A Stroll Down Memory Lane: Growing-up in Post War Britain

Molly was born in 1948 as the country emerged from the grim years of the Second World War. She was brought up in a working-class household in Cullingworth, a small, unpretentious village in West Yorkshire. She feels very privileged to have been a child in the 1950s, even though the decade is acknowledged as one of simplicity and austerity. Her family had little money or possessions but didn’t seem any different to most families. Hardly anyone had a TV or car and many houses still had an outside toilet. She has many memorable experiences; playing hopsco in the street, bonfire night, beach holidays, meetings friends in the Rec, going to the pictures. But there were also hardships. A trip to the dentist was a painful ordeal. School discipline was harsh and the Eleven Plus Exam was a formidable milestone. Following the frugal times of the 1950s, the 1960s was a boom period, a time of changed attitudes and improved lifestyles. Molly has fond memories of being a teenager in the Swinging Sixties. It was such a special time, full of fun, optimism and hope for the future.