Growing up in the 1980's

I became a teenager in 1980, school in the 70’s and 80’s wasn’t very pleasant. It was actually very violent. I can remember  school trips weren’t allowed to London because of the risk of IRA attacks. The fear of nuclear war was always present as well, it felt like it was definitely going to happen.

TV was my full time saviour, I  watched anything and everything, I remember channel 4 starting, the first programme was Countdown. The programme Monkey and The Waltons were my favourite on the BBC. Strangely my favourite childhood programme turned 50 today, Bagpuss.

I’m glad we never had to worry about social media and wearing the latest ‘labels’, we were all equally skint so dressed in a similar way. I’m glad we never had mobile phones. I got to 1987 and went on my first airplane, that was an experience. I was part of the ‘ Youth Training Scheme’, 40 hour week for £25. I was an apprentice with a Ford main dealership. at 17 I was driving high powered cars, the cars are now sort after classic cars.

I can remember how strange the ‘Sloane Rangers’ looked and acted. The bubble bust in the end.

I was in a music lesson at school when it was announced the Falklands had been invaded, the teacher went and got the large tv on wheels that had wooden doors on the front of it so we could watch the news, an atlas was provided as most of us were convinced the Falklands was somewhere near the top of Scotland.

1st September 1985 was a big date in my life, a lifelong interest in the Titanic had been rewarded , it had been found, I remember watching the raising of the Mary Rose in 82 that was very interesting.

Chernobyl also became a very strong memory for me along with attempts on the Pope and Reagan’s lives.

I became a teenager in 1980, school in the 70’s and 80’s wasn’t very pleasant. It was actually very violent. I can remember  school trips weren’t allowed to London because of the risk of IRA attacks. The fear of nuclear war was always present as well, it felt like it was definitely going to happen.

TV was my full time saviour, I  watched anything and everything, I remember channel 4 starting, the first programme was Countdown. The programme Monkey and The Waltons were my favourite on the BBC. Strangely my favourite childhood programme turned 50 today, Bagpuss.

I’m glad we never had to worry about social media and wearing the latest ‘labels’, we were all equally skint so dressed in a similar way. I’m glad we never had mobile phones. I got to 1987 and went on my first airplane, that was an experience. I was part of the ‘ Youth Training Scheme’, 40 hour week for £25. I was an apprentice with a Ford main dealership. at 17 I was driving high powered cars, the cars are now sort after classic cars.

I can remember how strange the ‘Sloane Rangers’ looked and acted. The bubble bust in the end.

I was in a music lesson at school when it was announced the Falklands had been invaded, the teacher went and got the large tv on wheels that had wooden doors on the front of it so we could watch the news, an atlas was provided as most of us were convinced the Falklands was somewhere near the top of Scotland.

1st September 1985 was a big date in my life, a lifelong interest in the Titanic had been rewarded , it had been found, I remember watching the raising of the Mary Rose in 82 that was very interesting.

Chernobyl also became a very strong memory for me along with attempts on the Pope and Reagan’s lives.

The Titanic is a lifelong interest for me as well  I was born in 1997 when the Titanic movie by James Cameron was made. I've been a fan of the ship and that movie since I learned about it at school.