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What Happened?


tozzin

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During lockdown you have time to look back on your life and the times you fondly remember as childhood, some things I just can’t understand, why did the wearing of new clothes at Whitsuntide cease, what happened to the Whit walks, Easter Parades around the city, The Sheffield Rag Week, The Lord Mayors Parade, seeing boys on train stations train spotting, another spotting hobby was spotting British Road Services fleet of lorry’s, a special spotting book was published not unlike The Trainspotters book. My school pal Stephen Oldfield and myself often took a bus or train into the Hope Valley for a day out, just enjoying the day and the sublime views to be seen for free, all this at the young age of twelve years. I’ve seen lads on the Manor finding an old bike frame and saving money up to put the bike back in action, they were no more than thirteen years old, I used to love swopping comics with the other lads on the road, Dandy, Beano, Topper, Eagle, Vulcan, Victor, Valiant,  plus what we called American comics now known as D C comics I spent many a happy hour reading comics living the exploits of the British Army etc.

As the seasons changed so did the games, Whip and Top for both lads and lasses, as the weather became more blustery and colder, Kites were brought out every year, Conkers was always a lads pastime in Autumn, many a conked knuckle brought the tears out, I don’t think any schoolboy was bereft of a marble or two in his pockets, I loved that game sadly you never see boys playing that game anymore, another game that’s ceased to be was playing cowboys, I suppose if some child was seen waving a toy gun now  armed police would have the boys laid on the ground with their hands behind their backs.

Childhood today is more or less a game of one upmanship, trying to get the latest expensive game or the costliest bike, the fanciest hair cut plus boys and girls wearing the latest designer clothes, I don’t really know how or why parents spend so much money on their children, it sends out the wrong message to them, oh yes the be all and end all of must have’s is an iPhone, I’ve seen children as young as six with them, now that is just plain silly. I’m glad I had my childhood in a more relaxed easier time when nearly every child and their families were in the same boat, just managing to live a reasonable happy life and trying to live a better life.

 

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I loved Whitsuntide when I was young. Marching up to Firth Park In Grimesthorpe Wesleyan Reform Boys Brigade on Whit Monday with crowds of people lining the route on Whit Monday. Sunday school games in Firth Park in afternoon followed by tea at church.  Whit Tuesday was always hiking with Church & BB in Derbyshire. Here are some photos of Whit parade in 1950's & early 1960's  . Also one of me & friend Philip in our new clothes early 1950's.

Sadly I think it was the government decision to get rid of Whit Bank holiday in favour of Spring Bank Holiday that brought an end to those wonderful Whit events.

john with phillip nicholas whit 1950 in our new clothes.jpg

Whit _parade edt.jpg

Whit Mon life boys  abt 1954.jpg

whit parade abt 1960.jpg

whit1961.jpg

whitwalk 1952 ish.jpg

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1 minute ago, johnm said:

I loved Whitsuntide when I was young. Marching up to Firth Park In Grimesthorpe Wesleyan Reform Boys Brigade on Whit Monday with crowds of people lining the route on Whit Monday. Sunday school games in Firth Park in afternoon followed by tea at church.  Whit Tuesday was always hiking with Church & BB in Derbyshire. Here are some photos of Whit parade in 1950's & early 1960's  . Also one of me & friend Philip in our new clothes early 1950's.

Sadly I think it was the government decision to get rid of Whit Bank holiday in favour of Spring Bank Holiday that brought an end to those wonderful Whit events.

john with phillip nicholas whit 1950 in our new clothes.jpg

Whit _parade edt.jpg

Whit Mon life boys  abt 1954.jpg

whit parade abt 1960.jpg

whit1961.jpg

whitwalk 1952 ish.jpg

This is exactly what I mean, the children had a purpose in their childhood, sadly its not the case now vandalism and other nefarious actions rule the day.

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On 06/05/2021 at 09:02, johnm said:

I loved Whitsuntide when I was young. Marching up to Firth Park In Grimesthorpe Wesleyan Reform Boys Brigade on Whit Monday with crowds of people lining the route on Whit Monday. Sunday school games in Firth Park in afternoon followed by tea at church.  Whit Tuesday was always hiking with Church & BB in Derbyshire. Here are some photos of Whit parade in 1950's & early 1960's  . Also one of me & friend Philip in our new clothes early 1950's.

Sadly I think it was the government decision to get rid of Whit Bank holiday in favour of Spring Bank Holiday that brought an end to those wonderful Whit events.

john with phillip nicholas whit 1950 in our new clothes.jpg

Whit _parade edt.jpg

Whit Mon life boys  abt 1954.jpg

whit parade abt 1960.jpg

whit1961.jpg

whitwalk 1952 ish.jpg

 


Incredible photos!!

