As the country headed into the 1950s, rebuilding continued and a number of immigrants from the remaining British Empire were
invited to help the rebuilding effort. As the 1950s wore on, the UK had lost its place as a superpower and could no longer
maintain its large Empire. This led to decolonization, and a withdrawal from almost all of its colonies by 1970. Events such
as the Suez Crisis showed that the UK's status had fallen in the world. The 1950s and 1960s were, however, relatively prosperous
times after the Second World War, and saw the beginning of a modernization of the UK, with the construction of its first motorways.
You can double click on any word through out the entire website to get further information on that word
After World War II the United Kingdom made a slow return from post-war rationing of food. The economy was also rebuilt slowly
but thanks to abundant oil fields as well as geographical separation from the European continent it experienced more post-war
prosperity than the rest of Europe. The incoming Conservative Party in the 1951 general election, decided to retain the Welfare
State and National Health Service that had been established by the previous Labour administration establishing a post war
consensus that would last a generation. The coronation of a young new Monarch with Elizabeth II instilled a sense of national
revival but the debacle of Suez triggered a sharp decline of national confidence linked to the withdrawal from colonial possessions
in Asia.
Welcome to Butlins Memories, the web's biggest resource for Butlins nostalgia and information. Why not click to find out a
bit about us, use the menu on the left to go straight to your camp or follow any of the links below to visit other sections
of the site. We now have around 3,000 images online plus an additional 2,500+ in the User Photo Galleries. Thanks for visiting!
orioles
An African American vocal style known as doo-wop emerged from the streets of north-eastern cities such as New York, Philadelphia,
and Baltimore. Doo-wop, with its smooth harmonies, was the closest rock style to mainstream pop in the mid-1950s. The Orioles
helped develop the doo-wop sound with their hits "It's Too Soon to Know" (1948) and "Crying in the Chapel"
(1953). Other important African American doo-wop groups included the Coasters, the Drifters, the Moonglows, the Teenagers
and the Platters. The style spread to singing groups of other ethnicities, such as the Capris, Dion and the Belmonts, the
Earls, and the Tokens. The term "doo-wop" was taken from the ad-lib syllables sung in harmony in doo-wop songs.
Two songs in particular may lay claim to being the "first" to contain the syllables "doo wop" in the refrain:
the 1955 hit, "When You Dance" by The Turbans, in which the chant "doo wop" can be plainly heard; and
the 1956 classic "In the Still of the Night" by The Five Satins, with the plaintive "doo wop, doo wah"
refrain in the bridge. It has been erroneously reported that the phrase was coined by radio disc jockey Gus Gossert in the
early 1970s. However, Gossert himself said that "doo-wop(p) was already being used [before me] to categorize the music
in California." It became the fashion in the 1990s to keep expanding the definition backward to include Rhythm &
Blues groups from the mid-1950s and then even further back to include groups from the early 1950s and even the 1940s. There
is no consensus as to what constitutes a doo-wop song and many aficionados of R&B music dislike the term intensely, preferring
to use the term "group vocal harmony" instead
The Fifties remain a popular nostalgia decade, and are often seen in the United States in simplified terms by both proponents
and detractors. Nicknames for the decade include the "Fabulous Fifties" and the "Nifty Fifties".
In the United States, different decades have approached Fifties nostalgia differently. Few people cared for Fifties nostalgia
during the 1960s. The vast societal changes of the Sixties, particularly during the latter half of that decade, made the Fifties
look repressive and square by comparison. Underground cartoonist Robert Crumb satirized Fifties middle-class culture, and
Frank Zappa's 1968 album Cruising with Ruben & the Jets spoofed 1950s doo-wop..
During the 1970s, some people started viewing the Fifties as a calmer, more innocent time, a time devoid of the scandals,
wars, assassinations, riots, and racial strife that had marked American life during the 1960s and early 1970s. Thus the success
of mostly idyllic Fifties-themed entertainment such as the movies American Graffiti and Grease, and the TV series Happy Days
and its spinoff Laverne & Shirley. Fifties nostalgia also appeared in popular music. 1970s songs such as Don McLean's
"American Pie", Elton John's "Crocodile Rock", and Bob Seger's "Old Time Rock and Roll" reflected
the early years of rock and roll and how popular music had changed since then.
