Tuesday, 3 April 2012

A to Z 1950s/60s Nostalgia: C


Now for a collection of Cs

C Smell:
Camphor – In the winter there was always someone at school who had been lathered with the menthol vapour rub. What a whiff!

C Memories:
Chimney Sweep – He arrived on a bike with his long wooden box. Kneeling on a layer of old sheets he assembled his brush. My excitement grew as long handle after long handle was screwed together and all the time it was disappearing further up the chimney until... “Run out and see if you can see it!” I didn’t need telling twice and there it was, a round black brush waving from the chimney pot.

Cars – I’ve blogged about cars before but as this is a marathon A to Z I don’t feel guilty repeating myself so here are 3 car memories...

1.  Instead of flashing light indicators, cars had little orange arms that popped up from the side of the car and when they got jammed you had to bash the door to knock them back in again.
2.  There were no car radios. I used to hold my tranny (transistor radio) up to my ear and shift it around every time Dad turned a corner.
3.  Every car had a crank handle in case it wouldn’t start with the key and it often wouldn’t, especially early in the morning. If the handle didn’t work we had to push and run to catch the car up before Dad chugged off without us. [You can read the original post here.]

Carnaby Street – I still get a tingle of excitement when I hear that name. It reminds me of psychedelic patterns, tiny skirts, bells, afghan coats and it was THE place to shop in London.

C Programmes:
On TV:
Criss Cross Quiz
Fanny Craddock, the original TV chef
Davy Crocket
Crackerjack [every time they said Crackerjack the audience had to scream the word back so... “CRACKERJAAAACK!!!!”]
Eamonn Andrews and the Crackerjack game Double or Drop
On Radio: 
Children’s Favourites with Uncle Mac [more about that in U for Uncle!]


C Names:

Roy Castle
Sir Winston Churchill PM
James Callagham MP [PM in 70s]
Naom Chomsky, philosopher
Bobby Charlton, footballer
Cassius Clay, boxer who became Mohamed Ali
Sean Connery
Ray Charles
Julie Christie
Alma Cogan
Perry Como
Russ Conway
Chubby Checker
Roy Castle
Peter Cook
Nat King Cole
Petula Clark 
Eddie Cochran who provides the...

C Music:
Summertime Blues


Which Cs did you remember?


39 comments:

  1. This is such a detailed list with authentic photos! Sean Connery is my favorite on your list of celebrities! Julie

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  2. Summertime Blues still plays in my hed in that miraculous way a song remains in your mind.

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  3. I remember lots of those - especially the crank handle and the orange arms :) ~Miriam

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  4. I remember most of these things too.Crackerjack was great it was never the same when they reinvented it.Carnaby st is in one of my later posts, see, still in sync!!!
    I'm loving your memories.

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  5. A great C post for the challenge! Every time I see a photo of a chimney sweep I remember the musical number in the film Mary Poppins when the sweeps danced with their broom sweeps to "Step in Time." :) I'll be swinging that all day..."over the rooftops step in time..."

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  6. This is so funny! I love the walk down memory lane and I remember the little orange arms coming out of cars for indicators LOL. And Fanny Craddock's painted on eyebrows...AND Crackerjack. (Should've added Blue Peter to yesterday's - remember John Noakes saying, "Down Shep!"). Your posts cheer me up enormously.

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  7. Summertime Blues.... Really? You can tell where my mind is. It's such a great tune to jump around with and get the heart rate going in the morning. I still use it for my body wake-up call. :) Happy C-day.

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  9. I am completely drawn in by your A to Z theme and your post setup. I look forward to getting your updates in my inbox everyday! Thanks for the memories ;-)

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  10. I remember my first car had windshield wipers that went slow when I accelerated, i.e., when I needed them, and went 90-to-nothing when I didn't, i.e., when I was idling at a stoplight. :)

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  11. I love the photos! Those are fascinating stories about the car memories. And to think, now people can push a button and have their car start automatically. :)

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  12. Definitely Fanny Craddock - saw her and Johnny once on stage with school and she had the usual shocking orange nail varnish.

    Citroen 2CV - open the window for air conditioning!

    Great idea this - Z will be a challenge!

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  13. I know is not a C word but cars reminded me of Z-Cars.

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  14. Great original pictures and a nostalgic post. Enjoyed reading it.

    I am at http://sulekharawat.com/2012/04/03/creative-people/

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  15. C = Clapping at your wonderful blog and oh my giddy aunt I remember everything you have written! Hugs x

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  16. I remember a lot of the names. I was going to say that I remembered the T.V. show Davy Crockett, but I it was Daniel Boone that I remember. I loved the Cracker Jacks commercials. Ocassionaly, I got to eat Cracker Jacks.(and get the free prize!)

