What was it like?
What did you like/dislike?
What do you remember the most?
(Teenagers = 13 to 19 years of age)
Also see:
What was it like?
What did you like/dislike?
What do you remember the most?
(Teenagers = 13 to 19 years of age)
Also see:
Yep, I can remember quite a lot Azz!
There was much going on during the 70s, the changes in fashion and music for instance. The long hair and flares got dumped for Levi orange label drainpipe jeans, Dr Martens, cap sleeved t shirts and studded belts. Not to mention spiky dyed hair and a piercing in the left lobe!
Getting into pubs and X films, spending quite a bit on vinyl records, going to parties and gigs whenever possible!
Couldnât handle the lifestyle now! ![]()
Unfortunately, I remember a lot of it. Not the best time of my life as I was subject to drunken abuse from my parent.
@Azz I was born during 1940 and having lost my father, with mother too damaged to cope with me, I was raised by my paternal grandparents who were publicans. Life as a teenager was somewhat on the wild side because external influences in and around Notting Hill for this 6â6" male was mainly music driven. Early rock-n-roll together with âTeddy Boyâ culture could have all too easily seen me not only being content to be a gang member of The Ravers, but also their leader. A change of county and school soon put an end to those influences, plus with my own guitar and a band leader, I headed off on the road to becoming a responsible adult.
Life in a Northern Village is somewhat different to life darn SoufâŠ
last school years were spent delivering morning and evening papers with the gazette on t
Thursday dinner times and then back to school.
Weekends were spent wandering around the countryside with catapult and a bag of sandwiches. Could never hit anything (except bottles) I hasten to add.
Left school at fifteen to become an apprentice mechanical engineer, money was scarce but it just managed to get me a table at the local snooker club and at seventeen a couple of pints in the local pub afterwards. The landlord was quite accommodating and as long as we didnât cause trouble were allowed to drink there.
With money I saved I bought a brand new Honda 50 and together with a load of mates on various other machines (even scooters) we toured the east coast seaside resorts every weekend.
After passing my motorbike test I had my eye on a bigger motorbike (Vellocet) but Dad didnât like the idea so lent me some money to buy my first mini (ÂŁ60) I never looked back, and several miniâs were to follow, including this oneâŠMrs FoxâŠ

Actually, that one came later at 21 in 1971.
Meanwhile, still at 18 the gang (I mention that loosely) visited many racing circuits and were constantly removing engines and rebuilding them. With some friends we set up a local motor club and would organise treasure hunts around the area. The think tank in the Royal Oak could sort out any problem with engines, cars, or even girlfriendsâŠI had a fewâŠ
Sorry to hear that @Graham. Sometimes itâs nice to be able to forgetâŠ
So there were good things and not so good things happening in my teenage years - similar to many teenagers i think, I blame the hormones.
It was also exciting - first boyfriend, first job (at fifteen), first holiday abroad with my mates etc.
Earning my first little brown wage packet was amazing - i nearly went out and spent the lot (which wasnât very much anyway) until i realized i had to give some to mum, for my âkeepâ!
Lots of good memories, but my happiest decade was in my 30âs.
My memories of being a teenager are all good apart from us girls being obsessed with getting rid of spots! Topex was a must!
It didnât work though.
Great music in the 80s, I was actually crazy about Duran Duran. I remember at school the girls were either Spandau Ballet fans or Duran Duran.
First crushes during those years, we also had a crush on the new P. E. teacher for a period of time. Who has never had a crush on a teacher? ![]()
I also remember when flared jeans became gradually replaced by drainpipes.
Perms were all the rage too, I had very long hair and I had two perms during those years, I recall.
Not forgetting those exams - CSEs, O levels, A levels! ![]()
I had had enough of studying by the time I reached 18, in 1985. I didnât choose to go to university. Only a few weeks after finishing school I had already found a full time office job where I worked eventually for eight years.
Times have changed though, donât tho k that would happen today.
YES. And Beyoned.
With more rapidity than remembering.
Where the Tea Caddy is.
A random remark can trigger a memory in detail from circa 60 years ago.
A classic in a general conversation.
Aboard a ship in the middle of the Indian Ocean
As simple and weird as.
Lt. Roy Fraser. One of many colleagues. Well past over the bar now. Said.
âNever Change Your Bet.â
Iâve never been one to place a bet.
But.
Open the refrigerator to see what falls out for dinner.
Itâs always the First Item.
Using another always tends to be
A Disappointment.
No reason given. For having an âAddictionâ
![]()
Topex was rubbish, I think it probably dried out the skin and made matters worse!
Happy days! ![]()
In my teens I was was the original âwild childâ but, having my darling daughter at 17 calmed me down, she was all I ever wanted
I was mainly into soul music, and a smoker in those days
Oh yes, being a parent, changes everything! I used to smoke like a chimney and drink like a trooper, smoking was pretty much about socialising. I suppose I was lucky, smoking was a matter of choice, never addictiveâŠ
My teenage years were filled with being the middle child, but the responsible one in my family. Helping my dad with meals as mom worked second shift nurse at the Air Force Base in Tampa. Never missed a day of school, straight A student, and managed to fit in a social life, but never caused concern. Dances, eating at the local Drive-Ins with gal pals, cheerleader at schoolâŠ
Only once got caught parking at night with my boyfriend (later my hubby) by police knocking on our fogged up windows!
Maybe it was bit different for me. We lived on a farm up in the hills miles with not a lot of social life after school. None of my age.
Music, clothes, beer & weed is what I lived for in the late 60s, early 70s. Living at home on a farm in the Cotswolds, with four brothers, no mother, and a father going through second childhood. Worked/ran the farm shop evenings and weekends, earnt enough to finance things.
Hit the spot Chilli, it really dried out the skin! Oh, âspotâ, no pun intended, it just happened! ![]()
Us blokes had complexion issues too, we just might have been a tad more reservedâŠ
Our Latin teacher looked like the actor Ian Ogilvy.
Us girls were besotted - i would daydream during lessons, and didnât learn very much Latin at all.
I understand. ![]()
Yes, our vanity was a big issue during those years. It was definitely the period when we began to be more aware of how we looked.
I can remember being a teenager as I was at a good grammar school and seemed to spend most of my life studying hard to go to University. ![]()
I went to one in London and had a blast. I stayed for 25 years ![]()