Back in Time
Posted by Beacon_Girl from Swindon on the 18th March 2008
Anyone fancy going back in time to experience life in the past.
http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/wales/7301187.stm
Would like a go at this myself ,might do a lot of people good to see life way back and what a struggle it was ,may make them realise what a good life most people have now.
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I'd love to go back in time and meet up again with dear friends that are no longer around.
It would also be nice to walk down your town or city anytime of the day and night without being worried in case you got harrassed by idiots who have nothing better to do.
It would be good if the louts of today could see how much better our communities were without them and how much more pleasant life was back then even if we didn't have so much material wealth.
I think we have lost a lot of what was good over the last 40 years and sadly we will be lucky to re - capture that again.
Cymro.
I think it is amazing that then, you could leave the front door of your house wide open and no one would try to get in, or neighbours, could just knock the door and walk in to see you which was considered the norm. There were solid communities then who helped and looked after each other, a tradition that had been handed down. I wonder where, along the way, that tradition started to get lost??
I’d love to go back to those days, as youngsters they were happy and carefree days, children could wander the mountains, the only harm that would happen if you fell out of a tree, or some such accident very rare you would read about violence.
If someone was caught for a crime they knew what to expect, there was no slap across the wrist in those days it was either borstal or prison.
If anyone wishes to purchase the first series of Coal House on DVDs, you can get them at www.goodmusic.co.uk I’ve bought quite a few CDs from there , and the service is good.
There is a lot nostlgia in their booklet which they send you, from CDs of railways to good old fashioned songs and singers, hits of 50s decade. If anyone is interested Their telephone No is Music & Memories. 01726 819 109.
Here is a sample 1957 British Hit Parade see how many you can remember.
There 89 tacks on that CD.
Garden of Eden Frankie Vaughan.
You Me And Us, Alma Cogan.
Mr Wonderful, Peggy Lee.
The Adoration Waltz, David Whitfield.
Ain't That A Shame. Fats Domino.
Young Love. Tab Hunter.
Mystery Train. Elvis Presley.
Tutti Frutti. Little Richard.
Banana Boat Song (Day - o). Harry Belafonte.
Cumberland Gap. Vipers Skiffle Group.
The Wisdom Of A Fool. Norman Wisdom.
I'm Not A Juvenile Delinquent. Frankie Lymon and the Teenagers.
Heart. Max Bygraves
Marianne. The Hilltoppers.
Cry Me a River, Julie London.
Freight Train. Chas McDevit and Nancy Whiskey.
When I Fall In Love. Nat King Cole.
Yes Tonight Josephine. Johnnie Ray.
Butterfly, Andy Williams.
A White Sports Coat And A Pink Carnation. The King Brothers,
And Many More.
Part Two. 89 hits
Teddy Bear. Elvis Presley.
Bye Bye Love. Everly Brothers.
Forgotten Dreams. Cyril Stapleton.
With All My Heart, Petula Clark.
Any Old Iron, Peter Sellers.
Diana. Paul Anka.
A Handful of songs Tommy Steele.
Scarlet Ribbons, Harry Belafonte.
That Will Be The Day. Buddy Holly and the Crickets.
Passing Strangers, Billy Eckstine and Sarah Vaughan.
Remember You'r Mine, Pat Boone.
Whole Lot Of Shaking' going On. Jerry Lee Lewis.
Be MyGirl, Jim Dale.
Got A Lot' Of Livin' To Do. Elvis Presley.
Stardust, Nat King Cole.
Wake Up Little Susie. Everly Brothers.
Reet Petite, Jackie Wilson.
Ma He's Making Eyes At Me, The Johnny Otis Show.
All The Way, Frank Sinatra.
Let's Have Ball. Winfred Atwell.
Peggy Sue. Buddy Holly.
And Many more.
Four CDs cost £19 . 99
You can get 8 CDs of the 50s £34. 98. over 600 Hits
I hope I got You Singing a Few of those oldies.
Looking at all those hits of the past, can you remember them being played on the wireless on a Sunday as part of 3 -Way Forces Family Favourites with the smell of roast beef and cabbage in the background, Sunday papers lying around and a lazy sunny day outside?? Isn't it funny that when listening to that programme it was amazing just how distributed our armed forces were all around the world - but luckily then, virtually no conflicts for them to fight.
Yes apollomed I remember those programs on the Radio, the Three Way Forces Family favourites, Workers Playtime, I was with the South Wales Borderers in Malaya in 57-58 it would come on the forces network.
