The FOC thread.

Sunday tea around 6pm, eating the remnants of Sunday Roast Dinner listening to "Sing Something Simple" on the Radio. Grandparents round our house, Dad finishing the last of the bread and butter with a chocolate digestive sandwich.

Grandparents went home, then out came the Tin Bath which was hung on the kitchen wall, Mum and Sister first, water boiled in kettle and saucepans on the gas gob, in front of the fire whilst me and Dad sat in the kitchen, then, in the same water, me and Dad in the bath. That was it for the week, just a "personal" stand up wash after that.

Kin freezing in winter, no heating, just a coal fire, started by rolling up newspaper into a coil, then some kindle followed by coal, lit it all and put the tin plate (can't remember the name) flush to the wall and a couple of broadsheet newspaper pages over the top to get the fire roaring.

God we were poor looking back but my childhood was so happy with such a loving family.

Rolled up newspaper, you say?

Although we were poor… because we were poor…
 
The 1950s and early 60s were dire for British comedy. It was full of second raters from the music halls. Harry worth, Jimmy Edwards, Ted Ray, Terry Thomas, Jewel and Warris, Archie Andrews, Arthur Askey, the Clitheroe Kid, The Navy Lark, and a host of others I forget.
Archie Andrews summed it up: a ventriloquist star of a radio show!

I know that in some quarters this is like shitting on the altar of British comedy, but I can honestly say I've never heard a single clip off the Goon Show that makes me laugh. I honestly can't. I think to myself, “Is it me or what?”
 
I know that in some quarters this is like shitting on the altar of British comedy, but I can honestly say I've never heard a single clip off the Goon Show that makes me laugh. I honestly can't. I think to myself, “Is it me or what?”
Neddy Seagoon hates you,Its you !! Very funny IMO.
 
And no worry about pervs, I dare say — they've always been around, by the way, nothing new about them — because the kids were in hordes, whether in the street or in parks, or coming back from school.

Our local milkman was 'rumoured' to have tried to fiddle with the lad who helped him on his round.

His cart was overturned in the next street to us, milk and orange squash all over the place, old dears "tut-tutting" on the doorsteps. I was not directly involved.. . It was the big lads who did it (teenagers), us nippers just stood and watched out in case a copper was about.

We had a new milkman the day after.
 
I know that in some quarters this is like shitting on the altar of British comedy, but I can honestly say I've never heard a single clip off the Goon Show that makes me laugh. I honestly can't. I think to myself, “Is it me or what?”
It was madness of a new kind and thus people took notice but it wasn’t very funny in truth. Bluebottle was ok.
 
@Onholiday(somemightsay) I notice everyone has ignored you. Probably because they forgot your question.
I propose the following
60-65 Junior FOC (my category)
66-70 Mainstream FOC
71-75 Senior FOC
76-80 Grandmaster FOC
80+ @oakiecokie FOC
yay qualified as a Junior FOC in May! I can read this thread now. Though none of my family ever had an outside bog, but I remember in early 70's we had coal fire and coal bunker. And a paraffin heater appeared in the hall at the bottom of the stairs to head upstairs!
 
We had several paraffin heaters and I can also remember being sent to Mr Hulse's shop with an empty can to buy the paraffin. Thinking back, it's amazing I was allowed to 'trim' the wicks, fill the heater and light the damned things. I also used to make up the coal fire on Saturday mornings before Mum and Dad got up. Such responsibility! Riddling the ash into the dustbin was fun - we used to keep all the little bits of coal that stayed in the riddle. No waste was allowed.

I can only ever recall having a fire in another room once. I was very ill and my mother deemed it necessary. A very rare indulgence.
 

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