I’m participating in the 52 weeks of personal genealogy and history challenge.
This week’s topic is all about what were some of the technological advances that happened during your childhood. Wow – where to start as there has been incredible change during my 50 something years.
After some thinking I have come up with my top 3 technological advances that impacted me the most in hindsight.
Without doubt the purchase of our first television changed our lives (and our eating habits). We always used to eat together as a family at least up until our high school years. When we bought the TV it went into the lounge room but we all were soon addicted to the TV (even though it was B&W). And no we didn’t start eating in the lounge room!
Our lounge and dining rooms were really one big room so it was a relatively easy matter to turn the TV around at dinner time, although it was incredibly heavy. We always had to watch the news and then my strongest memory is of Bob and Dolly Dyer and Pick A Box which we watched religiously. I can still remember Barry Jones and his debates with Bob.
Of course with the TV on that was the end of dinner conversation as a family unless we could do it within the adverts and there didn’t seem to be that many back then. After dinner I had to go to my room and do homework, especially when I was in high school, and I remember having to yell to turn the TV down so that I could think. It was only a small house and my brother would be playing his music in his room across the hall to make it even more chaotic. I ended up using ear plugs.
Even today I tend to associate dinner time with the 6.00pm news and I strongly suspect that is why Queensland still doesn’t have daylight saving – they are all inside watching the news on TV and having dinner at 6.00pm, which would only be 5.00pm real time. I never really believed the curtains would fade.
My second technologically shattering event was the invention of the pop up toaster. I can’t tell you how many times I used to burn my fingers on the old toaster which you had to open from the sides to put the bread in and then open without burning yourself once it got hot. I also used to burn a lot of toast as well. So for me the pop up toaster was simply the best invention after sliced bread or was it before sliced bread! Everyone’s allowed one trivial memory!
From a non family perspective the greatest event I ever witnessed was Neil Armstrong walking on the moon. It was a school day and I was in a small high school in Brisbane. Due to the significance of the event, we were all herded into the science lab to watch the television. We stood there for what seemed like hours (thankfully it was winter) but it is still incredible to think we were watching it live on television.
I had always been fascinated by astronomy and outer space and I used to watch all those early B&W space movies and so on. My first real love was William Shatner aka Captain Kirk from the Starship Enterprise – none of the other spin offs have captured my attention as much as the original series did.
If I was to come closer to the present, one would have to say things like my first computer and then laptop, the joy of email, the internet not to mention mobile phones and all the other gadgets that we can no longer seem to live without. My generation has certainly seen a lot of technological change in our everyday lives. I am left wondering what my Gen Y son would say to the same question.
Great post. I’m really enjoying all the different views and experiences with technology. Thank you for participating in the 52-week series.
The change in dinner time conservation was proufound when the B&W TV was introduced into our home – even though it was in the next room. We didn’t want to leave the TV to eat and couldn’t wait to get back to it. Until then the whole family could sit around the table for several hours , while the dishes were washed, then reading, listening to the radio, playing cards, doing homework.
I loved your story, I also grew up in Bardon and went to Bardon school in the 1950s, lived in Barnett road then 108 Outlook Crescent, went to Maroochydore for holidays played soccer for Bardon at Bowman park.
I don’t live in Bardon now,but I keep going back for bush walks and a coffee at the Outlook Deli. Iam also writing a story of my child hood in Bardon called “THROUGH THE CUTTING”.
Hi Ron I remember the Webbs, my parents were friends with them as we were at 132 Outlook Crescent and could walk up through the bush at the back of our place to your place. Sitting here trying to remember the kids names but I think there was a Gavin, a girl whose name is outside my memory and others. None were in my class and my brother also played soccer at Bowman Park. That’s a long time ago. I’m interested in your story “Through the Cutting” as it just sums up what life was like for that part of Bardon. Good luck.
Dear Ron Webb,
Such a surprise to read your comments and see your name after many, many years. Yes, I do know you Ron. You knew my family in Bardon, particularly Brenda and Pamela Buchanan who grew up at 3 Cecil Road Bardon with my grandparents Alan and Ruby Buchanan. It was wonderful in Bardon! It’s still a lovely place. The house is still there. I do remember where you lived. Would you be able to email me Ron, as I would like to speak to you. Actually, Ron, I think there’s a mystery in Bardon I could solve for you!
Hoping to hear from you,
Tracey Buchanan
Dear Shauna
Tracey Buchanan left a message for me to contact her could you please pass my email address on to her.
sorry it’s so long to respond.
Thank-you Ron Webb
Hi Ron I have passed on your email to Tracey. Thanks
Dear Shauna and Ron,
I have just read that you passed Ron’s email onto me,but I didn’t receive it. I think I set up a Twitter accound to do this. My son would have helped me. But I don’t know my Twitter account. I’ve given my current email which I use all the time. Sorry about this. I’m not good at the computer. If I don’t get an email from Ron Webb, I’ll try to look him up another way. The information on Bardon was wonderful.
Regards,
Tracey (originally from Bardon)
Dear Shauna
Thank-you very much for helping me contact Tracey,
we are now in touch with each other and sharing
information about our past in Bardon.
Thanks again Ron.
Hi Shauna
I just read your page after a long absents , since you helped Tracy Buchanan find me in 2013 how time flys
I am still living in Bardon in my mind.
Hope you are doing fine.
Merry xmas and all the best for the future.
Ron Webb