Can you remember ITMA (it's that man again) Tommy Handley.
And that creepy show 'The Man In Black' I remember as a young boy, I was in the house one night on my own and 'The Mummies Hand' came on the radio, a hand was supposed to be coming down the chimney, with the noise effects on the wireless, I ran out of the house and wouldn't go back in until my Mother and Father came home, I think it was Valentine Dial who read the stories. he had a voice that sent shivers up your spine, At the end he would say This is your story teller The Man In Black.
What about Wilfred Pickles and mabel at the table!!!!
Yes, Have a go Joe, what was his saying, give them the money Barney, did you know that Violet Carson, his pianist went on to become Ena Sharples In Coronation St,
Thinking back do you remember Dick Barton Special Agent, his side kicks Snowy and Jock, Paul Temple, PC 49, The Goons, can you name the four Goons?.
The Archers was a must listen too. it shows what life was like before TV everyone sitting around the Radio, we had one of those oval phillips Radio's.
Nonrev
That is a great list of songs ,they bring back so many memories of the past.
We have most of them on old records ,have not played them in ages.
Spent many hour listening to the radio and all the great programmes on there.Life seemed much more relaxed and calm years ago not the mad hectic hussle and bussle of today.
Four goons...
Harry Secombe ,Michael Benteen, Peter Sellers, Spike Milligan , great characters .
I would love to go back to them years I wish my sons and grandkids could see how i grew up I can tell them but they look at me as if I got two heads like you never locked your doors watched little telly maybe because for the longest time we didn't have one.The list of songs you recorded on here still live in me today my granddaughter is 3 you want to see her jive lol she loves when i play the oldies she says grandma do that jiv with me lol oh well she is canadian so jiv jive is same to her lol. My grandson Brekon when he is here which is often says grandma i want to hear grandmothers music its so cool wow who would know i would be cool playing music lol
I wish you lot would stop talking about the old times
it is making me feel old. Now i have to get all my 78,s out and play them, the thing is the houses here are not close enough for me to rattle the windows like I did in Newtown, funny how the neighbours did not like the DEvils music, and Mary would say I could hear you playing as I was coming across the tips, from the Ciber
Right I feel better now, I often wonder why they used
to call me a trouble maker, now I know why.
When I put on a Loui Belsen Skin Deep drum session
they used to go wild!!! and I thought they were loving
it.
N R I was in NEE SOON 1955
Looks like weve been every where man
DOUG OZ
Me again your right welsh girl our son had a party at his home and ask DAD can I have a lend of some of you OLDIES to play, go for it son.
When he brought the records back , OKAY SON how did they like the old stuff. HE said they were all sitting down talking and drinking, and when it started they all got up and danced around. and they all said what a great
night they had, had,and danced all night. when he played their moden stuff they sat down.
SO WHO IS RIGHT
and they were in their 30s
DOUG OZ
Doug. We had great music in them days i have still got all my records from those days , and a load more that be long to Hubby , great times .
They were great times, I wouldn’t change one day, for a 12 month of the present time.
You were right BG the four goons were Harry Secombe, Spike Milligan, Peter Sellers, and Michael Bentine. I’ve had a few people scratching their heads over that one, And as you say great characters, their song was The Ying Tong Song.
It’s nice to hear that your grand children love the oldies Welshgirl, and Doug, dancing the night away eh wish I could still do it and join in with them, but the old bones start creaking now.
I used to like Skin Deep myself, also Rici Nelson playing Teen Beat, on the drums.
Trish you can get a converter to convert all the old records on to CDs. my son bought me one for xmas, they convert 78s 45s, and LPs. you get a spare stylus incase you wear the original out, you get 241 hours of recording, which can be altered once you use that up. the only draw back is filtering any scratches, There is a way of doing it, but I haven't fathomed it out yet.
So you were in NEE SOON transit camp as well Doug, I did my jungle training course there, then posted to the tracking team in Kota Tingi in Johore Baru, The Battalion was in Selerang Barracks near Changi Prison. I spent my 21st birthday on CBs, spud bashing after a disagreement with a local taxi driver.
I will put some more oldies list later on seeing you enjoyed seeing those.
Nonrev, unfortunately i remember all those bluddy songs, jasus , i feel ancient now, What time does the bingo start in St Mairs? (If i stay awake long enough that is)LMAO!!
