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Decades of Childhood
A 1950s Childhood: From Tin Baths to Bread and Dripping
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Do you remember Pathe News? Taking the train to the seaside? The purple stains of iodine on the knees of boys in short trousers? Knitted bathing costumes? Then the chances are you were born in or around 1950. To the young people of today, the 1950s seems like another age. But for those born around then, this era of childhood seems like yesterday. From waking up to ice on the inside of the windows, washing in a tin bath by the fire and spoonfuls of cod-liver oil, home life was very different to today. This delightful compendium of memories will appeal to all who grew up in this post-war decade, whether in town or country, wealth or poverty. With chapters on games and hobbies, holidays, music and fashion, the wonderful memories and delightful illustrations will bring back this decade of childhood, and jog memories about all aspects of life.
Do you remember Pathe News? Taking the train to the seaside? The purple stains of iodine on the knees of boys in short trousers? Knitted bathing costumes? Then the chances are you were born in or around 1950. To the young people of today, the 1950s seems like another age. But for those born around then, this era of childhood seems like yesterday. From waking up to ice on the inside of the windows, washing in a tin bath by the fire and spoonfuls of cod-liver oil, home life was very different to today. This delightful compendium of memories will appeal to all who grew up in this post-war decade, whether in town or country, wealth or poverty. With chapters on games and hobbies, holidays, music and fashion, the wonderful memories and delightful illustrations will bring back this decade of childhood, and jog memories about all aspects of life.
224 pages, Paperback
First published January 9, 2009
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 62 reviews
May 10, 2013
Plenty of nostalgia here, even for someone born late in the decade as I was. Not a lot had changed by the mid 60s in rural Wiltshire! Somehow though this book failed to grip. It felt like a catalogue of the times rather than a coherent study. There was little or no reflectiveness, just bald statements of 'this is how it was'. So slightly disappointing overall, but worth reading nevertheless.
November 25, 2023
I enjoyed parts of this BUT there was a lot of repetition, a lot of lists and a lot of looking through rose-tinted glasses.
May 1, 2017
Where to begin? I had hoped this book might give me an insight into life when my parents were children. This does not really do that.
As many have noted it many chapters are comprised by interminable lists. Radio shows, TV shows, music and movies. These are mildly diverting but could have been lifted straight from Wikipedia. Perhaps the publishers could have added value to these by linking to songs and suchlike on YouTube or Spotify.
The other chapters are diverting enough but the whole book is full of rose-tinted cliches. Front doors left unlocked, children safe on the streets (maybe that was so but the authors conveniently forgets the Moors murders occurred in the 50s), bobbies offering clips round the ears and many more like this.
Christmas was less commerical, apparently, yet on the same page the author talks of how all children clamoured to go to Santa's grotto in the, well, commercial haven that is the local department store.
At 160pages this is a quick read, quicker still if you discount the list-style chapters which seem like a cheat. I have the 70s Childhood book on my shelf to read now, I am hoping that the different author means a better book.
As many have noted it many chapters are comprised by interminable lists. Radio shows, TV shows, music and movies. These are mildly diverting but could have been lifted straight from Wikipedia. Perhaps the publishers could have added value to these by linking to songs and suchlike on YouTube or Spotify.
The other chapters are diverting enough but the whole book is full of rose-tinted cliches. Front doors left unlocked, children safe on the streets (maybe that was so but the authors conveniently forgets the Moors murders occurred in the 50s), bobbies offering clips round the ears and many more like this.
Christmas was less commerical, apparently, yet on the same page the author talks of how all children clamoured to go to Santa's grotto in the, well, commercial haven that is the local department store.
At 160pages this is a quick read, quicker still if you discount the list-style chapters which seem like a cheat. I have the 70s Childhood book on my shelf to read now, I am hoping that the different author means a better book.
