The middle aged thread

the folland gnat

spud gun

Sneaking to the cinema to see apparently pornographic Oshima's "Ai no borei" (Empire of Passion) - as very little boys - only to be disappointed and fall asleep.

Benny from crossroads. and miss Diane

In particular seeing Benny's bride maureen killed on her wedding day (she was knocked off her bike).

once a year birthday treat - going to the golden egg

Christmas, well... on Christmas. No Halloween. No Valentines. Everything closed on Sunday.

That there was still a Lyons Corner House in Ilford way into the 1970s.

having your balls and foreskin inspected by a special nurse at school.
or was that one of my dreams?

'Why Don't You'

I'll tell you why not, I've not got a feckin' hovercraft for a start. Or a quadbike.

being middle aged means you probably bought at least one endowment policy

Selfridges having a department store in Ilford High Road, including a small food hall. At the time it was the only branch of Selfridges outside of Oxford Street.

having your balls and foreskin inspected by a special nurse at school.
or was that one of my dreams?

And a nit nurse too.

crown court. the dullest program ever, i used to sit through it waiting for something better to come on telly

Simon Park Orchestra - Crown Court closing theme - YouTube

Oh, a hovercraft service across the Channel.

..half of l'ancresse headland after stuffing airfix stukas with lighter fluid..

ahem

Burnt the shit out of mum's tomatoes using a Hai Karate / cotton wool stuffed Fokke Wulf.

Selfridges having a department store in Ilford High Road, including a small food hall. At the time it was the only branch of Selfridges outside of Oxford Street.

It was probably selling things the locals could ill afford.

Thames Television
(my laptop plays this to me instead of the Windows sound)

Thames TV Ident - YouTube

And them handing over to London Weekend at about 5pm on a Friday night...

London Weekend Television Ident 1978 to 1986 - YouTube

Oh, a hovercraft service across the Channel.

friends of my parents both worked on the hovvers out of Ramsgate.

Selfridges having a department store in Ilford High Road, including a small food hall. At the time it was the only branch of Selfridges outside of Oxford Street.

on the ilford tip: bodgers, fairheads and wests, the white horse, ilford palais, getting a kicking in the lift at room at the top, outdoor swimming at valentines park, when gants hill odeon had one massive screen

on the ilford tip: bodgers, fairheads and wests, the white horse, ilford palais, getting a kicking in the lift at room at the top, outdoor swimming at valentines park, when gants hill odeon had one massive screen

Yep....
Bodgers is still there. Wests closed about 20 years ago, (or was bought by Beales) who then closed it. Fairheads closed 2 years ago when the owner retired.

Room at the Top - waiting ages for that bloody lift at the end of the night.
Re Valentines Park, the cafe still has all the 1970s furniture and decor - if anyone ever wants to cycle over and meet me for coffee let me know.

But the big thing was 50/50 night at the Ilford Palais.... 50p to get in and all the drinks were 50p. Getting absolutely ratarsed until 3am on a Thursday and then going to work in the morning...

Bodgers is like a museum. And almost always empty.

Bodgers is like a museum. And almost always empty.

Except on Blue Cross Day

and let's not forget in the 1970s, the Ilford Palais was called 'Tiffany's' (That was what Tiffany in Eastenders was meant to be named after).

If you want to go even further East, Tots Nightclub in Southend, and Hollywoods in Romford.

No cash machines, not for ages.

The Moon landing and Concord.

And seductive fag ads.

spending most of my childhood in guernsey then coming over to visit grandparents during summer holidays, Ilford was a bedazzling cosmopolitan experience!

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