1976 Best year for kids. Would you agree?

[scrummyyummy]

Reading about 1976 in the papers today brings back some good childhood memories. Lots of people are saying they had a Chopper (which I sadly, didn't), but it's the comments about how much freedom they had as a child, when they could play outdoors and disappear for hours with their friends which I miss for my children growing up nowadays. Even if they could have the same freedom, they are bogged down by so much homework these days. I'm sure I didn't have that much when I was their age! All these constant assessments take over the family life!

[ummmm]

lol

There was also loads of caterpillars. I used to collect them off the weeds in our car park.

Don't see them anymore..

[ladybird49]

I was 20 in "76" i remember that summer so well ,i fell in love , still together after all this time ....

[B00]

Was that the same year that we had millions of ladybirds everywhere?

[ummmm]

Probably, and fleas.

[B00]

don't remember fleas!

Mind you, with 4 horses, chickens, rabbits, a mangy cat and two dogs at the time it's pretty certain I was covered in them!

[AB Editor]

It was no patch on 1908, now that was a good year.

[Old_Geezer]

Ah yes, that I do recall, having to step on ladybirds because there was nowhere not covered with them to put your feet.

[mojay]

1908 - Gosh!! I'd almost forgotten that year !

[B00]

I remember going to Blackpool and crunching on those ladybirds on the beach- which was nice!

[craft1948]

Wasn't keen on 1908..............lots of TB around.

[237SJ]

76 was bliss. We spent all day wandering over the fields. There was an abundance of ladybirds that year (and little blue butterflies). A massive swarm of ladybirds descended on Woolacombe Beach and scared all the grockles away. When I hear the songs from that summer (Belamy Brothers, Candy Statton etc) they take me right back.

[MartinBev58]

1976 was the year I got engaged to my late wife. She was my first girl friend at school and was the daughter of the headmistress.
I do remember going down a salt mine in Austria and having drizle most of the holiday.
I had a bright green Cortina.
We were married in 1978.
Sadly my wife passed away in 2003.
7 of the othe pupils in my year married the son / daughters of the teachers and all of them are still with their first husbands / wives.
It was the year none of the staff will forget and my mother in law said even the headmistress does not have total control of the school.

Martin

[Kiki-frog]

Martin - your post made me cry. Bittersweet memories indeed. x

[rockyracoon]

1976 was the best, up in the morning, jam sandwiches a bottle of squash an away to lido we went, at the end of the day we helped the lifeguards clear away and we got free passes for the nex day, and did it all again. No sunscreen either!

[parkie]

Some of these descriptions sound like 'The Famous Five' going on picnics with cucumber sandwiches and 'lashings' of ginger beer!!!
I was 8 years old in 1952 and remember when King George six and our Queen ascended to the throne. Those years were happy ones too. My two brothers and I played out for hours.
I suppose it's all retrospective whichever year you are born in. But yes, times have changed and I see that in the way my 7 year old granddaughter plays.

[rowanwitch]

I was 19 in my first job in Central london mostly I remember the heat the yellow grey skies how the air felt like it had been used by too many people and the smell of people on the tube at the end of the day...

As a kid in the 60's however.... a health and safety nightmare, exploring bombsites and wasteground... wading in dirty streams, and rivers....oh dear its amazing any of us survived