New original retro oldies music. 1950's style doo wop,
rockabilly, swing, rhythm blues & rock n' roll tunes.
Download free lyrics & listen to music samples.
Paypal instant digital music mp3 downloads.
Buy Jeff O's Oldies Mp3 songs for $0.75ea!
------------------ It's Cool Man! ------------------
Tribute to Patsy
Did you know ? Britain and France talked about a 'union' in the 1950s and even discussed the possibility of Elizabeth II
becoming the French head of state.
Once-secret papers from the National Archives have yielded the discoveries. On September 10, 1956, French Prime Minister
Guy Mollet came to London to discuss the possibility of a merger between the two countries with Prime Minister Sir Anthony
Eden.
THE SWING JIVE DISCO
We cover all music from Jazz, Swing, Jive, Rock & Roll including the best of the 50s, 60s, through to the Golden Disco
era of the 1970s and 1980s
In fact we cater for all popular music from the 1920s to the present day!
Film History of the 1950s
The 50s decade was known for many things: post-war affluence and increased choice of leisure time activities, conformity,
the Korean War, middle-class values, the rise of modern jazz, the rise of 'fast food' restaurants and drive-ins (Jack in the
Box - founded in 1951; McDonalds - first franchised in 1955 in Des Plaines, IL; and A&W Root Beer Company - formed in
1950, although it had already established over 450 drive-ins throughout the country), a baby boom, the all-electric home as
the ideal, white racist terrorism in the South, the advent of television and TV dinners, abstract art, the first credit card
(Diners Club, in 1951), the rise of drive-in theaters to a peak number in the late 50s with over 4,000 outdoor screens (where
young teenaged couples could find privacy in their hot-rods), and a youth reaction to middle-aged cinema. Older viewers were
prone to stay at home and watch television (about 10.5 million US homes had a TV set in 1950).
Many people who visit the British Monarchy web site have a specific purpose in mind - for example, applying for a message
from The Queen for a relative's birthday or wedding anniversary, inviting a member of the Royal Family to visit their organisation
or community, or buying tickets to visit one of the Royal Residences.
Sterling Times ,_"the virtual scrapbook of British nostalgia",_is here in celebration of "Uncool Britannia".
It's the site where etiquette is still more important than political correctness. SterlingTimes focuses upon some of the eccentricities
of British culture. It's about old and vintage radio, television, music and literature. It's about Englishness and patriotism.
Remembering Rock and Roll Artists Of The '50s, '60s and '70s
Do you remember those endless days of Summer, playing football until the sun was long gone, ice creams melting before you
could eat them in the scorching heat? And what about those Winters; snow piled so high you could scarcely see out the window?
I am currently hard at work building NC version 2.0, or "Son of Nostalgia Central" as I like to call it. This mammoth
task is a complete ground-up re-build of nostalgiacentral.com. The make-over will take some time - probably the remainder
of 2007 - but the end result will provide greatly enhanced content.
Thanks for your patience, and please excuse the dust . . .
Curious, quaint, beautiful and bizarre: devious mechanical marvels of mahogany, oak, iron and brass occupied side shows, bars,
guest houses, arcades and piers in Great Britain from before the turn of the century, right up until the 1970's, when they
were ousted by decimalization and more modern contrivances.
YOU WILL NOT FIND A WIDER
SELECTION OF OLDIES ANYWHERE!
I was ten year old in July as the second world war broke out in September the things I remember about living through a war
was, home service, that was school in a neighbours house which was only in the morning or afternoon we never did a full day.
My Dad was unfit for the armed forces so he did his bit like many others in his position by being a fire spotter that
was being on the street after the sirens had gone with a stirrup pump government issue, there were buckets of sand outside
many houses on our street. We had an Andersons shelter in our yard, half of which was below ground, the smell of damp was
awful, the only light was from a candles left in the shelter, if you forgot to bring the matches in the haste to get down
there then you had to sit in the dark, so Dad reinforced the cellar roof, so that is where Mum and I sat on Friday night of
the Sheffield Blitz.
If you love oldies MIDI music, golden oldies, free MIDI downloads and oldies lyrics then you have arrived at the right site.
It's all here.
bullet The goal of this web site is to provide its visitors with the best quality MIDI music contained on the web.
