What a delight I was lucky enough to go to Wimbledon for the day with school in its Centenary year.
It was an early start as it is a long way from up North but I strongly suspect that the motorways weren't as carparky as they are now!!. So off we went two coach loads of teens and I remember much to my dismay we had to wear school uniform. I understand this as an adult as you can easily identify your kids in a crowd but then I was traumatized as a teen to be seen at such an event in a school uniform.
The day was so hot (which makes a change from the usual rain during the tournament). One concession on the uniform front was we could remove our ties.
I bought a programme for the princely sum of 90p
& a bowl of strawberries and cream for £1. Well you can't visit Wimbledon and not have strawberries and cream can you?
I was a little disappointed though... 1. I had no more money left and 2. you only got about 5 strawberries in a clear plastic dish with a spoon you would get in a tub of ice cream at the cinema. But at least I have experienced it !!
I was a little disappointed though... 1. I had no more money left and 2. you only got about 5 strawberries in a clear plastic dish with a spoon you would get in a tub of ice cream at the cinema. But at least I have experienced it !!
Of course this was the era of some of the bad boys of tennis Ilie Nastase, Jimmy Connors and John McEnroe. It was great as a teen to see their tantrums on court.
Through a gap in the gates (I think of Centre Court) I managed to get glimpse of Nastase. I did take a photo but as you can imagine it was rubbish. The one at the top of this post, however, was taken by me which for a teen with whatever cheapy camera I had at the time is not bad!!!!
It was a fine year for British tennis as Virginia Wade won the Ladies Singles in the Centenary & Jubilee year and no other British woman has won the title since.
Within the programme there is some satirical humour from the 70s, umpires to wear shirt and tie, the formation of a union, professionals to play at Wimbledon, did Harvey Smith ride with no top on at one stage? I know his noted for his non verbal communication skills !!
But this advertisement is a classic of its time
Through a gap in the gates (I think of Centre Court) I managed to get glimpse of Nastase. I did take a photo but as you can imagine it was rubbish. The one at the top of this post, however, was taken by me which for a teen with whatever cheapy camera I had at the time is not bad!!!!
It was a fine year for British tennis as Virginia Wade won the Ladies Singles in the Centenary & Jubilee year and no other British woman has won the title since.
Within the programme there is some satirical humour from the 70s, umpires to wear shirt and tie, the formation of a union, professionals to play at Wimbledon, did Harvey Smith ride with no top on at one stage? I know his noted for his non verbal communication skills !!
But this advertisement is a classic of its time
18 comments:
Posted at 14:41?
Isn't that during working hours?
Anyway - a very good and evocative post young 70steen. Particularly the colours in your own photo. The colour had the same quality on the television. [whoops - you probably didn't have a colour TV - just a cardboard box with a hole and, if you were really lucky, a ferret running round in it chasing a pigeon - sorry - thoughtless of me]
14.41 hours how observant of you DP yes indeed worky hours.... now if I told you all my secrets life would be so dull
Colour TV!!!!! The only way we could watch colour TV was through shop window me lad
Strawberries& cream....I love those british rituals...I feel homesick!
Great blog...certainly brings it all back! Do you remember also Sweetheart dessert (it came in a tin?
This is the longest set I have ever watched.
What's the score now?
Hi Gail
Thank you popping by
Can't recall sweetheart dessert but it sounds fab... I was an Angel Delight girl though and what joy after having a child I could buy it and eat it without any guilt!!
Sylvie :-)
We do have some great British rituals but I am sure the French have some better ones (unfortunately I can't take to dipping my croissants in my coffee though!!)
DP
It has be advantage 'me' by now!! lol
Goddesses always have the advantage - it's not fair
'Goddesses always have the advantage - it's not fair' quote DP
I know.... tough hey!!! (in a non sypathetic tone!! lol)
Actually I quite like it - ner ner n'ner ner - it gives them a chance.
[I hope the TG doesn't read this]
I gather you like to live life on the edge then???
It's not my fault!
FMG is broken and so is my comment section - what in the blue blazes is going on? And where in the blue blazes does the expression 'blue blazes' come from? Is it something to do with horses? or a really spooky fire?
Come on, answer me!
Some people will stoop to gutter lengths just to win a comp but to break FMB that is taking it that bit too far.... so what did you press, meddle with?
100 lines ....... I must not meddle with stuff I don't understand!!!!
Whatthe BBs .......
here are three kinds of "blaze" in English. The "fire" sense of "blaze" comes from the very old Germanic word "blason," meaning "torch," and was known in English by 1000 A.D., although it was spelled "blase" for several hundred years. "Blazes" as a slang expression derives from this sense and originally referred to the flames of Hell. The "blue" in "blue blazes" is just an alliterative intensifier and has no real meaning. Thus, "Where in blue blazes have you been?" is just a euphemistic way of saying "Where the hell...."
The second sense of "blaze" comes from an old Dutch word "blasen," meaning "to blow," and is, in fact, based on the same Indo-European root as "blow." This sense of "blaze" is now obsolete, but until the 19th century it meant "to trumpet," either literally by blowing a trumpet or bugle, or figuratively, by loudly proclaiming or boasting.
Meanwhile, back in the woods, we have the third sense of "blaze," which comes from the Old Norse word "blesi," meaning a spot or patch of white on the face of a horse or other animal. To "blaze" a trail originally meant to strip a patch of bark from trees along one's route, exposing the lighter wood underneath and thus marking the trail for those who follow. It is possible, since the underlying sense of this "blaze" is "bright or shining," that it is related to the "fire" sense of blaze, which would make "blue blazes" a distant cousin of "blazing a trail."
Whatever
What he should remember is that he likes to live life in any way, shape or form, and that's looking a bit shaky at the moment.
Hi Lo,TG
Goodness knows what he has done today but blogdom has gone into suspended animation...... it's all this modern technology and him thinking he knows how to use it I guess :-)
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