Ray’s Rants - Growing up in 1950s 1960s 1970s Britain

In the old days, there were loads of tradesman. There are tradesmen these days, of course. But how did they differ in the 50s and 60s? Join me this Sunday and we'll find out.

When I was a boy, in the good old days! In this episode, I talk about decimalisation in the UK, the grass is always greener on the other side of the fence, sex drugs and rock and roll, funerals… What? Yes, funerals. Please, join me!

This Sunday, I'll be chatting about people's names. Old names, new names, double-barrelled names… How many Christian names do you have? Also, I'll be recalling the events during the storm of 1987 here in Britain. Please, join me.

Who remembers the iconic Hoovermatic Twintub washing machine? A staple in British homes during the 1960s, it was incredibly popular. And what about the Rolls Dishwasher that perched on the kitchen draining board? Join us this Sunday as we take a nostalgic journey through household and other items of the past that have since disappeared! Also, I’m chatting from Amberley Museum.

Who remembers the iconic Hoovermatic Twintub washing machine? A staple in British homes during the 1960s, it was incredibly popular. And what about the Rolls Dishwasher that perched on the kitchen draining board? Join us this Sunday as we take a nostalgic journey through household and othetr items of the past that have since disappeared!

What is traditional English food? Dishes like bubble and squeak, meat and two veg, toad in the hole, shepherd's pie and fish and chips come to mind. In this episode, Tricia chats about classic English meals, going all the way back to World War II. Not that we were around back then! Also in this episode, people opening their houses as shops in the old days. There were corner shops, of course, but also mid-terrace houses where people had converted their lounge into a shop. Join us this Sunday!

Hi, I hope you're well. Traditional English meals, school dinners, chip shops, transistor radios back in the 1960s... Join me for a good old chat.

Remember the joy of school holidays in the old days? Six glorious weeks of summer freedom! Imagine if we had mobile phones back in the 50s and 60s. How would we have reacted to social media? The days before computers, what did the banks do? What did the tax office do? Everything was written is huge books called ledgers. Imagine the work! Join me this Sunday as we take a nostalgic journey back to those golden, and sometimes not so golden, days.

This Roaming Rant took me to St Mary's Church, Sompting, West Sussex. Built in the 11th or 12th century, the church is one of only a few on Britain with a Saxon tower. Please, join me for a look around the church.

I've been to church! More on that later. Also, I have a sore throat, we had great weather on Sunday... Why address letters to, for example, Mrs Fred Smith? Is she a man? That's her husband's name, not hers! That was the way things were in the old days. Does that still happen?

Live Your Life! Live and let live. In other words, let people get on with their lives and you get on with your life. Don't interfere with or poke your nose into other people's business. Punishing children. What are your thoughts on spanking kids? Also, kids in pubs. Should children be allowed into pubs? Please, join me this Sunday for a good old moan... I mean, chat.

Welcome to another of Ray's Roaming Rants. This time, I visit St Mary the Virgin Church at Clapham, West Sussex. The church, built in the 12th century, is in the woods. What better location for a lovely old building! I hope you enjoy this short episode.

Hi, I’m pleased to announce that my new website, raysrants.info, is now live! Check it out to explore a collection of photos and video clips from my recent travels. Many of you have been asking to see pictures from the various places I’ve visited so, I hope you’ll enjoy what I’ve shared. I'll be adding more so do visit the page regularly.

It's raining again! Is the summer over? Crickey, I don't think it had even started. In this episode, the weather, falling in love with someone you should have, the Boy Scouts Bob-A-Job week... I hope you'll join me.

History, whether global or personal, can be either boring or fascinating. In this episode, I discuss the mistakes we've made in our personal histories and whether we've learned from them. I also talk about the history of London trolley buses, trams, diesel engines, trains, the pipeline from the Isle of Wight to France, and much more. Join me for a chat which, hopefully, won’t be boring!

This is the first of a new series, Ray’s Roaming Rants. We had a lovely time on the Isle of Wight. I made a few audio recordings of various places we visited during our stay which I hope you will find interesting.

I've been to the Isle of Wight. I won't bore you with the details but, in this Midweek message, I'll tell you a little about our holiday. Quarr Abby, Yarmouth Castle, the Solent, the weather... Please, join me for a quick chat.

Steam trains, electric trains, diesel trains, getting married and... Getting married? What's that got to do with trains? I'll be in the Isle of Wight when you listen to this episode. Fingers crossed the weather is good!