Thanks for stopping by, enjoy your visit.
This page is a joint project between the Harry S. Truman and Dwight D. Eisenhower Presidential Libraries developed to provide
access to Korean War materials related to the two administrations occupying the White House during that period.
Want to find out all about your favourite Beanotown characters without having to read big, dull, heavy biographies with lots
of pages and no pictures?
When D.C. Thomson's, The Dandy Comic, was released on the 4th December 1937, it broke the mould on the way comics were to
appear forever more. Prior to The Dandy Comic, childrens comics were broadsheet in size and not very colourful. This is to
take nothing away from their content, but when compared to The Dandy Comic, and later on, The Beano Comic and The Magic Comic,
these broadsheets looked rather staid in comparison. Having said all that, the size wasn't exactly new. The story papers,
which had been going for many years, were already tabloid size, it was just new to comics.
everyHit.com is a website for fans of The British music scene from the beginning of the rock 'n' roll era right the way through
to the present day.
It aims to inform about the world's fastest-moving and most vibrant music industry and promote it across the planet.
The site is non-profit making. There are no sponsors and no banner advertisements.
For so many years, historians and casual observers alike have observed the events of World War II through faded black and
white images. What most people do not know is the fact that quite a large portion of the WWII was shot using color film! However,
it wasn't until recently that a lot of the photographs and motion picture footage was de-classified by the U.S. Government.
We don't just have a collection of U.S. images, but we also have a diverse collection of German, Russian, Japanese, British
and Italian photos
British History Online is the digital library containing some of the core printed primary and secondary sources for the medieval
and modern history of the British Isles. Created by the Institute of Historical Research and the History of Parliament Trust,
we aim to support academic and personal users around the world in their learning, teaching and research.
The museum shows the development of Germany's armored troops from 1917 to the present with displays of vehicles, weapons,
equipment, uniforms, documents and medals. The museum's exhibits cover all branches of the German armored corps: tanks, mechanized
infantry, armored reconnaissance, anti-tank, self-propelled artillery, and armored engineers.
The Twentieth Century was one of sorrow and joy, pain and excitement, tragedy and hope. As we stand at the threshold of a
new millennium, it is important to take a look back on where our country has been. Let us be your tour guides through these
event-filled decades. When you are finished catching up on all the happenings of this great century, take our Century in Review
Quiz to see how much you really know about this last century of the millennium.
GREAT MOMENTS OF THE 20TH CENTURY features nearly 200 audio clips of the 20th Century's century's most important events from
Marconi's first transatlantic radio transmission in December 1901 to the New Year's Eve celebration in Times Square on December
31, 1999.
There were roughly 200 teashops each with a front shop for selling bakery items and inside one or more cafeteria type counter
services for hot meals and beverages. Each shop had a code number for quick reference. The first was A - Picadilly. The code
ran through from A to Z - Kings Cross and then AA to ZZ followed by A3 - Z9. Provincial and coastal shops had a double letter
viz HE - Bournemouth. I can still remember a few as I was a young draughtsman in the New Teashops works department in the
1950s, drawing the catering equipment that made up the counters and kitchen.
This three-part feature with discography appeared in In Tune magazine (November/December 2005 and January 2006). Im publishing
it on the web as Clinton has not have enough acclaim and deserves to have his story told. Whether Ive done him justice of
course is another matter.
An appreciation of Clinton Ford
by Spencer Leigh
In another sense, though,Fanlight Fannyis typical of Clints songbook. His preference is for little-known but well-written
songs from a bygone age. In concert, he resembles a one-man edition of The Good Old Days as you hear songs that nobody else
has sung for years. He is a one-man custodian of the Tin Pan Alley archives who is entrusted with bringing these songs to
life.
Please take the time to look around the various areas of my site, there's plenty to see! Find out interesting facts about
me, my career achievements to date, my current projects, and how I can improve your stations ratings. Enjoy the great times
you grew up in with my Goldmine radio show, available online now-Enjoy.The Latest Goldmine Show is HERE NOW!
The Tony James Goldmine Radio Show is updated with a NEW PROGRAMME on THE FIRST OF EVERY MONTH.Best of all it's FREE,
Don't miss it!.We're Talking The Great Times You Grew Up In-The 60s,70s and 80s.If you have spread the word about us-Sincere
Thanks, Tony.
