Another trip down memory lane
Mo came across this photograph of me, that I haven’t seen for many years. You can enlarge it if you so wish – though why would you?
It sparked of a trip down memory lane. The photo is of me waiting for the train that would take me to London. As my guitar is there, I must have been planning to strum some chords.
It was the summer of 1968. I was 22 and, as it was called in those days, courting. How old fashioned does that sound now? I lived in Kent by this time, but traveled to London, to both work and play. I’d hop on the train and travel up to Charing Cross Station. Once there, I met up with my boyfriend. I would stay with him and his mother for the weekend. It was never easy staying there, as his mother was jealous of my relationship with her only son, and showed it.
In the evening we’d set off for the social spots, where we met up with friends. We often spent time at a well known pub called ‘The Earl Of Sandwich’. Famous for it’s sandwiches, but probably frequented more because of the live music. It was one of those ‘buzzing’ scenes of the 60’s.
All night long the melodic sounds of Jazz filled the very large bar. While we drank, chatted and ate the delicious sandwiches, musicians would wander in, unpack their instrument and join the band jamming along for as long as they wanted. It was a forever changing band of about eight to ten musicians at any one time, and many famous names would appear. I didn’t particularly like jazz, but hearing it live and up close like that, I was soon tapping my feet to it! There’s something about live music, played by excellent musicians, that makes it far more enjoyable.
It was at this very pub that I was proposed to, in a very casual way. We were standing by a window and chatting when suddenly I heard “Shall we get married?” I can’t remember my exact words but I did accept.
The next day we went to the equally famous Portobello Road Market to buy the engagement ring. In fact I got two rings. I wasn’t in to diamond’s, so I got two gold rings with garnets. My favourite stones. Both were very old and unusual designs. Not a bit like usual engagement rings. I was never a ‘follow the crowd’ sort of person. I liked doing things differently – always one step away from the norm.
And there I was, engaged to be married with, not one, but two engagement rings, within 12 hours of the proposal. What did I say about being one step away from the norm?
Please don’t ask how long the marriage lasted ;O)
I googled The Earl of Sandwich but, although there were plenty of references the actual Earl, who invented the sandwich, I couldn’t find the pub. Maybe it doesn’t exist now.
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FeelingFlirty | 21 July 2008 at 2:27
LOL.. I swear I had the same dress in 1968!!! I was 2 years younger but swap the head and that pic would have been me.
WillThink4Wine | 21 July 2008 at 3:02
I had the same dress in 10 colors! I hated the green one because all the boys would call me the Green Giant… I was taller than most of them.
weechuff | 21 July 2008 at 9:03
What a lovely blog, and a lovely photo! It set me off day dreaming:0)
Duck | 21 July 2008 at 9:41
What a lovely story! The photo is fantastic – right out of a movie..
Ana | 21 July 2008 at 12:21
Wow, you look lovely in that picture!
“I liked doing things differently – always one step away from the norm.” Somehow I am the same, and isn’t that the interesting part in life
But somehow I would like to know how the story continued…
Babs (Beetle) | 21 July 2008 at 12:59
FeelingFlirty:
I think those style dresses were pretty much standard ;O)
Think4Wine:
How strange…I had about 8-10 dresses in the same style but in all different colour materials. I made my own clothes back then. This one was either my white, or lemon one.
Weechuff:
I do quite a bit of that now days :O)
Duck:
Ha ha! It was a fun movie ;O)
Ana:
It certainly does make life more interesting. I may continue this story one day.
Samantha and Mr. Tigger | 21 July 2008 at 18:00
Pretty cool story! Aww…….the things we did when we were young! Great photo!
Your FL furiends,
and Chandra
Jay | 21 July 2008 at 20:25
Oooh, I remember the sixties! You know, one great thing about being a teenager in the sixties was that you could make one of those shift dresses with one yard of fabric! LOL!
I never had my hair that short though. With my ‘owl’ glasses and square face, it didn’t suit me. Still doesn’t, come to that!
So glamorous you looked standing on that railway platform with your guitar – I didn’t get to do any of that, too young!
LadyBanana | 21 July 2008 at 20:35
Lovely photo, you look so cute
MamaFlo | 21 July 2008 at 21:14
You were as cute as a button.
The story is so sweet.
We’ve got that sandwich shop as a chain (never been there though).
JD at I Do Things | 21 July 2008 at 21:56
Oh, Babs, you are LOVELY! What a great picture and story. See, this is what I love about blogging and its community. How else would I get to know a former “Swinging 60s London Chick”?
Babs (Beetle) | 21 July 2008 at 22:44
Samantha and Mr. Tigger:
Yes, the things we did, I wish I could do again :O)
Jay:
Yes, those dresses were so simple to make. I think I was born at just the right time for the swinging sixties.
LadyBanana:
Thank you I could do with some of that cuteness now :O)
MamaFlo:
Yes, I believe they now have sandwich shops world wide now. It was a great pub.