What i have got is loads of "Round the Horn" the humour, one liners, timing, really makes me PMSL!!! I've got a collection of Hancock, Goons, Navy lark. The subjects they talk about is of that era, but the humour is brilliant. Well after writing all this ,i'm off for a nap now!!!LMAO!!!!
Apollo, you left your door open all night when i was a kid because we were all in the same boat, nobody had bugger all to steal,. i think it all erroded when the ugly face of capitalism came to the fore, making us a materialistic society, then came the drugs avalanche, and the rubbish that comes with it, crime ,violence, to get what you had to have, you take it, because greed was good , so said the Bastardess Thatchy.
Ye Gods D, I forgot about the Bingo, and It's my turn to call, I'll Give you a shout, and see if we can catch the evening session.
Because of your age D I'll see if I can get you a seat in the front. LOL.
I'll always remember your mother coming with us to the Legion one year for the Xmas Draw, and we played Bingo in between the draw, she enjoyed herself, her and Ann together were a tonic.
The shows you mentioned, Hancock's Half Hour sticks in my mind for humour.
Him and Sid James were brilliant, one show "The Missing Page", where Tony Hancock goes to the Library, gets Hugh Lloyd (the Librarian) to fetch all those Historical books out. he stacks them in a pile on the floor, stands on them and reaches for a book called Lady Don't Fall Backwards, when he reaches the end of the book the last page is missing, the lines were outstanding.
Another one was "The Blood Doner" with June Whitfield, Patric Cargill I think was the doctor, he asks how much blood do you want, the doctor says a Pint, Hancock replies, "A Pint" thats nearly an arm full, he cuts his hand and ends up getting his own blood back.
I have CDs of comedy Gems, The blood Doner was one of the clips.
D you're not saying all those nice things about the Baroness are you, I would have worded it a bitch stronger than that.
I'll put the first British Hit Parade of 1952.
I don't remember them all as I spent most of the 50s abroad, I was in Cape Town when I first heard Cara Mia (1954), David Whitfield.
First British Hit parade 1952.
Here in my Heart, Al Martino.
You belong to me, Jo Stafford.
Somewhere along the way, Nat King Cole.
The Isle of Innisfree. Bing Crosby.
Feet Up, Guy Mitchell
Half as Much, Rosemary Clooney.
Eagles Fly, (Do not forsake Me) Frankie Laine.
Forget me not. Vera Lynn.
Sugarbush, Doris Day And Frankie Laine.
Blue Tango, Ray Martin and his concert orchestra.
The homing Waltz. Vera Lynn.
Auf Wiedersehn, (Sweetheart) Vera Lynn
Because your mine. Mario Lanza.
Cowpunchers Cantata, Max Bygraves.
Walking my baby back home. Jonnie Ray.
Take My Heart. Al Martino.
My Love And Devotion, Doris Day.
Comes a long a love. Kay Starr.
Zing a Little Song. Bing Crosby And Jane Wyman.
Britannia Rag, Winfred Atwell.
Because your mine Nat King Cole.
White Christmas. Bing Crosby.
Faith can move mountains, Jonnie Ray.
Takes two to Tango. Louis Armstrong.
Silient Night Holy Night, Bing Crosby.
Walking to Missouri, Tony Brent.
Jambalaya, Jo Stafford.
Lets have a piano out, and have a good old sing song.
My wife Sylvia and I used to like Guy Michell, Al Martino, Billy Daniels, Frank Ifield, etc. etc. Shirley of course and went to the New Theatre in Cardiff every Saturday night to see most of them. It was a great night's entertainment and cardiff was then a pretty safe place to enjoy yourself, they tell me it's a bit dodgy now after dark. What a Shame.
It used to be 3 shillings and 6 pence for a seat in the dress circle, Thats about 17p in todays money. Now you can't get a bloody ice cream for that.
It was a pleasure back then to go out on Saturday nights or any night for that matter. What the hell has gone wrong. ?????
Hi too right about the cost, I went to see the musical Shout in Cardiff (A sixties style musical) in February, JUST PARKING THE CAR cost us £8 FROM SEVEN TILL TEN THIRTY, and this was the off peak rate. I dont know the price of the show as it was my friends mothers day present for her and a friend, but the meal before hand cost twenty five pounds which was a nice meal but not as nice as good old fish and chips in a bag which in the sixties would have cost a few bob.
