How times change.

[Latchford Locks]

I notice today it is 47 years since Princess Anne married Mark Philips and it was at the time a major occasion.

Why do I mention it now?

It just brings back memories of me starting a new job at Thames Board and my doubling the previous jobs wage!

I asked the wife what would she like as a treat to celebrate ...... Bad Bad Mistake 😳

Not a meal out or a trip to the hairdressers NO

Only a new television with colour (the one we owned was still black and white) so she could watch the Royal wedding in glorious colour 

Now a new 23" Pye tv from the co-op was £249 which today would equate to £3,300 !!!!!!!!!! 😲 Well much as I loved her .............

It was a trip to Radio Rentals and a rented tele much better idea , although I can't recall how much a month it was.......The Wife was happy and I had escaped imminent financial ruin plus I could watch Alias Smith and Jones in mind boggling technicolour !"

Thats it really I just thought I'd share my tale to maybe bring a smile and some happy memories to our  band of forum members

 

[Confused52]

Thanks for the lovely story and the reminder of the famous Test Card F.

[Evil Sid]

I remember the old trade test transmissions that were on the soon to be bbc 2, not long after colour tv's made their appearance.

Most telly's then we rented from granada rentals in town. apparently they had better technicians than radio rentals or redifusion according to my gran.

I also remember my aunt having a tv that had two slatted sliding  doors that covered the screen  and a very art deco style look. it was a stand alone unit as well unlike most tv's at the time and with the door's close could easily be mistaken for a cocktail cabinet.

limited viewing as well an hour at dinner time for watch with mother etc, then back on at five until half eleven when the thought for the day or whatever it was called ended transmission usually by some reverend gentleman. finally followed by the white dot and that eerie voice saying "for those of you that live alone.......don't forget to turn off your tv"

[Bill]

I can’t remember the year, but it was about the time when colour TV’s first started to appear in the shops. Back then I was into my ham radio and had just bought a new directional beam antenna that came as a kit. The elements were slightly different lengths so to avoid confusion, each had brightly coloured plastic end caps, red, green and blue.

Now when you think back, most houses at that time had the old large X type arial on their chimneys but the Greens now had a very shiny, odd looking affair with colours on it. The rumours about us being the first in the area to have colour TV soon spread and people could be seen just staring up at the thing.

Happy days!

 

Bill 😊

[Latchford Locks]

2 hours ago, Bill said:

I can’t remember the year, but it was about the time when colour TV’s first started to appear in the shops.

 

Bill 😊

I think it was 1968 as I remember walking into St Marys club and they had a colour tv that year ,I don't remember seeing one before, Ester and Abi Ofarim were on singing Cinderella Rockerfella which was No1 in February 1968.

 

[Davy51]

I remember my uncle having a colour tv roundabout 1968 & we'd gone up just to see it. It was wonderful looking at the clear blue skies on the High Chapparall & Linda Crystal looked good in colour too. The tv though was so big & cumbersome it must have been delivered on a low loader.

When you weigh up though ,what was so expensive then is relatively cheap now & so much better. No need to buy expensive appliance insurance

[Latchford Locks]

22 minutes ago, Davy51 said:

I remember my uncle having a colour tv roundabout 1968 & we'd gone up just to see it. 

Yes having a colour tv was certainly a rare thing back then and all the relatives and friends would roll up just to look at it.

Even in 73 when we got ours it was still something to drop into conversations as many times as possible 😄

and just for you Davy    😉

 

[Confused52]

You were close, the first official colour TV broadcast in the UK was Wimbledon on BBC2 on the 1st July 1967. I saw some of it in a shop window.

[Latchford Locks]

20 minutes ago, Confused52 said:

You were close, the first official colour TV broadcast in the UK was Wimbledon on BBC2 on the 1st July 1967. I saw some of it in a shop window.

Yes your spot on 👍

The BBC began broadcasting in colour in 1967 and was looking for programmes that could exploit the new technology. Thus came the idea of broadcasting snooker, then still a minor sport, was the brainchild of David Attenborough who was the controller of BBC2 at the time.

[Davy51]

Thanks Latch ,magnificent & she hasn't changed a bit . 😀

[Latchford Locks]

1 hour ago, Davy51 said:

Thanks Latch ,magnificent & she hasn't changed a bit . 😀

😉

[algy]

[Evil Sid]

I always wondered which one was the nought and which one was the cross.....🤔...🤭