The early 1950s was a time remembered for its innocence, timeless style (excepting perhaps pink tail-finned Cadillacs), the
end of the Korean War, and the end of the big band era. By the end of 1953 "Rock Around The Clock" would be an international
hit for Bill Haley and the Comets, and shortly thereafter Chuck Berry, Little Richard, Fats Domino, and Elvis Presley would
take the limelight away from the crooners.
Baden-Powell returned to England a national hero, after defending the town of Mafeking (Mafikeng as it is now spelled) for
seven months from the besieging Boer troops, the first real British triumph in the Boer War. When he returned to England,
he discovered that many boys and young men were avidly reading his book Aids to Scouting. This book was intended as a military
training manual, teaching soldiers techniques such as observation, tracking, initiative...
Reminisce This recalls the golden era of the late 20th century...namely the three decades that helped define our lingering
memory of that period, the 1950s, 1960s and 1970s.
Wurlitzer-3500
Coin-operated music boxes and player pianos carved out a place for automatic pay-per-tune music in fairgrounds, amusement
parks and other public places (such as train stations in Switzerland) a few decades before the introduction of reliable coin-operated
phonographs. The first jukebox was an automatic phonograph produced in 1927 by Rowe International, then known as AMI. Some
of these automatic musical instruments were extremely well built and have survived to this day in the hands of collectors
and museums. But commercially they could not compete with the jukebox in the long run since they were limited to the instrument
(or instruments) used in their construction, and could not reproduce the human voice.
The immediate ancestor of the jukebox, called the "Coin-slot phonograph", was the first medium of sound recording
encountered by the general public, before mass produced home audio equipment became common. Such machines began to be mass
produced in 1889, using phonograph cylinders for records. The earliest machines played but a single record (of about 2 minutes
of music or entertainment), but soon devices were developed that allowed customers to choose between multiple records. In
the 1910s the cylinder gradually was superseded by the gramophone record. The term "juke box" came into use in the
United States in the 1930s, derived either from African-American slang "jook" meaning "dance" or from
a name given to it by critics who said it would encourage criminal behavior, this came from the fake family name Juke. The
shellac 78 rpm record dominated jukeboxes until the Seeburg Corporation introduced an all 45 rpm vinyl record jukebox in 1950.
The hula hoop is a toy hoop, usually made of plastic, that is twirled around the waist, limbs, or neck.
Although the exact origins of hula hoops are unknown, children around the world have played with hoops, twirling, rolling
and throwing them throughout history. Traditional materials for hoops include grapevines and stiff grasses. Today, they are
often made of plastic.
In Egypt around 3,000 years ago, hoops made out of grape vines were propelled around the ground with sticks. The word
"hula" was added in the early 18th century as sailors who visited Hawaii noticed the similarity between hula dancing
and tripping hoops.
HulaHoop
From 1954, for generations of children, Saturday morning was one of the great highlights of the week. Although the weekday
"Children's Hour" provided rich entertainment for those between the ages of potty and puberty , Uncle Mac's selection
of record requests was something very special: you might even hear your name being read out! Sheer bliss!!! His opening words
"Hello Children Everywhere!" and the string orchestra signature tune of 'Puffing Billy', became symbols of the Fifties
every bit as evocative as Dan Dare, Meccano and grey flannel shorts.
Dan Dare is a classic British science fiction comic hero. The comic hero was first created by Frank Hampson in his "Dan
Dare - Pilot Of The Future" science-fiction strip-cartoon series in 1950. The series was distinguished by its snappy
dialogues, meticulously illustrated artwork and complex story lines. The popularity and quality of the comic series remained
high throughout the 1950s.
Initially, Dan Dare was surrounded by a varying cast of characters that included Digby, Professor Peabody, Hank Hogan,
Sondra and Sir Hubert Guest. The series was also aired five times a week on Radio Luxembourg during 1950s. Dan Dare appeared
in the first issue of "2000 AD" magazine in 1977. The strip got a major changeover in 1987 and became more like
a space opera. Dan sported a "tough guy" look and led a team of space commandos. Dan Dare starred in a series of
three computer games during the 1980s. The series featured spacecrafts of various designs as products of the inhabitants of
other planets. Later an experimental time-traveling ship "Tempus Frangit" was also introduced into the series.