Must say though the show was fantastic all song from the sixties dress style and the history of the sixtees teenage living, when they did Helen Shaperos "walking back to happiness the whole audience joined in and it was a packed house.
FOR N R 3 YOU WOULD NOT KNOW SINGAPORE NOW. THEY HAVE FILLED RIGHT OUT FROM ORCHARD ROAD OUT INTO THE HABOUR AND HAVE BUILDINGS ALL OVER .NEESOON IS ALL HIGH RISE, AND THEY HAVE ONE OF THE BEST M.T.R IN THE WORLDSUBWAY TO PEOPLE WHO DONT KNOW, ONE BIG PROBLEM THEY HAD BECAUSE IT WAS MOSTLY SWAMP THEY HAD PYTHONS ALL OVER THE PLACE, AND WHEN THEY BUILT THE HOTELS THEY FOUND THAT THYE PYTHONS WERE GOING UP THROUGH THE SEWER PIPES AND COMING OUT IN THE TOILETS,IN THE HOTELS. BUT IT IS
A GREAT PLACE AND CLEAN, YOU DO NOT WANT TO BE CAUGHT LITTERING, THEY DO NOT BELIVE IN POLITICAL CORRECT
WAYS YOU DO AS THEIR LAWS SAY.
JUST TO GIVE YOU A VIEW ON OLD HUNTING GROUNDS
DOUG OZ
Some great memories have been revived on this thread .Makes me feel I would like to go back and do it all again.
No doubt in about 40 years the youngsters of today will recall present times and be thinking how great it was .All the different generations think their young years were the best ,I know my Mum use to recall her teenage years way back in the 20's and say how great they were, even though life was hard back then.
Thanks Doug, for the insight, Singapore was clean in those days, they did have open storm drains though.
I didn’t spend much time in Singapore, as we were on Ops most of the time up country.
I wouldn’t recognise Singapore today or Jahore, I should think the Causeway has been altered as well, the war cemetery was huge, from what I can remember.
You read about their laws in the papers, and it’s a pity some of those laws didn’t apply here. They don’t mess around with druggies, louts, litter, etc.
Can you imagine going to the toilet and a bloody python shoving it’s head up through the bowl, seen enough of them and leeches, up country.
You are right Cymro. It's not safe here in the daytime yet alone Cardiff in night time.
There is no answer to the yobs.
The New Theatre had some great Panto's, and shows.
The Panto's were a special treat for us kids.
I read it on one article BG In 40 years time there will be a lot of tattooed
women pensioners around, and Rap music will be the golden oldies
Hi NR3, while quite a bit younger than you, just thought I'd share that my father was with the Royal Welch Fusiliers and was stationed in Malaya (as it was then) in the late 40s and 50s. I myself was born in Penang in 1949, don't remember anything of that period of my life, but after moving from Malaya to Germany and then back to Malaya in 1955 I do remember certain parts of life there. We lived in Malacca and Taiping. I do remember the fighting back then, the reason British troops were there, fighting the CTs, and my dad having to go off fighting and remember being so happy and thankful when he came home alive. There was the jungle behind our house in Malacca and I can remember going in there and finding bullets and grenades, my mother used to have a fit when we (my older brother and me) brought them home! I of course just remember the happy times, pinching rubber out of the little cups they hung on the rubber trees, picking fresh bananas, swimming in the beautiful sea, but I know a lot of lives were lost there and it really has become the forgotten war. We left Malaya for the last time in 1959 to return to UK, but the war was still going on then, just very sad when you read the history of that war and how it has become the forgotten war, no credit given to the troops that fought that bloody war. No flights home in those days, back by ship, from Singapore to Southampton, a whole adventure in itself, took 2 weeks (I think). Anyway, just thought I'd share long lost memories of my young years growing up, certainly don't miss the snakes and scorpions though....and there were those strange little lizards that clung to the ceilings and if startled would lose their tails! Your comment about tattooed women pensioners made me chuckle, what a gross sight that is going to be, sagging breasts and bellies with gawd knows what type of tattoo! Wonder if they'll still wear their lip and tongue rings. Hey-ho, to each their own.
Singapore has certainly altered now, There are more shops in one complex there than in the whole of Cardiff I'd say. It is a bustling place full of life with plenty going on day and night.