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  17. What a fun theme for this challenge! My dad restored old cars when I was a kid, so I remember riding in his '57 Chevy...

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  18. Hi Julie, Sean Connery is a good choice ;-)

    Hi Francene, Summertime Blues has always been a favourite of mine.

    Hi Miriam, it’s hard to believe that cars have changed so much, isn’t it!

    Hi Anne, I loved shouting Crackerjack. In fact I still do… CRACKERJACK!!!

    Hi Lynn, I kept thinking about Mary Poppins as I was typing it too!

    Hi Susan, I’d forgotten about Fanny Cradock’s eyebrows! And fancy me forgetting Blue Peter. Thanks for the reminder.

    Hi Manzanita, you’re amazing with your daily fitness regime. Wish I was as healthy and fit as you!

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  19. Hi Gendmom and Sulekkha, so glad you’re both enjoying my nostalgic A to Z :-)

    Hi The Muse and Cheyanne, some cars are less than reliable these days too!!

    Hi Susan, oh yes, we all had the open window version of air con in those days!!

    Hi Bob, you’re right. There’s plenty to say about Z-cars and it will appear here in due time!

    Hi Karen, I love it when memories just pop into your brain. I take that as a success!

    Hi Pauline, thought you might remember some of this stuff!!

    Hi Darlene, I don’t remember Daniel Boone. It was be a US programme.

    Hi Brinda, thanks. A ’57 Chevy sounds so romantic.

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  20. Great list! thanks for the fun read. :)

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  21. I was lucky enough to acquire my father's 1927 Model T Ford one ton truck. We had it for many years and enjoyed driving around town in it. It had a crank...

    I remember most of the names. Naom Chomsky in particular. My husband actually had him as teacher in college for a short time.

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  22. Those are great car memories!

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  23. wow Rosalind! That's nice theme you've got going there--and a lot of C words to boot!
    Great A-Z post!
    Nutschell
    www.thewritingnut.com

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  24. This is a really nice list of Cs. I'm a fan of Davy Crocket.

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  25. Crackerjack! And to think children were happy to get the famous Crackerjack pencil-probably be an IPod these days.

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  26. So many good memories but oh that song is the best!

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  27. How fun was that...I do remember the smell of camphor-I also remember that it wasn't very pleasant! What C fun! I enjoyed bringing back the memory of the singers...Nat King Cole; favorite was Ramblin' Rose....

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  28. As a kid my brother was in love with the Care bears. he would kill me if he heard me say that though
    Shaun

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  29. I really relate to old cars, though I've never heard of one like this one that you describe. How perfectly delightful this is, as are all of the C's that you highlight. And thanks for following my Golden Movies. You might not like Chinatown. It's pretty dark, but I like such movies, especially when they're done as well as this one.
    Ann Best, Author of In the Mirror & Other Memoirs

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  30. Sean Connery! One of my favorites!! :)

    DL Hammons @ Cruising Altitude 2.0
    Co-Host of the Blogging from A to Z Challenge.

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  31. I didn't know that about the turn signals on cars! :)

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  32. Now you got me! I'm desperately trying to remember if cars had those little red arms that popped out to signal a turn. I can see them, so I must have seen them. I am glad you included Ray Charles in your list. I remembered many of the people you listed, but he's a favorite.

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  33. Hi Rosalind! Enjoyed your post for the letter C.

    Susanne
    PUTTING WORDS DOWN ON PAPER

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  34. I had to follow you after the first mention...Camphor. The smell of Grandma's house.

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  35. How about Cowboy Bob. It's Howdy Doody Time! I'm trying to visit all the A-Z Challenge blogs in April.

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  36. Coronation - (I'll have a Coronation story in People's Friend).
    Camay toilet soap: "You'll be a little lovelier each day with fabulous pink Camay."
    The Chordettes singing Lollipop, Lollipop.

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  37. Hi Ros .. oh this is better I did something funny with the other comment box .. and I couldn't see the blog ..

    I don't remember any of those tv programmes - most of the rest - yes the chimney sweep then and now - my uncle had one out! Moth balls or camphor .. Churchill and his funeral - very clearly ... Cassius Clay too and Julie Christie, and Peter Cook .. now cars too ..

    Cheers - great nostalgia trip .. Hilary

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  38. I remember Crackerjack later on. I seem to remember they gave away pencils. Wonder what today's kids would make of that1

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  39. Wow. Car technology has certainly made leaps and jumps with everything getting computerized . . .


    The Golden Eagle
    The Eagle's Aerial Perspective

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