May 24, 2018
This was a great short book on what it was like to be a child post-WWII in Britain. The war was over but for much of your childhood shortages were still a part of your life as well as rationing. There was also a pretty good divide between being a child in the early 50's compared to the late 50's. The older children experienced both ends of the spectrum, going from very little manufactured toys and using what they had, to everything that Mom and Dad were willing to buy at the local Woolworth's toy counter. The younger group had to live with some doing without but likely didn't really remember it. Their lives always had toys, radio or television, sweets, and new clothes. I learned quite a bit about life for the oldest of the baby boomers, and I'll likely pick this up for a re-read in the future.
June 28, 2021
Born in 1949, my memories of the early 1950s are hazy. However, I remember much of my childhood from 1954 and this book was a nostalgic journey for me.
Life was very different - no central heating; no computers; no mobile phones; so much that we now take advantage of was not available to the mid 20th century child. It was the era when children entertained themselves in much more imaginative ways. For me, when I wasn't at school, I liked to read and draw and listen to the radio. A treat would be to go next door to watch a program on their television - "Robin Hood" or "Ivanhoe" - they were my favourites.
I enjoyed reading this book, although there was some repetition. Although I was quite a solitary child, it evoked memories of what was a happy childhood. I think that it also gives an insight into the social history of the time and would be a useful starting point for anyone interested in researching this period in history.
Life was very different - no central heating; no computers; no mobile phones; so much that we now take advantage of was not available to the mid 20th century child. It was the era when children entertained themselves in much more imaginative ways. For me, when I wasn't at school, I liked to read and draw and listen to the radio. A treat would be to go next door to watch a program on their television - "Robin Hood" or "Ivanhoe" - they were my favourites.
I enjoyed reading this book, although there was some repetition. Although I was quite a solitary child, it evoked memories of what was a happy childhood. I think that it also gives an insight into the social history of the time and would be a useful starting point for anyone interested in researching this period in history.
January 1, 2024
A wonderful trip down memory lane enjoyed by both myself and my husband. Full marks Mr Feeney.
February 11, 2015
I really enjoyed this book, cheesy-ness aside. It was an interesting look at the 1950s and specifically growing up in a post war Britain.
My biggest gripe with this book, is the endless lists. For example in the Radio and Television chapter, the majority of which are just endless lists. Lists of actors and actresses, tv shows and radio plays. After a couple of pages it does get tiring.
Furthermore, I have to comment at the cheesy nature of the writing style. In the chapter on schooling, there is a mention of "skivving" off from school, however the author writes "but only the bad kids did that", I cannot tell if the author is being horribly patronizing or if he is just reminiscing about his own childhood.
The book is quite repetitive in places, with constant mentions of the era of rationing, popular entertainers and singers (Cliff Richard was mentioned a few times) as well as bread being the staple of a child's diet.
Having said all that, I did enjoy this book. It was a short rose-tinted look at growing up in the 50's, and did feel like I was being told by a person of that generation tales of what they got up to. I would recommend this book if you are interested in hearing about different aspects of growing up in 1950's Britain.
My biggest gripe with this book, is the endless lists. For example in the Radio and Television chapter, the majority of which are just endless lists. Lists of actors and actresses, tv shows and radio plays. After a couple of pages it does get tiring.
Furthermore, I have to comment at the cheesy nature of the writing style. In the chapter on schooling, there is a mention of "skivving" off from school, however the author writes "but only the bad kids did that", I cannot tell if the author is being horribly patronizing or if he is just reminiscing about his own childhood.
The book is quite repetitive in places, with constant mentions of the era of rationing, popular entertainers and singers (Cliff Richard was mentioned a few times) as well as bread being the staple of a child's diet.
Having said all that, I did enjoy this book. It was a short rose-tinted look at growing up in the 50's, and did feel like I was being told by a person of that generation tales of what they got up to. I would recommend this book if you are interested in hearing about different aspects of growing up in 1950's Britain.
