New UK Thread

[CharlesBonus]

Evening folks. I confess to owning a few pairs of winklepickers in my teenage years.

 

[oggbashan]

I remember winklepickers. And then, a few years later, platforms were all the rage. I managed to resist both.

In 1962, I was on holiday in what was then Communist Yugoslavia. I ordered a pair of bespoke winkle pickers in my size (13 UK, 14 US).

The shoemaker apologized. For making shoes that large he had to charge me 10% more than usual. I paid 15 shillings (now 75 pence) or less than a US dollar.

I wore them for ten years.

 

[English_guy_bkk]

It's quiet here today. I hope all is well with everyone.

 

[English_guy_bkk]

In 1962, I was on holiday in what was then Communist Yugoslavia. I ordered a pair of bespoke winkle pickers in my size (13 UK, 14 US).

The shoemaker apologized. For making shoes that large he had to charge me 10% more than usual. I paid 15 shillings (now 75 pence) or less than a US dollar.

I wore them for ten years.

You obviously flew there...do you recall with whom? (I mean the airline and not your companion)
Apologies to seem nosey or nebby.

 

[KinoKe]

You obviously flew there...do you recall with whom? (I mean the airline and not your companion)
Apologies to seem nosey or nebby.

Flew? Airline? Ogg is made of sterner stuff. He walked. And still made it before opening time.

 

[oggbashan]

You obviously flew there...do you recall with whom? (I mean the airline and not your companion)
Apologies to seem nosey or nebby.

Flying in 1962? No. There were no flights from the UK to Yugoslavia.

We went by ferry to Ostend, train to Paris where we caught the Orient Express from there to Zagreb, then a local train. We went to a campsite for the first few days. It was at the end of the bus route and there was a flat fare of 2 dinars no matter how far you traveled on that bus. But we had a problem.

It the UK the smallest Yugoslav note we could get was 500 dinars. 18 people at 2 dinars? 36 dinars but the conductress couldn't change a 500 dinar note. I sold a couple of English cigarettes to another passenger and we had forty dinars in coins.

At the time the official Yugoslav exchange rate was 800 dinars to a UK pound. But we had been told NEVER to use an official exchange bank but one of the privately run ones. We got 2,100 dinars to a pound.

What we didn't know at first was that 2,000 dinars was the weekly wage for a skilled car mechanic and the purchasing power of 2,000 dinars was about two hundred pounds. We were rich!

 

[KinoKe]

Flying in 1962? No. There were no flights from the UK to Yugoslavia.

We went by ferry to Ostend, train to Paris where we caught the Orient Express from there to Zagreb, then a local train. We went to a campsite for the first few days. It was at the end of the bus route and there was a flat fare of 2 dinars no matter how far you traveled on that bus. But we had a problem.

It the UK the smallest Yugoslav note we could get was 500 dinars. 18 people at 2 dinars? 36 dinars but the conductress couldn't change a 500 dinar note. I sold a couple of English cigarettes to another passenger and we had forty dinars in coins.

At the time the official Yugoslav exchange rate was 800 dinars to a UK pound. But we had been told NEVER to use an official exchange bank but one of the privately run ones. We got 2,100 dinars to a pound.

What we didn't know at first was that 2,000 dinars was the weekly wage for a skilled car mechanic and the purchasing power of 2,000 dinars was about two hundred pounds. We were rich!

Those were the days. A pint of Best and a bag of crisps, and still there was change from half a crown. Ah, yes, I remember them well.

 

[oggbashan]

Those were the days. A pint of Best and a bag of crisps, and still there was change from half a crown. Ah, yes, I remember them well.

At the campsite, shorts of whisky, etc were 3 dinars a single, 5 dinars a double. But whatever you ordered whisky, brandy, vodka etc, it was all Yugoslav-made and tasted the same. Only the colouring was different.

In 1968 before the change on 15 February 1971, the first decimal coins were issued in the UK - 10 pence = two shillings, and five pence = one shilling. I went to a bank at lunchtime and got some of each. That evening I was in a pub in Chelsea and ordered a pint of beer - cost 1 shilling and ten pence. I gave them a new 10-pence coin and they had to work out the change - easy - two old pennies.

But it brought the pub to a standstill. All the staff and customers wanted to see the new coins.

 

[thefishfryer]

At the campsite, shorts of whisky, etc were 3 dinars a single, 5 dinars a double. But whatever you ordered whisky, brandy, vodka etc, it was all Yugoslav-made and tasted the same. Only the colouring was different.

In 1968 before the change on 15 February 1971, the first decimal coins were issued in the UK - 10 pence = two shillings, and five pence = one shilling. I went to a bank at lunchtime and got some of each. That evening I was in a pub in Chelsea and ordered a pint of beer - cost 1 shilling and ten pence. I gave them a new 10-pence coin and they had to work out the change - easy - two old pennies.