It's that time again. Welcome to another Midweek Message. Mods and Rockers, hippies... Who remembers the weekends in Brighton? Happy days! Did you have a scooter or a motorbike? Join me for a quick chat.

Dinosaurs roamed the Earth 66 million years ago! What's that got to do with the 1950s? Not a lot. Alfresco, BBQs, eating outside... that wasn't a thing back in the 1950s and 60s. But it's very popular these days. Join me this Sunday for a chat about anything and everything.

Hello and welcome to yet another Midweek Message. The weather, cars, loud adverts, shouting and... I tell you a joke! Please, join me for a midweek chat.

In this episode, on this beautifully sunny weekend, I recall a few stories from the 1960s. PLUS! A recording of a well known DJ on a well known radio station in 1973! This snippet will bring memories flooding back for many of you. Those were magical radio days. Please, join me this Sunday.

The summer has arrived! Probably only for a day or two... No, I mustn't be negative. The weather is beautiful. Holidays in Britain in the old days were great. The roads were clear, no potholes, driving was lovely... Did you go to Spain for your holidays back in the 70s? English fish and chips, English beer... You'd think we were back home!

Adultery in the 1950s? Perish the thought! Did people lie and cheat on each other back in the old days? Two-timing, deceit, lies... Not in the good old days, surely? Join me this Sunday and we'll find out. Also in this episode, Carnaby Street in London, local shops, landline phones, sound effects and more!

Clothes back in the 60s and 70s, strange characters, Lambretta scooters and more... Please, join me for this Wednesday's Midweek Message.

Welcome to another Midweek Message. I've had a great deal of positive response about the Nurse Diane Interview so, I might try and set up more interviews. Thanks for all your emails, keep them coming. The weather here has turned colder... there's a surprise! But, we have a wall of heat of the way! Whatever that is!

In this episode I welcome Diane, my sister-in-law, into the studio. She's a retired nurse and she chats about her days working in hospitals and a GP's surgery. The operating theatre, the wards, the matron, a nursing school, sticking needles in people, giving patients alcohol... Please, join me for a very interesting chat with Nurse Diane this coming Sunday.

We've had an extremely high tide which caused floods in a nearby town. Where's the summer? In this Midweek Message I chat about the weather, as usual, hospitals, dentists and more. Please, join me.

Etiquette Morals Integrity Principles Respect Decency... Do such things exist these days? Would you give up your seat on a bus to a pregnant woman? Would you help an elderly lady cross the road? Please, join me for a chat this coming Sunday.

It's that time again! Welcome to another Midweek Message. Idiots behind desks, youngsters shouting in the pub, people who show off and so much more...

Some people have all the luck, some people have all the fun. Luck plays a big part in some people's lives. You have to be in the right place at the right time, but some people are elsewhere at some other time.  Please, join me for a chat this coming Sunday about lucky and unlucky people.

Summer flowers, pubs, tricycles, sourdough bread, coal fires... I have quite a selection of chat on this week's Midweek Message. Please, join me.

It's that time again! How are you? Keeping well, I hope? Do you remember when the shops were closed on Sundays? I do, it was lovely. Sunday was a family day. Picnics together, eating meals together, watching TV together... Happy days!

More on managers and do we need them, the awaful weather in Briton and loads more stuff. Please, join me on this wet Wednesday for a good old chat.

This Sunday, I'll be talking about school teachers back in the day, managers... do we really need them? Swearing. Are you okay with people swearing? Please, join me for a chat.

Potholes, rain, cold, dark... Apart from that, I'm doing fine. This Sunday, I'll be talking about school teachers back in the day, managers... do we need them, and other stuff. Please, join me for a chat.

Did you go exploring when you were a child? In the woods, down the beach, in the local park... I remember exploring all sorts of places and discovering amazing things. In this episode, I look back at the old days and, in particular, the time we discovered a man living in an air raid shelter in the woods!

I've been conducting a little survey. How many of you like the seagull intro and how many don't like it? All will be revealed... at some stage. March is almost upon us, which is good news for us in the Northern Hemisphere.

Hello, welcome to another Sunday podcast. In this episode, I chat about the things kids id during half term and summer holidays back in the 50s and 60s. Particularly on a dull and rainy day. Please, join me.