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Furthermore, I can’t remember the last time I saw a Boy Scout, Girl Guide, Cubs or Brownies, when did the fun go out of childhood to be replaced by the now virtual age, gone are the pools we had in Millhouses Park, in fact any park are fast becoming no go areas for the people and the few children that enjoy the parks, my lasting memory of Millhouses Park was watching the steam trains fly past on the line in the trees, you can’t experience sights like that on a computer.

The excitement of the fair in the Farm Grounds just what replaced that magical event?

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An exile speaks: The last time I saw scouts, cubs, brownies guides and beavers was February last year at the monthly parade service.  Obviously they are shut down at the moment, but when our kids were small there was a waiting list.

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1 minute ago, MartinR said:

An exile speaks: The last time I saw scouts, cubs, brownies guides and beavers was February last year at the monthly parade service.  Obviously they are shut down at the moment, but when our kids were small there was a waiting list.

I’ve never seen any of the troops mentioned in our post, it’s got to be around the 1960s the last time I saw them, from then until now I’ve never seen them walking to or from their meetings.

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The Millhouses troop was still going strong in 1970, though I was away at school so was just accepted as an honary member during the holidays.  I remember going away to camp at Windermere in around 1969/70.  I got my axe and knife badge that camp.

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10 minutes ago, MartinR said:

The Millhouses troop was still going strong in 1970, though I was away at school so was just accepted as an honary member during the holidays.  I remember going away to camp at Windermere in around 1969/70.  I got my axe and knife badge that camp.

I always thought it was a great achievement for boys and girls to join either of the troops, the achievements now are how much misery and destruction can we inflict on others.

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On 05/05/2021 at 17:54, tozzin said:

During lockdown you have time to look back on your life and the times you fondly remember as childhood, some things I just can’t understand, why did the wearing of new clothes at Whitsuntide cease, what happened to the Whit walks, Easter Parades around the city, The Sheffield Rag Week, The Lord Mayors Parade, seeing boys on train stations train spotting, another spotting hobby was spotting British Road Services fleet of lorry’s, a special spotting book was published not unlike The Trainspotters book. My school pal Stephen Oldfield and myself often took a bus or train into the Hope Valley for a day out, just enjoying the day and the sublime views to be seen for free, all this at the young age of twelve years. I’ve seen lads on the Manor finding an old bike frame and saving money up to put the bike back in action, they were no more than thirteen years old, I used to love swopping comics with the other lads on the road, Dandy, Beano, Topper, Eagle, Vulcan, Victor, Valiant,  plus what we called American comics now known as D C comics I spent many a happy hour reading comics living the exploits of the British Army etc.

As the seasons changed so did the games, Whip and Top for both lads and lasses, as the weather became more blustery and colder, Kites were brought out every year, Conkers was always a lads pastime in Autumn, many a conked knuckle brought the tears out, I don’t think any schoolboy was bereft of a marble or two in his pockets, I loved that game sadly you never see boys playing that game anymore, another game that’s ceased to be was playing cowboys, I suppose if some child was seen waving a toy gun now  armed police would have the boys laid on the ground with their hands behind their backs.

Childhood today is more or less a game of one upmanship, trying to get the latest expensive game or the costliest bike, the fanciest hair cut plus boys and girls wearing the latest designer clothes, I don’t really know how or why parents spend so much money on their children, it sends out the wrong message to them, oh yes the be all and end all of must have’s is an iPhone, I’ve seen children as young as six with them, now that is just plain silly. I’m glad I had my childhood in a more relaxed easier time when nearly every child and their families were in the same boat, just managing to live a reasonable happy life and trying to live a better life.

 

Me too. Your observations are spot on and I've said similar things many times in the past and also participated in all the things you mention.

Many think it's a case of old age turning us into miseries but we genuinely did have many interests in the old days and most of them were free and certainly far healthier than a modern kids lifestyle.

Despite being poor, most of us were extremely happy and we learnt some real skills along the way too.

I would hate to be growing up in this greedy and selfish modern world where everything is measured by one's wealth or possessions.

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Spot on. The model Aircraft kits from Hobbies on St Paul’s Parade gave me much enjoyment, laying in bed and imagining the British and German suspended from my ceiling having a dog fight.

 

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D983B37D-10CA-4D33-8FE4-D0572139B251.jpeg

CC1521F6-65E0-4F42-B444-5E920F6B704D.jpeg

B3A9278E-2D9C-48C5-AE01-EEBDEA085BF8.jpeg

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My belief is that Whitsuntide became "downgraded" when Harold Wilson's government created Spring Bank holiday. A few areas struggled on with Whit walks on the Sunday for a few years but, alas, another tradition "hit the dust".

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