But it brought the pub to a standstill. All the staff and customers wanted to see the new coins.

I remember those days, I spent months converting clients accounts from Lsd to £p. I knew the conversions of by heart. Most of the retailers took the opportunity to raise their prices.

 

[oggbashan]

I remember those days, I spent months converting clients accounts from Lsd to £p. I knew the conversions of by heart. Most of the retailers took the opportunity to raise their prices.

I remember my colleagues complaining that their kids wanted a pocket money rise. The local sweet shop used to charge three (old) pence for an ounce bag of sweets. After 15 Feb they became 2 1/2 New pence (an old sixpence) for one and a half ounces. That was a 50% rise in content but a 100% rise in price.

To be fair to the shopkeeper, he was probably making a loss at threepence for an ounce.

 

[English_guy_bkk]

I remember my colleagues complaining that their kids wanted a pocket money rise. The local sweet shop used to charge three (old) pence for an ounce bag of sweets. After 15 Feb they became 2 1/2 New pence (an old sixpence) for one and a half ounces. That was a 50% rise in content but a 100% rise in price.

To be fair to the shopkeeper, he was probably making a loss at threepence for an ounce.

I'm sure it's been a hot topic here a while ago ..but you mentioned sweets and l remember Lions midget gems and Benson's liquorice tablets in thick cardboard boxes.

 

[English_guy_bkk]

I'll throw into the mix...Kendal mint cake

 

[English_guy_bkk]

 

[English_guy_bkk]

Any love is good love ...

 

[oggbashan]

Quote (I was the 3rd fastest sprinter in my class circa 1977.)

I was never the build for sprinting. At our local District Boy Scouts Sports Day in 1957 I won the hammer throw, the shot putt and the caber tossing

But I have a certificate for coming third in the 100 yards final (and only heat). There were only three Scouts in the District of the right age for that race. I was third (and last) ten seconds slower than the Scout who came second and ten seconds is a long time in a one hundred-yard race.

Later, on a school sports day, I objected that the area for the shot putt was too small. I was told that no student had ever thrown beyond the area. I did and knocked several bricks out of the school's boundary wall. They altered the shot putt area and another boy exceeded my best throws. My first throw that damaged the wall was deemed not measurable but I was allowed to try again.

 

[English_guy_bkk]

I apologize for putting a music video into this thread. It was a mistake as l was aiming for the what song are you listening to?

 

[English_guy_bkk]

Quote (I was the 3rd fastest sprinter in my class circa 1977.)

I was never the build for sprinting. At our local District Boy Scouts Sports Day in 1957 I won the hammer throw, the shot putt and the caber tossing

But I have a certificate for coming third in the 100 yards final (and only heat). There were only three Scouts in the District of the right age for that race. I was third (and last) ten seconds slower than the Scout who came second and ten seconds is a long time in a one hundred-yard race.

Later, on a school sports day, I objected that the area for the shot putt was too small. I was told that no student had ever thrown beyond the area. I did and knocked several bricks out of the school's boundary wall. They altered the shot putt area and another boy exceeded my best throws. My first throw that damaged the wall was deemed not measurable but I was allowed to try again.

The 100 yards dash... didn't you limber up prior?
Are you Scottish may l ask? (the caber tossing)

 

[Camos1000]

Good morning. Saw this was UK based so thought we would say hello. We are a couple from London Steve & Abi. Been reading for some time and will post our first story for approval today ! Been a long time but hopefully the first of many

 

[English_guy_bkk]

Good morning. Saw this was UK based so thought we would say hello. We are a couple from London Steve & Abi. Been reading for some time and will post our first story for approval today ! Been a long time but hopefully the first of many

Hiya Steve and Abi.

 

[Camos1000]

Hiya Steve and Abi.

Morning. How are you ? What is this chat mainly about ? It seems everything from fish to currency lol

 

[English_guy_bkk]

Morning. How are you ? What is this chat mainly about ? It seems everything from fish to currency lol

I'm fine, thanks for asking. Well, we mainly chat about biscuits, cake and the weather. I think sex was mentioned twice..
Do you like fish?

 

[Anastasia1999]

Good morning and welcome to the Blighty thread, we talk about anything and everything really here,

 

[English_guy_bkk]

I'm fine, thanks for asking. Well, we mainly chat about biscuits, cake and the weather. I think sex was mentioned twice..
Do you like fish?

Hopefully I'm speaking on behalf of this thread

 

[Camos1000]

I like cake lol !

 

[Titsandclits]

Hopefully I'm speaking on behalf of this thread

I think that’s the third time sex has been mentioned,