Hello, how are you? In this episode, I talk about Sunday night being bath night. Do you remember that? Imagine only having one bath each week! Strewth! I also mention tomboys and, would you believe, a tomgirl. Please, join me. I'll look forward to your company.

It's raining again! I hope you're keeping well, and dry. In this episode I talk about old cars, the school dentist, the nit lady and lots more. Please, join me.

I survived the music weekend! I am so pleased to be home, enjoying a nice chat with you. I hope you're keeping well. I had a nice walk and some fresh air this morning at the Wetlands Wildfowl Trust in Arundel this morning. The weather is gloomy and horrible but summer is on its way.

The Unlikely Kleptomaniac. Or, The Thief In The Night. In this episode, I bang on about The Sompting Treacle Mines, air raid shelters, Maria from Brazil, Butlin's and loads more stuff. Please, join me this Sunday for a good old rabbit about times gone by.

It's almost February! Summer is on the way! In this episode, I chat about meadows and wild flowers, grammatical genders, masculine and feminine, in languages, the weather... Please, join me for a good old heart-to-heart rabble.

Do you remember the Letter from America by Alistair Cooke on BBC Radio 4, which was originally the BBC Home Service? In this episode, I read my Letter from England. When I say read, I mean ramble. To be honest, I don't think I'd be any good at emulating Mr Cooke's letter. I also tell you the story of Paula, a homeless girl I met and helped. The dentist, Terry nappies and the clothes hourse... Please, join me this Sunday for a good old chat about times gone by.

I've recorded a slightly longer Midweek Message for those who asked for more.  I hope you enjoy it!

In this episode, I look back at transport over the decades. What transport did granddad have? A bicycle, a motor bike, a car... The milkman had a horse and cart! So did the coalman, the rag and bone man... Please, join me this Sunday for a good old ramble about the old days.

We're half way through Janurary and the sun is shining in a blue sky! Join me for a midweek chatt about neighbour's fences, pubs and... yes, you've guessed, the weather!

In this episode, I look back over the decades. What happened in the 1950s, the1960s and 70s? Food, fashion, cars, medicine... what developments were there? Please, join me this Sunday.

After all the dreadful headlines threatening snow bombs, ice and Arctic weather, we've had snow! The temp today is 0C which is 32 Fahrenheit. Happy days!

Hello and happy new year! Let's hope it's a good one! I'm still losing weight, albeit slowly. The weather awful. But I'm looking forward to a great year.

2024! Happy New Year! What will this year bring? Happiness and health is what we all need. OK, and a little cash would come in useful. I hope you're all looking after yourselves and keeping well.

Did you have a good Christmas? We now have the New Year to look forward to and... lighter evenings and the spring! Summer is on the way! Well, not quite yet. Happy days!

Happy Christmas to you all! I hope you have a good one! Join me for this Christmas Eve chat.

Only 5 sleeps until Christmas day! I hope you're well and looking forward to the festivities. I also hope the weather improves here in Briton. Rain, wind, rain, wind... Struth!

Neighbourhood Watch!  An elderly lady keeping watch on the street discovers something terrible!  Haha! Join me this Sunday for a good old moan and a chat.

Hello and welcome to another Midweek Message. Dreadful weather here in the UK. Rain, wind, thunder and lightning... Struth! I hope you're keeping well and looking forward to Christmas. Only 12 sleeps, as our little grandson informed me this morning. Happy days!

What's your earliest memory? In this episode, I talk about some of your emails and your very early memories. Also, traffic jams, the weather, identical twins and loasd more stuff.

It's 0 degrees Centigrade! Cripes, that's cold! This coming Sunday, I'll be talking about my earliest memories. Would you believe that I can remember my second birthday? Let me know what your earliest memories are, I'd love to hear from you. raysrants@protonmail.com

Winter! Weather Madness! Snow, Ice, Wind, Cold, Freeze, Blizzards... The winter is almost upon us and already the media are going mental. Arctic conditions to blast the UK. Winter snow bomb covering Briton next week! Sub-zero... blah, blah, blah! Goodness me, you'd think this was the north pole. Also, I bang on about rusty old cars and other non-related stuff. Please, join me. 

Gary the tortoise in now hibernating. I wish I was, it's getting colder! I hope you're keeping well. Got any ideas foe this Sunday's podcast? Let me know.

Practical jokers, we've all known a few in our time. In this episode, I chat about the jokers, bad drivers and other stuff.