Penang too has gone ahead in leaps and bounds you might like to know Nerys and is a very popular holiday destination for us here in Western Australia, It's only a 4 and 1/2 hour flight directly north for us and a lovely place to have a relaxing holiday with great hotels and the people are lovely, very obliging and they can't do enough for you in the hotels. One thing is very noticable and that's the teenagers are very respectful towards their elders, local and visitors alike. It makes one realize how rude and disrespectful our own youngsters have become over the years. Not all of course, but far too many.
Drug use and trafficking is punished very severely in Malaysia and at this time there are a number of young Australians in very serious consequences as the result of drug possesion. Even death sentences have been handed down.
Nerys, You'd probably remember the climate there as it only varies by 4 degrees all year round, It's either 28c or up to 32c summer or winter and when it does rain it lashes down and then may stop after 5 minutes but youv'e been drenched in that time, but it's warm rain anyway so it's no big deal. I loved it there. When you going back Nerys??? Ha! ha!
Cymro.
Hi Cymro, well first off I'm going to email you for your faggot recipe, in all honesty I can't say I have ever eaten one. As for the laws in Malaysia, while to us they are extreme, I really have no symphathy for the wrong doers. They knew the laws but took the chance... unfortunately they got caught. I don't support the death penalty in any shape or form, but how stupid can you be going to a country like that knowing the penalty and still risking it .... BRAIN DEAD.... I'd say. When will I ever go back - probably never, nice life in Canada. Yes I do remember the monsoons. But like you say, warm rain, used to go out in bathing suit, it was a good life for a youngest, and then I ended up living in Aberdare...go figure. I wish my parents were still alive to ask WHY????
Hi Cymro, well first off I'm going to email you for your faggot recipe, in all honesty I can't say I have ever eaten one. As for the laws in Malaysia, while to us they are extreme, I really have no symphathy for the wrong doers. They knew the laws but took the chance... unfortunately they got caught. I don't support the death penalty in any shape or form, but how stupid can you be going to a country like that knowing the penalty and still risking it .... BRAIN DEAD.... I'd say. When will I ever go back - probably never, nice life in Canada. Yes I do remember the monsoons. But like you say, warm rain, used to go out in bathing suit, it was a good life for a youngest, and then I ended up living in Aberdare...go figure. I wish my parents were still alive to ask WHY????
soryy, don't know why this was posted twice
Saves anyone saying "Pardon" doesn't it. LOL
Cymro.
Hi Nerys.
Sorry I'm so long in answering but I can only type with one finger, it takes me ages to type.
Thanks for the reply, the Royal Welsh Fusiliers were about to return home when I went there, one of the lads who was transferred to us, was from Aberaman.
You must have been there when the RAF bombed that hill in Penang, that was before I got there.
I was with the tracking team, as a dog handler, we operated out of Kota Tingi. There was an huge reservoir surrounded by jungle a few miles from our base camp, where a Few CTs were known to be hiding out there.
We had Sarawak and Eban trackers from Borneo attached to us, they were good at tracking, and could follow a track once picked up.
The rubber and pineapple plantations were huge, (I haven't touched a pineapple since) The rubber tappers would be out first thing in the morning emptying those cups, we had quite a bit of information passed on by a few of them, they also passed information and supplies on to the CTs you couldn’t trust them.
Do you remember the Cha Wallas going around the camp with their urns of tea and buns
You were very lucky those grenades you found didn't go up, it must have been a CTs cache.
Our CO Richard Miers wrote a book, 'Shoot To Kill', about the Malayan conflict, I’ve tried to buy it but it’s out of print, they have it in the Library but you have to pay to to get it from wherever they store their old books.
My brother was with the Fusiliers in Germany in Luneburg in 1951-2 I think it was, he must have joined them when you came back from Malaya.
And must have been in Germany the same time as you and your family, I take it you must have been living in the married quarters.
We came home to Derring Lines Brecon about mid 1958, we travelled home on the troopship the Dilwara, what a relaxing period.
During the Monsoons, there was always that sheet lightning every day, two RAF planes collided in mid air in one of those storms, we were called out straight away to try and find the pilots, when we found them, they had ejected, and landed in a swamp, only their hands were sticking out of the swamp, there were pieces of aircraft everywhere.
Not a very nice period of my life.
One funny episode we had, we were laying an ambush ready for the morning, we were expecting 3 CTs to be in that area, we tied vines around our small camp with our mess tins and cups tied all around, and about 2 in the morning, there was a hell of a racket, the mess tins were banging away, our rifles were right by us ready, the sentry or us couldn't see a hand in front of us, we thought The CTs had walked into the the vines, and set the tins off. It turned out a couple of monkey's had come down out of the tree's and were shaking hell out of the vines.
