home Guard, originally called the Local Defence Volunteers or LDV, was made up of members of the public who were told by Anthony Eden and his government to register, if they were interested in joining the LDV, with their local police station and when they were needed, they would be called up. Police stations found themselves deluged with volunteers and in just 24 hours, 250,000 people from all over Britain had registered their names. Although the age limit was supposed to be 65, many older members, some in there 80s, managed to enrol. Numbers grew and eventually one and a half million people registered their names. Eden promised them uniforms and weapons but they ended up with armbands and had to use whatever they could as weapons. These included pitchforks, brooms,umbrellas. golf clubs, pikes and catapults. Eventually, they were fitted out with denim uniforms and some rifles arrived. Churchill changed the name of the LDV to the Home Guard in 1940 and he saw that they received proper military training. The Home Guard contributed to civil defence by helping to put out fires, clearing rubble, guarding damaged banks and shops and preventing looting. They also captured stray German parachutists and showed that they were ready to fight the enemy if they landed on British soil. By 1943, the fear of German invasion was fading and the Home Guard found that they had lost most of their purpose in the war and numbers started dwindling. In October 1944, the government announced that the Home Guard would be disbanded the next month. There were no medals awarded and in total, 1,206 members of the Home Guard had either been killed on duty or died from their wounds, and 557 more sustained serious injuries. In December 1944, King George VI, the Home Guard's Colonel-in-Chief, stated, 'History will say that your share in the greatest of all our struggles for freedom was a vitally important one.'