July 11, 2020
A small compact book full of nostalgia, well it is if you are my age, and a child of the 50s. I was born in 1946, so the 1950s were most definitely formative years for me.
Did I enjoy the book? Well, there's not a lot in a bundle of nostalgic memories that's not to enjoy, but I felt it missed an opportunity.
I was rather hoping it would be more of a personal story of life in the 50s. I was anticipating reminiscences and descriptions of a past childhood that was personal, and tinged with lots of sentimentality.
There was a bit of that, but the writing was mostly detached, and written up rather akin to an experiment report. It lacked emotion.. There were too many lists. Reading the names of singers, or films and plays, or actors, with their dates of birth (and death), and noting in brief their memorable events and achievements, was rather boring for me. It became a litany of names, and rather bland.
So it was a quick and easy read. But it felt more like a reference book for a school history project than a personal trip down memory lane, which I suppose was what I was hoping for.
Did I enjoy the book? Well, there's not a lot in a bundle of nostalgic memories that's not to enjoy, but I felt it missed an opportunity.
I was rather hoping it would be more of a personal story of life in the 50s. I was anticipating reminiscences and descriptions of a past childhood that was personal, and tinged with lots of sentimentality.
There was a bit of that, but the writing was mostly detached, and written up rather akin to an experiment report. It lacked emotion.. There were too many lists. Reading the names of singers, or films and plays, or actors, with their dates of birth (and death), and noting in brief their memorable events and achievements, was rather boring for me. It became a litany of names, and rather bland.
So it was a quick and easy read. But it felt more like a reference book for a school history project than a personal trip down memory lane, which I suppose was what I was hoping for.
November 20, 2022
I have often said that this is the type of book that more people should write. Let your own history be told. I just feel the author went the wrong way about this.
My first gripe is that the words come across as patronising on many occasions. Even if he was trying to tell his tale to a modern 7 year old then he is underestimating his audience constantly.
My second gripe is that he mentions many things about the 1950s without giving any indication that he personally enjoyed, participated in them or was even aware they existed at the time. I was born in 1980 and I could have written much the same description of things using Google. That impersonal touch took away from his own experiences.
Books like this are important. This one slightly less so than many. If this was given a better tone and was more personal I probably would have recommended it.
My first gripe is that the words come across as patronising on many occasions. Even if he was trying to tell his tale to a modern 7 year old then he is underestimating his audience constantly.
My second gripe is that he mentions many things about the 1950s without giving any indication that he personally enjoyed, participated in them or was even aware they existed at the time. I was born in 1980 and I could have written much the same description of things using Google. That impersonal touch took away from his own experiences.
Books like this are important. This one slightly less so than many. If this was given a better tone and was more personal I probably would have recommended it.
April 16, 2020
Educational and leaves you feeling warm and fuzzy
I learnt a lot about British history from this book and it raised many points worth discussing. At times however, the chapters and areas of focus felt very dragged out and repetitive. Likewise the style of writing got very lazy with a predictable format, e.g. listing a ridiculous amount of TV shows and summarising them all. I also didn’t like the sole focus on the experiences of White Brits, immigration was a thing by that point, so the fact that the author completely omitted Britain’s changes in culture was a huge turn off for me.
I would recommend this book to anyone interested in this era of time or anyone looking to feel nostalgia.
I learnt a lot about British history from this book and it raised many points worth discussing. At times however, the chapters and areas of focus felt very dragged out and repetitive. Likewise the style of writing got very lazy with a predictable format, e.g. listing a ridiculous amount of TV shows and summarising them all. I also didn’t like the sole focus on the experiences of White Brits, immigration was a thing by that point, so the fact that the author completely omitted Britain’s changes in culture was a huge turn off for me.
I would recommend this book to anyone interested in this era of time or anyone looking to feel nostalgia.
