Press Officer Rick Purnell writes ….

Brenda Loosemoor was the returning speaker for Teignmouth Mens Probus Club September meeting with a trip down memory lane with her entertaining presentation of “Fun in the 50’s”. Brenda’s nostalgic review of her teenage years was like time travelling back to a different age, a time when men went out to work and the women stayed at home, in fact some women were required to resign from working upon marriage. Young men served in the armed services with National Service. Food was kept in larders with 9 out of 10 having no ‘fridge. Mangles used for washing, a dishwasher was by hand in the sink and credit cards about to be invented. A black & white TV with a big magnifying glass in front graced 2% of the more wealthy households mostly on rental. TV’s had increased to 60% of households by 1960. Less than 1 in 5 families had access to a car.

It was the days of ‘farthings’, ‘halfpennies’, ‘threepence’, ‘tanners’, ‘bobs’, ‘florins and ‘half crowns’ and ‘guineas’ (before decimalisation), Recollections included The Festival of Britain and the ‘Skylon’, the 1st ever commercial TV, Entertainment was listening to ‘The Archers’ and ‘Dixon of Dock Green’ and the theatre with ‘The Mouse Trap’ and still running! Hillary climbing Everest, car seatbelts introduced and the ending of wartime ration coupon books. The Helsinki Olympics with just one gold medal for Team GB, won by a horse ‘Foxhunter’ in the equestrian events. No central heating - a coal fire the norm with a coalman delivery service as was the morning milk by horse and cart and the regular visits from the French ‘Onion Johnnie’. The local corner shop provided the groceries not ’Supermarkets’. Retailers such as Liptons, Home and Colonial, Woolworths, Timothy White and Taylors headed the high street, the only true survivor today is the Co-op.  Harold McMillan declared ‘That we have never had it so good’ with average weekly wages increasing from £5 per week in 1950 to £9 per week by the end of the decade – now that is inflation!

How we have moved on in one generation. Brenda still engages in her thespian activities, mostly now more elderly parts in Agatha Christie plays and Mystery Murders for Torre Abbey.

The vote of thanks was given by member Chris Inch.