Gransnet forums

Chat

Summer of 69

(194 Posts)
mcem Sat 24-Jun-17 11:18:53

Featured at Glastonbury! Was that the best time of your life?

It certainly was one of my best times.
Graduated from St A, got married, moved to London, started an interesting well-paid job!

The arrival of my children and a few happy years as SAHM surpassed it but it's still a fond memory!

Stansgran Sun 25-Jun-17 16:59:30

23 and got married as they landed on the moon. DH spent honeymoon night watching tv! We went along the Lot in France with A vintage car and very small tent for our honeymoon.

grannybuy Sun 25-Jun-17 16:59:49

Had gotten married at Easter, during second year of teacher training college, aged 21. Had a summer job as an accounting machine operator in a large factory office within walking distance of our first rented flat. No money for a holiday, no phone, no car, no tv and not much time to be out in the sun (NE Scotland!) happy with my lot though.

grannysue05 Sun 25-Jun-17 17:00:51

mcem Thank you so much for putting me right.
The thread is now under Funeral Plans.
blush

JanaNana Sun 25-Jun-17 17:08:37

Living in Oxford....age 22....baby son born in February of that year. Remember the moon landing as he was teething and two tiny teeth appearing that morning. Beautiful hot weather and all the masses of "sweat peas" I had sown in bloom with a beautiful fragrance...I was thrilled as had never grown any flowers before that.

starlily106 Sun 25-Jun-17 17:20:40

I remember very well. I went into hospital for plastic surgery on my face, I had waited over 3 years to have it done. My ex husband had rearranged my nose, cheekbone and eye socket for me, for over 7 years he had used me as a punchbag, but this was the first time he had used his fists on my face. I had to be taken to hospital and was in for 3 weeks. I was extremely upset by how i looked afterwards, and thats how i got to go on the list for plastic surgery. However it gave me the courage to divorce him for cruelty. Plastic surgery wasnt as far advanced as it is these days, and was very painful afterwards, but it was worth having it, as i felt so much more normal when everything settled down.So all in all 1969 was quite a good year!

Blinko Sun 25-Jun-17 17:38:40

Starlily flowers how absolutely awful for you! Great that you got out of that relationship. Hope things are good for you now.

hildajenniJ Sun 25-Jun-17 18:03:07

I was 17, at secretarial college. My cousins and my family went on holiday to Scarborough. My cousin and I went to a nightclub with permission from our families. They wouldn't let us in even though we were both going to be 18 at the end of the year. They wouldn't believe us. It was such a let down, as there was a live band on and we'd been really looking forward to it.

Charleygirl Sun 25-Jun-17 18:14:21

I had been working in the centre of London for less than a year and a friend and I went on a cruise to the Greek Islands as far as Beirut, costing £99 each, last minute cancellations I believe, that was 3 months salary then. A beautiful city before the war ravaged it.

Longdistancegrnny Sun 25-Jun-17 18:26:16

Had just finished my GCEs and went on a German Exchange trip, got romantically entangled with a German boy named Mathias, despite having just started going out with a boy from school! All good fun, the boy from home won out and that lasted for about 18 months, and we kept in touch til he sadly died a few years back. It was a great time to be young - the prospect of college at no charge and with a grant that did not have to be paid back - my daughter still can't believe that we were GIVEN money to study!

Penstemmon Sun 25-Jun-17 18:51:13

Left school after A levels. Whoo Hoo!! a free summer...then immediately after my last exam I got chicken pox and the scabs took ages to clear. I refused to see my boyfriend (now DH) until they were all gone. I sat in the sun to try to dry them up and got left with a spotty sun tan! Had a holiday job in the Kenya Coffee House in Elys of Wimbledon for a few weeks to save up for camping trip to Tarragona & also for starting college in Camberwell.

winifred01 Sun 25-Jun-17 18:53:51

Married for 10 years, 2 kids. Returned to nursing a few years previously part time on night duty. Got my first Sisters post- I was over the moon! Life was very hectic but life was good- so lucky!

Magrithea Sun 25-Jun-17 19:10:09

I was 12, just finishing my first year at grammar school!

Willow500 Sun 25-Jun-17 19:17:14

Fascinating reading all these posts - how different all our lives were back then!

phoenix Sun 25-Jun-17 19:23:23

I was 11 in August of 1969 blush

Chewbacca Sun 25-Jun-17 19:33:11

I was 15 and pretending that i was getting ready for GCSE's. Mainly spent time going to the Free Trade Hall in Manchester to see Leonard Cohen; Tyrannosaurus Rex; Free and Manfred Mann and other bands. I can remember the moon landing very well and the the feeling that the world had just got bigger. I don't recall having as much social awareness as 15/16 year olds do today.

midsummermadness Sun 25-Jun-17 20:01:53

Mmmm ... not a good summer for all of us. I was camping out on friends' floors with a 2 and a 3 year old after being beaten up - my nose and two ribs broken - in front of those dc by my drunken husband. Luckily I was able to find a hostel place and then rehousing - thanks to Erin Pizzey.

Nonna22 Sun 25-Jun-17 20:04:48

I was 14 in the August and still at school (which I hated).

tiffaney Sun 25-Jun-17 20:33:09

I was 23 that July and engaged to my lovely fella. We sneaked a naughty holiday together in a one room flat in Torquay (long before this was acceptable so parents didnt know!). l remember the bed was a pull down one. Been married 46 years this August and he's still the best man in the world.

Bellanonna Sun 25-Jun-17 20:43:01

midsummer I hope life has greatly improved for you?

NewGranny Sun 25-Jun-17 20:59:53

At school doing mock o levels. Dating deputy head boy who later became 1st husband. Terrible hayfever (better these days!)

mcem Sun 25-Jun-17 21:06:51

Oh midsummer l clearly remember reading of Erin Pizzey's pioneering work and am so glad her organization was able to help you.
All these years later I hope things are better for you now.

Ebbwboy Sun 25-Jun-17 21:19:41

19 and first year as a probationary police officer. Where has the time gone?

lynneg Sun 25-Jun-17 22:14:41

I was 21 and travelling by bus to Mexico with three friends. Remember watching the first man to walk on the moon in a little b/w telly in a cafe on the Mexican border. Have a couple of pics in my mini skirts. Can't believe we got away with wearing skirts that short! I could write a book on our experiences, not all of them
good !!

Harris27 Sun 25-Jun-17 22:15:46

Was only 9 can't remember!!!

TwiceAsNice Sun 25-Jun-17 22:22:26

I was 16. Left school in the July that I had my 16 th birthday. Started nursery nursing training in the Sept with a friend from school and met two others there whom I remained friends with ever since although sadly one died much too young of cancer. Went to Pontins with my best friend for my first holiday without any adults, won third prize singing in the talent contest and thought myself SO grownup ( I knew nothing) . Met my ex husband (what a mistake that turned out to be!) Seem to remember it being a gorgeous summer off being outside all the time. It's a long time since I was 16.