Those lizards you mentioned they were everywhere, can't remember the name of them. was it geeko or something like that.
Cymro and Doug knows more about modern Singapore and Malaya than me, I expect the Causeway now has a motorway across it. I would like to go back and see what those places are like today.
What an interesting life you have had i rearly liked reading about it .not a nice part of your life ,but you got to see the world .take care.
I FORGOT TO SAY YOU COULD WRITE A STORY ABOUT IT .
Sorry if I was a bit long winded, but every word is true.
I didn't go into the gory parts, that may upset you, so I'll say no more.
Yes I've seen my share of the world, although it was many years ago.
Hi RN3, what an interesting story, I'm sure you must have many, many to tell; not all pleasant I'm sure. Your memory of Malaya of course is far clearer than mine, I was only 10 when we finally left and while I remember certain things, there is a lot I also don't remember, unfortunately. Yes, we were in Luneberg in 1951-54, my younger brother was born there. My eldest brother is the only one of us three who was actually born on Welsh soil, in Caernarvon; where my parents were born. After reading your thread I had a hunt through some things I have of my father's; I have his commission papers from 1944 (second lieutenant) and 1946 (captain), both originals with the seal, and I think signed by George VI, maybe not though, I should have them checked out to see. I also have his uniform pips. Brought back lots of memories for me, and tears too, so many questions I never asked and too late now. Have you looked on E-Bay for your book? I'm sure you have but just a thought. Do you remember a ceremony they used to have where they had animals parade around, all "dressed up" and then they would decapitate them and then roasted? It was awful watching those poor animals run around for a minute or so without heads. It was a high profile ceremony in honour of some long ago princess I think, can't for the life of me remember. I don't remember living in an army camp, I do remember our house in Malacca was right by the sea, Straits of Malacca, and many a happy day spent swimming there. Unfortunately, no photographs of that time. I have some photos of my father in India during WWII but that's about it. Well, I'm in the middle of wallpapering my bedroom so had my little break and must go finish it off. Back to work on Tuesday, we had Good Friday and Easter Monday off, so have to get it finished before then else it will never get done, too tired to do that sort of stuff after working all day, getting old....never a man around when you need one!! LOL
Yes Nonrev3 the causeway in Singapore is a main thoroughfare to Sentoza Island now if it's the same one as you knew, which I think would be,
Sentoza is the Island just off Singapore that has been developed as a fun and entertainment area with all sorts of attractions, Butterfly farm, huge swimming and water shute park, aquariums, Zoo, a monorail runs right around the Island and you can get on and off as you wish and each station is access to a different attraction, The cultured gardens are absolutely beautiful, tropical of course and beautifully maintained and laid out.
Access to the Island is either by road over the causeway, by ferry going across regularly or by cable car that starts up in the hills of Singapore and travels right over the harbour crossing above cruise ships anchored below,
When flying into Singapore you can always see many many ships anchored out in the straits waiting to come into port with their cargos from all around the world, as Singapore is one of the great duty free shopping areas of the world. If you can't buy it in Singapore it hasn't been made yet. Camera and electronic shops are there by the thousands no kidding.
Their train system is great it criss crosses Singapore from east to west and north to south with the main junction for all areas right in the middle and the trains are regular, punctual, fast and spotlessly clean and the last time I was there it cost $6 ( about 2 pounds 60p )for an all day runabout ticket that took you wherever you wanted to go on the system which was great value.
Anyone going to Singapore,? I could recommend it for a holiday for sure, especially if you like "SHOPPING" girls. They even have Marks & Spencers. LOL
Cymro.
Yes Nerys I’ve tried to get that book, even tried a place that specialise in old books but no luck. Never mind it may turn up one day, I can always borrow the one from the Library.
How is the decorating going Ok I hope. I’d offer to give you a hand, but there would be more paint over me than on the walls LOL
We never saw any of those ceremonies I should imagine they have many different customs to what we have, which seems barbaric to us.
Cymro, It maybe the same causeway, the one I remember went across to Jahore. There was a Big Royal Navy base around that area. It may have been on that island I don’t know.
Singapore sounds the place to go, it sounds like Disney Land compared to what I remember it.
