Back in time for dinner

[mark pirate]

This series on BBC2 is well worth watching for the old technology alone.
It is primarily about food through the decades. A family have their house transformed to match the period.
The first programme is about the 1950's, and the family are watching the coronation on a Bush TV24

It is on iplayer, the 1960's is on BBC2 on sunday at 13.30.

Mark

[Tractorfan]

Hi,
...Plus the ubiquitous Bush DAC90! And a Philips set in the kitchen, although I doubt they would have afforded two radio sets back then. More likely, there would be an extension speaker wired through from the lounge, as some of my childhood friend's parent's had. I know the DAC90 doesn't have extension speaker sockets, but none of my friend's parent's had one, funnily enough.
Cheers, Pete.

[richrussell]

The 1960's one was last night at 8pm. The Sunday slot is a repeat.

And no, she still hasn't learnt how to open a can.

[petertheorgan]

Hi guys
I just thought I would let you know that I provided the Bush TV 24 and the GEG BT 302 for the series . I have not seen any of it yet as I am currently on holiday in Gran Canaria. The 1970's set was borrowed from our good friend heatercathodeshort and the 1980's set was rescued from a local front garden. It was good fun being a small part of the production and the televisions all behaved them selves while on camera, but it was a good thing that I had a double of both the TV24 and BT 302 in my car boot.

Peter.

[mark pirate]

Nice to see that the sets used were period correct for a change
But I think a TV24 would have been a bit upmarket for an average family back then. A TV22 was certainly more affordable at £48, the TV24 was a whopping£63!

I also loved seeing the GEC BT302 in the 1960's programme. I am looking forward to watching the 1970's programme.

Mark

[Andrew2]

Originally Posted by richrussell

And no, she still hasn't learnt how to open a can.

That woman must have a home-help or something in real life, she seems utterly lost in the kitchen. The corned beef can seemed completely alien to her and she mucked abaht with the key so much she broke off the tab! Cue another metalwork disaster with a tin opener...
Whether it's slicing bread like a novice or trying to cook crispy noodles in tepid oil she seems useless. If she was younger I'd say she was an example of pampered youth who know nowt, but she must be in her 40's/50's.

[G8HQP Dave]

We haven't seen the 1960's one yet, but we suspected that the bit about the 1950's kitchen which eluded her was the kitchen not the 1950's. Baking a cake (or making a jelly) hasn't actually changed much in decades!

Incidentally the electric cooker demonstrated by Mary Berry looked identical to the one my Mum used from the late 50's through to the late 80's. In the last few years one of the top plates stopped working. Earlier, the radiant ring needed replacing but back then spares were still available.

[paulsherwin]

You have to remember that this is a mass market TV show in the reality genre. The assumption is that life was completely different and alien in the 'olden days'. If the participants were comfortable with a 1950s or 1960s environment (and most generally competent people would be) then there wouldn't be much point to the show.

[G8HQP Dave]

I think a competent demonstration of how we used to open tins would give a better picture of the 1950's. For example, after opening a tin correctly with the 1950 opener one had to be careful about sharp jagged edges. 'Tin openers through the decades' could even be a useful and interesting sub-plot, but it would require that someone knows how to use them in each case.

[McMurdo]

I've only seen the 50's one so far and it's well worth seeing. I think it helps people (who like me didn't live in the 50's) to see our collectibles in a more authentic period setting. My grandparents were considered well-off as they both worked full time through the 50's but they still couldn't afford their own TV and were one of the many who watched the coronation at a neighbour's who had a TV and became particularly popular on that day! By the early 60's they could afford a transistor radio which had its own table in the front room for all to see which is where it sat until they had both passed away by the early 80's.
I must admit I thought the housewife in the programme rather hopeless; but as has been said, she was probably chosen or indeed auditioned so it would film that way...I hope!

[paulsherwin]

That story is typical of most middling families. First radio bought rather than rented in the early 50s; TV bought for the Coronation or the launch of ITV; first transistor portable in the early 60s, quickly supplanting the (much better sounding) valve set; first colour set on rental in the early 70s; first colour set bought outright in the late 70s; first VCR bought in the mid 80s. That was certainly what my parents did.

[G8HQP Dave]

Just watched the 1960's show. Nice to see the World Cup final on a real telly. Amusing to see one of the daughters cutting up vegetables with a bread knife!

[petervk2mlg]

I've just seen the 1950s episode. I was born in 1950. I can't believe how hard it was for the Mrs and family to open that can of pilchards!
Actually I still live a very basic lifestyle, probably like most people my age.
We do have a fridge and a microwave oven (rarely used apart from heating up my cup for coffee!). I never have takeaway food, rarely eat at a restaurant and don't eat frozen, canned or processed food.
Each night I cook a dinner made from fresh ingredients (meat, potatoes veg etc).
At age 65 perhaps I'm old fashioned!

[mark pirate]

I have just enjoyed watching the 1970's episode, I see she is still having trouble using a tin opener

It certainly bought back a few memories, who could forget the 3 day week, power cuts and the miners strike.
I remember sitting round the radio in candlelight!

Interesting that the TV was Japanese, I would have liked to seen a british set used. We had a 22" Decca bradford in the 70's, our neighbour had a Murphy Acoustic on a chrome swivel stand.

Again the appliances were all period correct. I have a similar chest freezer still working perfectly out in my garage.

Mark

[McMurdo]

A striking contrast with the family's discomfort of period gadgets' safety. Everyone viewed the Camping Gaz stove with suspicion and the lady of the house appeared terrified of her own chip pan. I'd be more concerned that the old freezer had been PAT tested.
I was disappointed about the Sanyo tv when the British TV was the norm (particularly due to high import duty on large screen TV's). Maybe the producers couldn't risk a vintage colour Pye lasting the episode!

[Brased]

Originally Posted by mark pirate

I have just enjoyed watching the 1970's episode, I see she is still having trouble using a tin opener

But the preview shows that next week she gets an electric can opener.

[petertheorgan]

Well I am going to hold my head up in shame , the Bush TV 24 and the GEC BT 302 were both mine but sadly , I don't own any 1970s sets , but I turned to our friend John ( heatercathodeshort) to borrow one , the set was of the correct vintage and I have to say by keeping Japanese , one could rely on it working for the filming , the next set , which is a nondescript plastic box , I rescued from the garden of a house , about 6 houses up the road in Brunswick street E17 that worked fine too , but its now here looking for a home ;
I must sit down now and watch it but least I know now what the camping stove was for !
Peter

[G8HQP Dave]

Having grown up in Walthamstow I was curious about where the house is - they had blanked out street signs presumably to preserve some privacy for the family. Last night's show contained enough clues to find it on google maps. Directly opposite my old infants school!

[PaulR]

Originally Posted by paulsherwin

That story is typical of most middling families. First radio bought rather than rented in the early 50s; TV bought for the Coronation or the launch of ITV; first transistor portable in the early 60s, quickly supplanting the (much better sounding) valve set; first colour set on rental in the early 70s; first colour set bought outright in the late 70s; first VCR bought in the mid 80s. That was certainly what my parents did.

Exactly like us except for the radio - our McMichael 135 was replaced by a Grundig Music Boy proudly bought by my mum on hire purchase from her own earnings as a dinner lady in the late 1960s. I was foolish enough to admit to getting a shock off the McMichael whilst fiddling with it and it was immediately given to the bin man who was very pleased with it.