Yesterday, in the UK, was the HOTTEST June day since 1976 with a recorded temperature at Heathrow Airport of 94°F! So as Thursday is #TBT, let me take you back to 1976!
I had just turned twelve and in my second year of Senior School!
“Silly Love Songs” by Wings was Number 1 in the Charts in June 1976
A loaf of bread in 1976 cost 9 pence, a pint of milk 20 pence, and an average weekly wage was £32. For first time buyers of a home the cost in 1976 would be £4,975 and for entertainment a trip to the cinema cost 90 pence, where we were being frightened by “The Omen”, laughing at the children’s version of “Bugsy Malone” (who remembers the children in the peddle cars in the film?!!) and being romanced by “The Slipper and the Rose”.
In 1976 most homes still did not have a telephone or a colour television. Speaking of television we only had three channels BBC1, BBC2 and ITV, unlike the hundreds which are available now. We were watching Starskey & Hutch, The Bionic Woman and Charlie’s Angels.
A Mini motor car cost £600 new but the best selling car in the UK of 1976 was this
Ford Cortina which cost £965 new!
In Sport Niki Lauda won the British Grand Prix, which was held at Brands Hatch, two months after it was held! This was because James Hunt for McLaren-Ford crashed on the first lap but got his car to the pits but did not complete one full lap. The crowd was so annoyed he was not being allowed to take part at the re-start the Stewards let him start for fear of a riot and he went on to win. However Ferrari, Tyrell and Fittipaldi Teams complained and two months later Hunt was disqualified and Lauda won, with Jody Scheckter for Tyrell-Ford second and John Watson for Penske-Ford third (Ford engines dominated the team engines in this year!). There were 26 drivers who started the race, 14 retired, 3 were disqualified and 4 did not qualify, including two women Lella Lombardi for Brabhan-Ford and Divina Galica for Surtees-Ford.
As Wimbledon is almost upon us in 1976 Chris Evert defeated Evonne Goolagon-Cawley to win the Women’s Title and Bjorn Borg beat Illie Nastase to win the Men’s Title.
James Callaghan was Prime Minister and the Labour Party were in Government but things were not going well culminating in The Winter of Discontent!
This past weekend was The Queen’s Official Birthday and Trooping of the Colour, which in 1976 The Queen took the salute on horseback riding side saddle.
My memories of 1976 are long and very hot summer days but definitely a slower pace to life, I was as busy as our Boys were at this age with Ballet lessons, swimming competitions, tennis competitions and spending the whole of my summer holidays either at the local Lido (outdoor pool) or playing tennis at the grass courts across the road from the swimming pool. We did wear sunscreen but we also had a tan by the time we went back to school in September!!!
We didn’t have all the gadgets that the children have now so I know I spent a lot of my summer holidays reading books, a few of those published in 1976 were “Interview With The Vampire” Anne Rice, “Roots” Alex Haley and “The Acts of King Arthur and his Noble Knights” John Steinbeck. However at the time I was in my murder mystery phase so my books were Agatha Christie novels and country house murders and of course Nancy Drew!
I remember fashion was pretty bad in the 70s’ but I avoided the weirdness and lived in jeans, shirts and boots, ala Brooke Shields above and couldn’t wait each evening to get home from school and get my uniform off!!! It was grey box pleated skirts, a horrible blue blouse, school tie and a thick serge navy blazer (which looked black). We had to wear thick black tights and only when the temperature reached almost in the 90’s were we allowed to not wear our blazers, ties and tights!!!! No wonder we were all so skinny, we sweated out all the time!!!!
I hope you have enjoyed my little time travel piece back to 1976.
Hugs, Susie x