Freddie Baker
LIVERPOOL SINGER/SONGWRITER
CLOSING OF THE DAY WW2 Tribute and other free tracks
Welcome to Reel Classics, the Internet's most comprehensive site dedicated exclusively to Classic Movies. Comprising over
2500 pages and more than 3 gigabytes of content (with much more on the way), it may well be the biggest too. Enjoy your look
around and remember to come back soon. Reel Classics is constantly being revised and updated.
Fred Dibnah passed away on Saturday 6th November 2004 at Bolton Hospice following a brave battle with cancer.
Fred's family pass on their thanks for the messages of condolence they have received.
In the Spring of 2005 Fred's last series for the BBC will be screeened but in the meantime if you require any information
on Fred's past series, videos or books please contact the BBC.
Double click on any word and get further information
Often dismissed as 'greasy spoons', classic cafes are actually little gems of British vernacular high street design. This
site celebrates their ambience and architecture with over 130 vintage London Formica caffs reviewed, revealed and reappraised.
The 60s also saw the most spectacular technical achievement of the 20th Century when America won the Space race and man landed
on the moon in July 1969 - but the greatest shock of the decade was the assassination of President Kennedy in 1963.
The second half of the sixties were the years of change. No year in the decade saw greater change than 1967. It was the
year of Peace and Love. It was a year perfectly summed up in San Francisco by Scott McKenzie. Dressed in a kaftan, beads and
bells and wearing flowers in his hair, McKenzie looked a right pratt.
The village by village contact site for anybody researching family history, genealogy and local history in the UK and Ireland.
Every UK county, town and village has a page for family history, local history, surname and genealogy enquiries. Use the search
box to find your village or town.
"For this is total war, and total war is war right inside the home itself. Emptying the clothes cupboards and the larder,
screaming its threats through the radio at the hearth - burning and bombing it's way from roof to cellar."
J B Priestley. Postscript 1940
When the Young@ Heart began in 1982 the members all lived in an elderly housing project in Northampton, MA called the Walter
Salvo House. The first group included elders who lived through both World Wars. One of our members had fought in the Battle
of the Somme as a 16 year old and another, Anna Main, lost her husband in the First World War.
The Wayback Machine plays the greatest songs ever recorded from 1955 through 1979, starting with Bill Haley and the Comet's
Rock Around the Clock, the song that started it all
Paul J. Warwick is Boston's half baked Bean bringing you the"Wayback Machine" covering the 45 RPM sounds of
1950s to late 70s. Paul's humorous look at these areas is not only entertaining for all ages of listeners, but also a wonderful
trip down memory lane that everyone enjoys. A wonderful addition to the Flaming Oldies Showcase Series.
THE UK'S FREE ROCKABILLY MAGAZINE
NO Subscriptions NO Charges - Just read for free!
Hey Chickie Baby, this site is rated Cool for Cats, hep Chicks, Greasers, Motor heads, Beats, Cool Kittens and Sandra Dee's.
Site contains over 400 Photos of Fifties Cars, Fabulous 50's Visitors memories and pictures, nostalgia, Pinups, Retro Fashions
and Fun Shopping. Oldies Clip-art, all the Fifties, all the time, completely modern and up to date.
Welcome to the Early Blues Website
Did we really look like this ? see pic below
Lost in the Fifties
''close your eyes baby, follow my heart, call on the memories, here in the dark,
we'll let the magic take us away, back to the feelin's we shared when they played ..''
1950's British Television Nostalgia
Welcome to British TV History, which concentrates on historic broadcasts, timelines, archive issues and TV technology, from
the earliest days of mechanical television to todays digital broadcasts
Everyone feels some nostalgia for the TV programmes that they watched when very young, so here we attempt to bring back to
you some of the flavour of television in the Fifties.
An introduction to TV in the Fifties, testcards, the BBC Clock and the major milestones of TV progress in the '50s feature
in this section. A few video clips are included to illustrate how it all worked.
The Potter's Wheel, London to Brighton in Four Minutes and those Announcers with the BBC accents like MacDonald Hobley
and Sylvia Peters.
