Distant voices.....

[Graham47]

........Still Lives

Did anybody catch this on BBC2 the other night? It was about memories of England in the 1940s and 50s. It certainly brought some memories back to me, and it was well done I thought.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zVAxAt0pDK4

[joboy]

I clicked the link and it did bring back memories that I lived through in the 1940's in London and I could see some minor differences compared with London but how dreary it was ... despite the horror of the blitz the people that I remember as a kid was 'stiff upper lip' and cheer up,head down and keep going.
I lived next door to a pub and the singing (mostly Irish) was like a lullaby for me.
Must confess I had to fast forward to the jollier bits at the end.
It got a 'thumbs down' from me.

[Graham47]

It was based on the directors own memories of course so a bit of licence was needed but still, always good to see such fine actors as Pete Postlethwaite. A sad loss.

[LizzieW]

I just clicked on the link and, although I was born in 1941, I have to say I don't remember anything like that.  My mum had a shop and we lived behind it, but it had two floors so as far as I was concerned it was a house with a shop in front of it, we also had a garden. 

My paternal aunts and uncles lived in terraced houses in Manchester, but they certainly didn't go around looking so glum or wearing headscarves, although I know factory girls did with curlers underneath, so that their hair would look good for the evening when they went out.  My aunts and uncles and cousins were always very cheerful, in fact in some ways I envied my cousins in that they all lived close together and could go out and play in the streets etc. whereas I couldn't do that where I lived.   I very much doubt anyone, even in a temper, would have pulled a tablecloth and wasted all the food, including cake which would have been made after eggs, butter etc. had been bought with food coupons.  It took ages to collect enough coupons for the eggs and butter to make cakes.

I'm sorry, but I don't like these so called memories of directors, they always seem to make things look much worse than they were.

Lizzie

[Graham47]

Best I stick to 'real life' programs then like East Enders, Coronation Street, Downton Abbey and that other latest example of fact, Peaky Blinders. 

As a teenager in the 60's I do take the point though. Some that show life as it was back then are so wide off the mark you do wonder how much those researchers are getting paid. 

All good fun though eh?

[IgorStrav]

What I remember of my family is that we were always laughing.  Full of stories, full of teasing, full of giggles.

We still are, when we get together.

I feel quite blessed 

[Meezer]

The post title made me think of the series of books "forgotten voices....". Well worth a read if anyone doesn't know of them. I think the one on WW1 should be compulsory reading in schools. Funny, moving and tragic. Left a lasting impression on me.

[joboy]

Most women wore 'snoods' (remember them) and worked in war industries and listened to 'Worker's Playtime' and sang along as they worked.

[LizzieW]

Joboy - I don't think "most women" wore snoods and the ones who wore something on their head usually wore a headscarf, folded into a triangle.  They would then put this on their head with the wide part at the back and wrap it round their head, tying it at the front tucking the corner over the knot to hide it.  My mum didn't wear a snood or a headscarf, but then she was a shopkeeper so it probably wasn't appropriate, but many of my aunts were machinists and they didn't wear snoods either.  Ok that would probably not be classed as a war industry, although for all I know they may have made uniforms.  I know after the war they made dresses, skirts, blouses etc. for the department stores and other shops - the type of thing that is now made in sweat shops in the Far East.

We did listen to Workers' Playtime though - well I listened during school holidays.