June 11, 2022
I thought this started well and was enjoying the description of the children's everyday life. Their games and the freedom they enjoyed. Their continual energy and their diet (where the bread and dripping came in) kept them healthy, although there was quite a bit of polio and TB at this time as immunisation had yet to be in full swing. Unfortunately it then followed with what seemed like a never ending list list of US film stars, and then another very long list of popular singers at the time and their careers. This was really too much information, that could have been included at the end for those wanting this information. This did overlap with the 1960's but that was to be expected as history never really seems to come to an abrupt end.
November 26, 2022
While the execution of this book has some flaws, I truly enjoyed it. I am fascinated by the social history of Britain in the mid 20th century, and even the large tomes by Sandbrook and Kynaston often missed the little details provided here that show what day to day living was like.
September 9, 2019
I didn't enjoy the way this book was put together, too much repetition and the lists, the lists! I know some people love a good list and keen quizzers would find plenty of quiz trivia in this book. While in general it was factually correct it somehow missed conveying the spirit of the time. Having said all that it did make me very nostalgic about my own childhood and triggered memories long buried, so maybe I've been too harsh.
April 25, 2011
A great read evoking a lot of great memories .
May 28, 2012
So many memories. A really great read.
January 3, 2014
Brought back many memories of my teenage years, but I could not describe this book as a "good read". It is more a series of lists of radio programmes, film stars, television programmes etc.
September 7, 2024
This book needed much better editorial guidance than it got. After a good start, about halfway through Feeney decides to discuss "the teenage years" and the book bogs down into a lot of lists: actors and the movies they made, singers and their hits--but just literal lists, as if he had copy/pasted it all from Wikipedia. It gets more interesting when he starts talking about school life in the 50s, until he discusses what went on during school holidays, when he seems to forget he already described many of the games and toys kids used in the first section. The final few pages are just filler with no connection to the rest of the text, and we're back to the poorly presented lists along the lines of "Where Are They Now?" and such.
Disappointing.
Disappointing.
June 25, 2021
This is not a memoir or a detailed social study; it's more of an extensive catalogue of life in the 1950s covering pretty much every aspect of daily life. It also had a definite skew towards the urban population, particularly London. I am not sure if life in the countryside was like this.
What I really liked was the lists of games and shows and programs that Feeney has catalogued; if you are a period buff, you could always try and dig these up. Also, how much the life of these children reminded me of the Famous Five book, which, btw, we read in India in the 80s and 90s, long, long after that way of life had disappeared!
What I really liked was the lists of games and shows and programs that Feeney has catalogued; if you are a period buff, you could always try and dig these up. Also, how much the life of these children reminded me of the Famous Five book, which, btw, we read in India in the 80s and 90s, long, long after that way of life had disappeared!
August 20, 2022
I was born in the early 1950s and enjoyed this book, which was easy reading. It brought back memories of things I had forgotten.
On the down side I do have issues in that the author repeatedly stated that everyone did certain things which were not the case for me. The title said "From tin baths to bread and dripping" - we did not have either of these. I did not know anyone with an outside toilet when I was small and only learnt about this when older. I knew most people went to Saturday morning pictures but we didn't. Like many other people in the 50s,we went to church and attended Scouts and Guides - this is not mentioned.
On the down side I do have issues in that the author repeatedly stated that everyone did certain things which were not the case for me. The title said "From tin baths to bread and dripping" - we did not have either of these. I did not know anyone with an outside toilet when I was small and only learnt about this when older. I knew most people went to Saturday morning pictures but we didn't. Like many other people in the 50s,we went to church and attended Scouts and Guides - this is not mentioned.
June 7, 2023
Such a rush of nostalgia this little book gave me. I was born in January 1951 so really only remember probably from 1954/5. I can still remember Watch with Mother, Ivanhoe with Roger Moore, Robin Hood with Richard Greene and Champion the Wonder Horse. When I started school I can remember the teacher having a big jar of Smarties on her desk and if you got your sums right you were allowed to pick a Smartie. Wouldn’t be allowed these days! Although the book bought back many memories I did find it lacked any emotion and was written more like a report and there was quite a bit of repetition. The book shows how life used to be then…..now gone for good unfortunately.