Twin tub washing machines, red phone boxes, practical jokers... Join me for a quick delve into the past.

Late for school, again! In this episode, I talk about your school experiences. Thanks for all your emails! I also chat about loads of other stuff such as The Big I Am. Do you know someone who reckons they're something they're not? It should be fun so, please join me.

It's cold again this morning... but we are half way through November. I hope you're keeping well, and keeping warm. It will soon be spring! I hope you enjoy this Midweek Message.

What's it like to be old? Youngsters have no idea what it's like to be getting on in years. In this episode, I tell them!

Do you remember bonfires in the autumn? People would burn piles of leaves, filling the air with a wonderful fragrance. Happy days! That's another avenue of pleasure which has been cut off!

In this episode, I bang on about the terrible weather we've been having here in the UK. Also, school days, cars, and loads of other stuff. Please, join me!

More about the weather. Stone the crows, we've had some rain! There's bound to be a hose pipe ban soon. It's Halloween! I hope you're enjoying yourself.

Do you remember pulling the choke out on your old car to start the engine? Did you have a heater in the garage to keep your engine warm during the winter nights? TV programs and adverts, Genetic memory... does it exist? Join me for another chat this Sunday. 

Ducks and geese on the bus, do I like black pudding, North Wales... I've had some interesting emails this week. Join me for a chat... and a laugh!

Public Transport. Oh, what fun! Do you use public transport? Has your train been cancelled? Did your bus turn up? Join me for chat about the fun, and nightmares, of using public transport.

Hello, and welcome to another Midweek Message. Thanks for all your emails about school, conkers, marbles, catapults... Happy days! The clocks change here in Britain at the end of this month. Winter is rearing its ugly head!

Autumn is here and winter is on the way. But this can be a lovely time of year. Tidy up the garden, cut the grass... It's not wise to cut the grass too short for the winter. Classic cars, acorns, conquers, wood piles, coal fires... Join me for a chat.

A chilly start to the day but the forecast is good. Would you buy a new car? It's much cheaper to buy a decent classic car. No road tax, no MOT... and great fun. Conquer fights in the school playground, it's that time of year! But that's been banned... we are NOT allowed to have fun at school. Join me for a good old moan-off!

Do you worry about what people might be thinking about you? Are they looking at your clothes and judging you? Does it worry you? Join me for a chat about other people, the cost of living crisis and much more.

Do telephones drive you around the bend? Press one... press two... Stone the crows! Have you tried to make an appointment with your doctor lately? Struth! It's almost impossible! What shall we moan about this coming Sunday? Any ideas? Let me know.

Social Etiquette, pubs closing, Tales of the Unexpected, an employee lost in the system... Join me on Sunday for a good laugh and, possibly, a little moaning. 

The summer has returned! We had a great weekend in Hasting watching the Pink Floyd trible band. Great weather, great hotel, great food and, of course, excellent music! I hope you're keeping well and enjoying the lovely weather. This coming Sunday, I'll be chatting about etiquette, pubs closing down, the Isle of Wight, and much more...

Do you agree with the 20 MPH speed limit being introduced in Wales? Do you agree with ULEZ? In this episode, I'll be bangning on about motoring in the UK. Driving in the old days was fun but, now, it's a nightmare! I'll also be talking about that old saying... Don't compare yourself with others. Why do so many people have to look at others and comment on their clothes, their car, their house, their way of life... Mind your own business, that's what I say!

People should mind their own business, speed limits, dog food, playing with fire... Just a few topics mentioned in this week's message.

Live and let live. Wouldn't it be nice if people kept their noses out of other people's business? Mind your own business! That's a very old saying. These days, there are too many people who constantly look at other people, what they're doing, what they're eating, what they're thinking... Join me for an interesting look at life.

What's the difference between vegan and vegetarian? According to Gail, not everyone knows the difference. How are you? What's the weather like where you are? Join me for another Midweek message.

Back to school can be an expensive time buying school uniforms, new shoes, lunch boxes... The roads will be grid locked with school kids being dropped off in the mornings and picked up in the afternoons. When I was a boy, we walked 40 miles to school through snow and ice and freezing conditions... Well, that's not exactly true! Join me for another chat about school and other stuff.

The summer has returned! Don't blink, you might miss it. I hope you're keeping well. It's a lovely time of year so I was up and about very early this morning. Join me for an early morning chat.