N R 3 THE CAUSE WAY THAT CYMRO IS TALKING ABOUT IS
OR WAS ON THE SOUTH SIDE OF SINGAPORE ISLAND, FROM
WHERE THE UNION JACK CLUB WAS UP AND AROUND TOWARDS CHANGI, THE JAHORE CAUSEWAY IS AS YOU SAY A MAIN HIGHWAY NOW
. SANTOSA IS AN ISLAND THAT IS WORTH A VISIT BUT IS THE
SAME AS ALL THE THEAM PARKS IN EVERY COUNTRY, OF COURSE
CHINA TOWN IS STILL THERE,AND HINDU TOWN, CHANGE ALLY
HAS GONE AND ORCHARD ROAD IS A TOTAL UP MARKET SHOPPING
PRECINCT, THE TAXI SERVICE IS GOOD A TAXI THAT DOES NOT
HAVE AN ENTRY TAB IS NOT ALLOWED INTO THE CITY, THEY
HAVE SUBERBS CABS AND CITY, HONG KONG IS THE SAME THERE
CABS ARE RED FOR THE CITY AND GREEN FOR THE SUBERBS
IT IS A MASSIVE PLACE KNOW BUT I LIKE IT
IT IS GOOD TO TALK, ANDTELL SOME ONE WHO HAS BEEN THERE OF THE CHANGES FROM OVER 50YEARS
TAKE CARE DOUG OZ
I wonder if Bugis Street is still there!!!! Not that I frequented it you understand :)
I have enjoyed reading about everyones memories of Singapore very interesting.
My brother in law use to live there years ago and he said it is a great place to live.
UUUMMM !!! What exactly was at Bugis Street then ??????? LOL ;-)
looking at all the songs listed on this topic, I remember many of them on the juke box in local cafe. We used to call the cafe "the Bracchis" and I know this was quite common around S Wales. But recently a friend of mine who is Italian heard me say the word Bracchi and I told her it was Italian for cafe or something along that line. I was suprised when she said she had never heard the term before. I wonder how the name came about??
I think the name Bracchi was the surname of the first Italian family to open a cafe in South Wales .Most Italian cafes were referred to as Bracchis even though they were owned by other Italians ,maybe that is why we think the word Bracchi means cafe.
Does anyone remember the name of the Italian family that had the cafe in High street in Hirwaun .?
In the village I came from the cafe was always known os "The Bracchi`s" even though their real name was Strinati. The only time that I have actually seen a Bracchi cafe is (or was) in Ystrad Mynach.
BG - I think that the name you are trying to remember is Tidaldi.
When I think of then and think of what is there now-I greatly value the service they gave to communities and the high quality standards they kept. I think bit by bit, the Italian heritage of these cafes is sliding away as the grandchildren now want to work outside of the cafe business. Like everything else it may possibly fade away and that would a shame. I loved their coffee and hot chocolate and on a cold day they made cups of OXO which was lovely.
Thanks Doug, there are two causeways then. the one I remember went from Singapore to Jahore two lane one going across and one coming back, the big naval base was to the right of the causeway going across to Jahore, I don’t know if there was an island round that area.
If I spent 5 weeks out of 18 months of the time I was out there, in Singapore, that would be it. and that includes 4 weeks in Nee Soon.
It sounds a marvellous place to visit now. All those attractions and railways, mono rails,
If I could go back I wouldn’t recognise one place there.
B G. Apollomed giving the darker streets, secrets away, (don’t blush A) there was a big red lamp on the entrance to the street I expect, LOL.
I can't help you with the name Bracchi, there were Bracchi's shops everywhere, loui Fullgoni in Lewis St was referred to Bracchi.
For anyone that served out in Malaya or Singapore, I don’t know if they know, they maybe entitled to a Medal from the Malayan Government, I have the first page of the application I’ll type out some information if anyone wishes to apply.
`
Instructions for completion.
About the Pingat Jasa Malaysia.
The Pingat Jasa Malaysia PJM is a special medal of service to eligible United Kingdom service personel who served from Independence until the end of Confrontation in the security of Malaysia during the period 31 August 1957 and 12 August 1966 inclusive.
Catergories of eligibilty.
Catergory 1.
(a) Those members of the United Kingdom Force who were on the posted strength of a unit or formation and served in the prescribed operatioal area of Malaysia and Singapore, in direct support of operations in Malaysia for 90 days or more in the aggregate, as follows:
(1) Malaysia during the period 31 August 1957 and 12 August 1966.
(2) Singapore during the period 31 August 1957 and 9 August 1965.