Woodentops, Mr.Turnip, Hank the Cowboy, Hopalong Cassidy, The Bumblies, Billy Bunter, Sooty, Ivor the Engine, Tony Hancock,
The Cisco Kid, Crackerjack, Robin Hood, Rin Tin Tin, Dixon of Dock Green, Captain Pugwash, Maigret, Bilko, Whacko!, Whirlybirds.....
and loads more!
We're talking about Fifites Rock 'N' Roll, Rockabilly, Doo Wop, Rhythm & Blues, Pin-Ups, Tattoos, Hot Rods, Weekenders
etc.
Landmark Dates in British Television - from Bairds spinning discs to digital widescreen
This page is dedicated to TV shows from the past, with a selection of links to pages looking back at classic TV shows.
There were three main BBC Radio stations broadcasting in Britain in the 1950s. The most widely listened-to service, the "Light
Programme", brought us popular music as well as mainstream light entertainment in the form of variety shows, comedy,
and drama. The "Home Service", whilst it also had its share of general entertainment programmes, was the main channel
for news, features, and drama of a more demanding kind and was the home too of regional programming. The "Third Programme"
meanwhile was unashamedly highbrow in character: broadcasting in the evenings only, its output consisted of classical music
concerts and recitals, talks on matters scientific, philosophical, and cultural, together with poetry readings and classic
or experimental plays. In 1957 its weekly hours were cut by 40%.
Many years ago, a party of Caroline enthusiasts travelled from Britain to Holland to sail past our ship Ross Revenge and
so to celebrate Carolines 25th anniversary.
Ronan ORahilly spoke to the crowd and wondered if we might meet up again on the fiftieth anniversary. It seemed like a
foolish comment, but come this Easter that milestone date will only be seven years away. How quickly time and life passes
by.
These are vintage 1950s & 1960s rock n roll movies that contain quintessential music performances and vintage footage
of important artists in their prime. If you dig the original rockers of rock n roll, these are the movies for you!
Beginning in 1955 and finally ending in 1976, Dixon Of Dock Green was the longest running police series on British television
and although its homeliness would later become a benchmark to measure the "realism" of later police series, such
as Z Cars and The Bill, it was an enormously popular series.
1950s birth of British rock
The trad jazz movement spawned an offshoot when Chris Barber's Jazz Band introduced interval entertainment with their
banjo player Lonnie Donegan playing guitar "skiffle". He had an unlikely hit with his version of Leadbelly's "Rock
Island Line", recorded in 1955 and becoming a hit in both Britain and the U.S.A. in 1956. Skiffle introduced the idea
of music being easy to play and spawned "skiffle groups" across the country, including "The Quarrymen"
in Liverpool who would later become the Beatles. The folk scene also increased the appetite for Blues, bringing across artists
like Big Bill Broonzy and Sonny Terry & Brownie McGhee but there was a puritanical insistence on keeping music acoustic.
American rock and roll had an impact across the globe in the 1950s, perhaps most intensely in the United Kingdom, where
record collecting and trend-watching were in full bloom among the emerging "teenage" culture prior to the rock era,
and where colour barriers were barely an issue. The British were quick to follow the success of Elvis Presley and in 1958
three British teenagers formed a rock and roll group, 'Cliff Richard and the Drifters (later renamed Cliff Richard and the
Shadows). The group recorded a hit, "Move It", marking not only what is held to be the very first British full-on
rock 'n' roll single, but also the beginnings of a different sound – British rock, prophesying "they say it's
gonna die, but let's face it; we just don't know what's going to replace it". In the 60s other British groups would show
them. They were not alone in copying the genre, others included Tommy Steele and Adam Faith.
Cliff Richard and The Shadows became the most influential band in the UK and set standards for following British (and
American) groups. With two guitars, bass guitar and drums, they also changed the way the guitar was featured, introducing
the Fender Stratocaster and the concept of a "lead guitar" virtuoso (Hank Marvin) to the rock scene and featuring
an electric bass guitar instead of the usual standup bass. Appealing almost exclusively to and hugely popular with youth in
Britain (including the nascent Beatles) as well as across Europe, Cliff and the Shadows also influenced many UK teenagers
to begin buying records, a trend which would reach a peak with The Beatles a few years later. The group also paved the way
for the Beatles in other ways, touring the US (without much fanfare) and whetting US record companies' appetites for a youth-oriented
band to market stateside.