JD:
Ha ha! I wasn’t quite as swinging as some ;O)
Drowsey Monkey | 22 July 2008 at 3:53
I enlarged it
Look at you! With your twiggy hair style .. very snazzy. That purse is back in style now, or maybe not, I have one.
You look adorable! And what a wonderful story. Soooo…how long did the marriage last?
Lauren | 22 July 2008 at 3:55
You’re adorable!
Mo | 22 July 2008 at 4:29
My mom had that dress in turquoise with BIG daisies on it!
You look very lovely in that photo!
Babs (Beetle) | 22 July 2008 at 12:42
Drowsey:
Twiggy was the ’stick insect’ model. The hair was Vidal Sassoon. It cost me about £50. In 1968 that was a fortune ;O)
Lauren:
Thank you :O)
Mo:
I remember those big daisies so well!
...love Maegan | 22 July 2008 at 21:27
how adorable.
Kathy | 23 July 2008 at 1:09
I’m with DrowseyMonkey. I thought of Twiggy too! Loved your story. You made me want to be there, swingin’ and jazzin’. Ah, they sounded like great times. And a proposal to boot!
Claire | 23 July 2008 at 13:03
You look gorgeous in this photo, why wouldn’t anyone click it to big it.
Babs (Beetle) | 24 July 2008 at 0:51
love Maegan:
Thank you :O)
Kathy:
That is about the time when Twiggy hit the scene, and yes, they were great times.
Claire:
Well, I never have liked looking at myself ;O)
Drowsey Monkey | 24 July 2008 at 3:14
Oh vidal sasoon…very posh
My mom called it a pixie cut and was always cutting my hair like that…but I was 6 and wanted long barbie hair! LOL
You’re such a cutie
Rinkly Rimes | 24 July 2008 at 9:36
Ten years made a difference’I was there in nineteen-fifty
When skirts were rather longer and hair-cuts not so nifty!
Saturday nights I went with friends to the Hammersmith Palais de Dance
Or else the Kensington Town Hall hoping for more romance.
Joe Loss was the band we danced to then, or was it Billy Cotton?
I know I danced with odds and sods now mercifully forgotten!
Earls Court was Kangaroo Valley. I lived there
for a time.
Now I live in Kangaroo Country!
And I like to write in rhyme!
http://rinklyrimes.blogspot.com/
Babs (Beetle) | 24 July 2008 at 12:43
Drowsey:
A little later, in a long running TV show, the female co star wore her hair like this but slightly longer. That became known as the ‘Purdy’ after her characters name.
Rinkly Rimes:
Welcome :O) I also remember the 50’s well. I danced to the Ray McVay orchestra, somewhere in Leicester Square ha ha!
Our family was so close to going to live in Australia, in the early 60’s. I often wonder how my life would have been, had we.
byoc | 25 July 2008 at 17:07
I love the pic and the story – I lived in the “sticks” in Minnesota, but I did have a dress similar in 1968. Great story.
Swubird | 25 July 2008 at 17:13
Babs:
What a beautiful, romantic little story of your engagement. It caught me from the first line and held my attention all the way through. I enjoyed every word of it.
So you played, and drank and ate huge sandwiches. I bet you had a wonderful youth. I’ve never been to London, but I’ve heard that it’s a great place -0 especially for a young person.
Great post.
Happy trails.
Liudmila | 25 July 2008 at 20:11
The minis were loved in the 60-tees too? I remember it was about 75, I think, the girls had minis just covering the … popa.:)))
Babs (Beetle) | 25 July 2008 at 21:37
Byoc:
Thank you for visiting. Yes the fashion was wide spread by then.
Swubird:
Yes, Swubird, London definitely was the place to be then – probably still is, for young people.
Liudmila:
Ha ha! Yes I think mine got shorter too! Lets not forget the ‘Hotpants’
Leeta granny grimble | 1 August 2008 at 17:35
Babs what a lovely photo. Don’t you ever let me hear you say again that you were an ugly duckling. You were a beautiful young lady. I didn’t realise quite how much till I saw this photo. The thing is we don’t appreciate what we have until we’ve lose it! I always wished I looked different as a ‘young thing’ How I wish I could go back and be ‘myself when young’. Let’s have some more photos of my pretty young sister in her twenties.
xxxxxxx
Babs (Beetle) | 5 August 2008 at 18:01
Leeta:
Some of us are never happy with what we look like, whatever our age :O)
gold anne
| 6 September 2008 at 17:49
LOVED THAT BLOG AND YOU AND THE DRESS!!!!
IVE BEEN GOING THROUGH YOUR BLOGS IM NOT QUITE SURE WHAT WORDPRESS ETC IS LOL BUT LOVE WHAT YOU WRITE
XXX
Ivanhoe
| 18 July 2009 at 14:35
What a lovely photo and a woderful story
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