August 12, 2020
An enjoyable romp for those of a certain age, from rationing to hula-hoops, from outside privvies to rock-and-roll, Feeney writes in a light-hearted vein about the artefacts and fads that absorbed the country in the 1950s. Always readable, the only fault I could detect was Feeney's insistence on huge rafts of lists of everything from pop singers to film stars. That spoiled the book slightly for me. Youngsters should read the book , too - it ought to give them a notion of just how fortunate they are.
November 3, 2021
I read this book as part of my research for a story set in the 1950s and, unlike many non-fiction books I have read- or tried to read- I found it not only extremely informative, but enjoyable as well.
The information is divided into chapters and then subchapters making it easy to find what you are most interested in (I just read it all, but kept going back to make notes). Some of the information is repeated from the first chapter later on, but I didn't mind too much as it went into more detail.
Overall, very good.
The information is divided into chapters and then subchapters making it easy to find what you are most interested in (I just read it all, but kept going back to make notes). Some of the information is repeated from the first chapter later on, but I didn't mind too much as it went into more detail.
Overall, very good.
April 4, 2023
Nostalgic, infanttistic or simply lively.
Perfect to read if/when oneis writing a story set in 1950’s Britain.
Rather short at around five hours yet some unnecessary lists ought to have been cut, at least from the audiobook version. Most of them are rather grim list of peoples death dates and causes.
This book is exclusively about the native British, specifically the urban English.
Perfect to read if/when oneis writing a story set in 1950’s Britain.
Rather short at around five hours yet some unnecessary lists ought to have been cut, at least from the audiobook version. Most of them are rather grim list of peoples death dates and causes.
This book is exclusively about the native British, specifically the urban English.
November 12, 2023
I enjoyed chatting to other family members about their childhood challenges- the book helped discussions at a milestone birthday.
My siblings had memories of shared rooms; my grandparents & eldest sister were bombed out in the war & lost everything. So pleased the family had already moved into a brand new council house before I was born- lucky baby boomer.
My siblings had memories of shared rooms; my grandparents & eldest sister were bombed out in the war & lost everything. So pleased the family had already moved into a brand new council house before I was born- lucky baby boomer.
September 3, 2021
My Time!
As a wartime (1943) baby, all these memories of a childhood in a now posh Fulham bring it all back. The trolley bus journey to my grammar school was a trip to a different world. Now a retired senior Customs Officer, I enjoy life in a rural ideal !
As a wartime (1943) baby, all these memories of a childhood in a now posh Fulham bring it all back. The trolley bus journey to my grammar school was a trip to a different world. Now a retired senior Customs Officer, I enjoy life in a rural ideal !
December 26, 2022
brilliant
A walk down memory lane. This book brought back so many childhood memories. I particularly remember the Saturday morning picture club at the local cinema, and the simplicity of playing outside with friends. Thank you to the author for such an enjoyable read.
A walk down memory lane. This book brought back so many childhood memories. I particularly remember the Saturday morning picture club at the local cinema, and the simplicity of playing outside with friends. Thank you to the author for such an enjoyable read.
November 1, 2018
Full of interesting facts and memories of the 1950's - not a story
October 15, 2019
Good read
Only gave four stars as the book seemed to drag on in the middle, but it was interesting whe recalling the life
Only gave four stars as the book seemed to drag on in the middle, but it was interesting whe recalling the life
December 3, 2019
A walk back in time
Thoroughly enjoyed reading this. A real walk back in time. So true. Could have had a little more detail but enjoyed it non the less.
Thoroughly enjoyed reading this. A real walk back in time. So true. Could have had a little more detail but enjoyed it non the less.
January 12, 2020
Enjoyable but not very well written, resorted to listing items, author obviously got bored with the process.
Displaying 1 - 30 of 62 reviews