Catergory 2
Although the PJM is a foreign award from the Goverment of Malaysia, all applications for the PJM will need to undergo a verification process by the Ministry of Defence, This process can be greatly assisted by applicants providing as much information about their service as possible, including service numbers, dates served in the prescribed area, etc. This will allow applications to be finalised much faster.
I can't put the Secretarys name and address,
I believe you can get an application form, E Mailed through the net. If they have a printer.
I can't remember the site as it was on my old PC.
I applied about a 12 month ago and I'm still waiting. so it could take awhile before you hear anything after you apply.
apollomed - didn`t they do hot Vimto? - if not you don`t know what you missed.
Yes BG I remember Brachii's in Hirwaun and William the the one you are refering to they were the fish and chip shop right?
That`s right Welshgirl. But before they turned it into a fish and chip shop that part of the shop was a spare room. It was the first place I ever saw a jukebox, an amazing thing, all flashing lights in the most bizarre colours, lime greeen, purple. pink, acid yellow and the music just blew our minds away! All that and hot Vimto too! What simple lives we led then. What a shame that the kids today cannot experience those times if only for a brief moment.
I Remember that place ,it was the first time i had seen a jukebox we used to go there in evening to meet up with the boys and of course lisson to the music , that was the first time i had tasted coffee. also Vimto.
NR3 I WOULD NOT COME IN FOR THAT MEDAL AS I WAS THERE IN 52-- 54 AND THE ONLY TIME THAT I WAS UP IN MALAYA WAS TAKING TRUCK LOADS OF ARMOR, AND WOULD YOU BELIVE THEY SAID TO SIX OF US AFTER GIVING US A STEN EACH GET IN THE TRCK AND DO NOT GET TRIGGER HAPPY,HA HA HA ! CAN YOU SEE DOUG WHO IS R,H,E,NOT PULLING THE TRIGGER, I SAID TO THE OTHERS IF ANY ONE COMES RUNNING OUT OF THE BUSH HE IS DEAD, YOU WOULD KNOW THE NAME DOGER THAT WAS MY NICK NAME.
S,S,DILWARA WAS OWNED BY THE BRITISH INDIA STEAM
NAVIGATION IN 1958 SHE CARRIED 1154 TROOPS SOLD IN 1960 TO CHINA NAVIGATION RENAMED KUALAR LUMPOR IN
1971 SOLD FOR SCRAP
I WAS ON THE EMPIRE TROOPER SHE BURNT IN THE MED.,
AT A SCRAP YARD IN ITALY.
THE USUAL SIGN AT THE END OF THE STREET WAS A RED
RING AND A RED LINE DIAGONAL OUT OF BOUNDS, WHAT WAS IN THE STREET I DONT KNOW, IWAS VERY SHY YOUNG LAD
MY SON INLAW IS ITALIAN FROM NAPLES AND HIS MAMA
AND PAPA DO NOT KNOW WHAT BRACHII MEANS BUT YOU
KNOW THESE WOPS TALK FUNNY. WOOOPS SORRY TO ALL
THE WOPS
WOOOPS
DAM,DAM DONE IT AGAIN
DOUG OZ
We use to sit in that cafe in Hirwaun for hours in the evenings , we made one cup of coffee or oxo drink last us all evening. There was never any bother there we just listened to the jukebox and chatted .It helped that we were friends of the owners son ,it was a way of getting the son to work in the cafe for the evening yet still spend time with his friends.
Douglas
I cannot imagine you as a shy young lad .LOL ;-)
Thanks Doug, the Dilwara was luxury compared to the tramps I was on, the last Smith’s boat I was on the M V Cornish City caught fire in the Indian Ocean around the 60s.
I think it was Aden she was towed to and sold for scrap, after.
I’ll dig my old Sea Breeze magazines out.
I think we should have started another thread, and have a good old natter.
He was shy B G, you can tell, the picture of innocence. LOL.
Hi NR3, well being the persistent personality I am, I've been doing some hunting for your book. Although you've probably explored every option, I just thought I'd share what I found. I found this website located in USA: http://www.halcyon.com/dagger/
and when I clicked on the "a large sample from our complete list of more than 12,000 books" link, I found your book and it is listed as inventory number 12369A, published by Faber and Faber and priced at 45 dollars. I don't know if that means that have it or not as I did not phone or fax them. Anyway, just thought I'd pass it along. Good luck, I know you can get it from your library but it's nice to have your own books, especially for the memories it holds for you.
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