was it better back then?

cashman · 03-09-2008, 14:30

the thread about "School Leaving Age" got me thinking, reasons behind it etc, i left at 15 back in 63, most people did, some stayed on n extra year. everyone that left got employment no problem, all that wanted it anyway n most did. not 1 of the crowd i ran with went to uni, in fact i didn't know anyone that did. main reason i think was parents could not afford fer kids to do so. mine were n example of this. not that i'm bitching,its just the way things were.labouring,factory work,pits,shop work, all kinds of apprenticeships were all available, whilst today there seems ****** all by comparison

so my question is- was it better back then? i think so, but what do you?

Margaret Pilkington · 03-09-2008, 15:04

I left school in 1962....it was one of those 'bulge' years, but most of my peers got jobs of some description.
Like you, Cashy, I didn't know anyone who went to Uni.......you had to be really something to do that......I think most of our ambitions were quite lowly.
I think we were better prepared for life.......the girls could cook basic stuff, and we could sew as well......and the boys had had 4 years of woodwork so most of them had some practical skills.
Yes, I do think it was better....mainly because we knew that whatever it was we wanted out of life had to be earned.....I don't recall there being any 'rights' other than that of drawing breath and paying taxes.
I'm pretty sure there will be some younger members on here who will disagree though

West Ender · 03-09-2008, 15:14

As far as the availability of employment went, it was definitely better. It was also better in that those with the aptitude could get excellent apprenticeships that made them into real craftsmen after 6 or 7 years learning "on the job". I don't believe you can compare that with 18 months at college, which seems to be the norm today.

I don't think not going on to uni was, really, a matter of what parents could afford. There was a very good grant system in place then, unlike today, and though parents had to contribute it was graduated according to their earnings and more found they could afford it than you would think. I really think it was a matter of expectations. There was no tradition of further education amongst the Working Class, prior to the 1944 Education Act, and it took quite a long time for that to change.

Now, I think the pendulum has swung too far the other way. A lot of schools aspire to have as many pupils as possible entering uni and it's looked on as the only real goal to aim for. That's a shame because not everyone is academic by nature and being of a practical, rather than academic, nature doesn't mean being less intelligent or less worthy. That comes back, again, to the demise of the full apprenticeship which was an education in itself.

So yes, Cashy, on the whole I agree with you.

Eric · 03-09-2008, 15:54

Of course it was better back then; we were younger

beechy · 03-09-2008, 17:41

i think it as better, because we knew no better
i left school 1962 and as has been said plenty of work for all those who wanted it.
all different types of jobs were available
you could be a painter and decorator one day and a baker the next
are so we thought.
never seemed much to moan about.
plenty of money, course there werent much to spend it on
but yes it was better

Royboy39 · 03-09-2008, 18:03

I left school in 1954.................Rhyddings.....We were educated to do menial jobs.
I know that most of my friends had after school jobs...and work at the weekend also for a few extra bob.
Homework...........never had any.
Live was much safer then............Policemen had authority.

Margaret Pilkington · 03-09-2008, 18:04

You are right Beechy.... we didn't have the expectations that the young people today have, because we weren't told to have those expectations.

It was a different time, almost a different world.....and we were grateful for what we had. That doesn't mean that we didn't strive for something better.....and we certainly wanted our own children to have better than we had.......otherwise the world would go backwards......but I do think we have to realise that not everyone is academic....and if they were who would do the so called 'menial tasks'........we have to see that talent comes in many guises, and practical skills must be valued alongside the academic stuff.
After all what kind of world would it be if we were all mathematicians and scientists.....no builders, joiners, binmen etc? Pretty poor would be my answer.

cashman · 03-09-2008, 22:43

expectation was certainly less, never can remember anyone having much trouble getting a mortgage though? even got me first off the council, i think its really hard fer kids these days to get started in comparison.

MargaretR · 03-09-2008, 23:44

I think it was harder to get a mortgage then.
In 1961 when buying my first house, you had to have been saving with a building Society for at least a year just to get an interview to apply for a mortgage, and then a 20% deposit was mandatory.

cashman · 04-09-2008, 00:00

Quote:

Originally Posted by MargaretR

I think it was harder to get a mortgage then.
In 1961 when buying my first house, you had to have been saving with a building Society for at least a year just to get an interview to apply for a mortgage, and then a 20% deposit was mandatory.

ah my first was early 70s n it was very easy, just went to the council n got a 90% mortgage no problem. so my deposit was only £200.

as the house was £2000.

MargaretR · 04-09-2008, 00:04

Quote:

Originally Posted by cashman

ah my first was early 70s n it was very easy, just went to the council n got a 90% mortgage no problem. so my deposit was only £200.

as the house was £2000.

House prices rose then too - I paid £1,100 for a house on Dill Hall opposite the cemetary- but in those days I could make a pound feed us from Monday to Thursday. Thursday was always Pancake day - all I had left was flour, eggs, milk and lard

grannyclaret · 04-09-2008, 00:36

I too think it was much better then,I remember ,,when we got married in 1961 we rented a 2up and 2down house,,15 shillings=75p A WEEK....We were most disgusted when they put it up to £1 ...and it took us another 3 years to finally buy our own house(with a bathroom)ooh that was posh...£399..00

cashman · 04-09-2008, 00:38

Quote:

Originally Posted by MargaretR

House prices rose then too - I paid £1,100 for a house on Dill Hall opposite the cemetary- but in those days I could make a pound feed us from Monday to Thursday. Thursday was always Pancake day - all I had left was flour, eggs, milk and lard

agree it was not easy but at least those who wanted had work n could put food on the table.

don't think that is the case today.?

MargaretR · 04-09-2008, 00:40

Quote:

Originally Posted by grannyclaret

I too think it was much better then,I remember ,,when we got married in 1961 we rented a 2up and 2down house,,15 shillings=75p A WEEK....We were most disgusted when they put it up to £1 ...and it took us another 3 years to finally buy our own house(with a bathroom)ooh that was posh...£399..00

You got a bargain there granny - at £1,100 mine had an outside loo

grannyclaret · 04-09-2008, 00:59

Quote:

Originally Posted by grannyclaret

I too think it was much better then,I remember ,,when we got married in 1961 we rented a 2up and 2down house,,15 shillings=75p A WEEK....We were most disgusted when they put it up to £1 ...and it took us another 3 years to finally buy our own house(with a bathroom)ooh that was posh...£399..00

oooops typing error that should read £899..00