60s and 70s nostalgia: What today’s younger generations might not recognise

If you stop and think about the number of things the average 15-year-old has seen become obsolete over their life, you can list a few things. Items like televisions with a “box” at the back and computers that also come with a”box” under the desk. It got me thinking about the things we knew as adolescents that future generations will never know because some of us still consider TVs with a “box” at the back new!

So take a walk down memory lane with us and think of all the things we once considered a part of everyday life that kids today won’t ever know…

Bench seats across cars

This is where the game “corners” began I’m sure. In my family, we’d argue about who sat on the edge and who sat in the middle. It was always going to be a bad time if you were in a cranky mood and got the middle seat! Did you also play “corners”?

Televisions with a dial and bunny ears

The television dial was the only way we could work the TV when we were younger, and we were lucky to have a TV in the first place! There were no remotes and we’d sit so close to the screen that we could easily change it. The bunny ear antenna was a feature that came with every TV sold, and if you dare bend that wire you better be ready to face the wrath of the whole family! Did you have a TV in your house? What shows did you watch?

Slide reel

Slide reels and viewfinders were how we captured moments and enjoyed memories, stories and photographs. Did you have a slide reel?

The traditional glass Coke bottle

It tasted better from a glass… And that is just the truth! The increased manufacturing prices and safety concerns have stopped coke from being the glass-bottled goodness it once was. Do you think Coke tasted better in a glass too?

Jukebox

It was so much fun getting to put the coin in the jukebox and choosing your favourite song! It was what we used instead of CD players or digital music streaming on websites like Spotify. My grandkids don’t understand when I talk about how exciting it was to choose your favourite song and put it on… What was your favourite Jukebox Saturday song?

Transistor radio

The transistor radio was something so special. If you were lucky enough to have your own, you would sleep with it under your pillow and listen to your favourite songs late at night when your parents were asleep! We carried them everywhere and they made us so happy. They were the iPod of our generation and we loved them!

Typewriter

This is something rarely seen in museums all over the world. But, in my early work years in the typing pool, it was a part of my life every single day. Replaced by the computers and Microsoft Word of today, I like to think we were clever because we couldn’t rely on a “backspace” button!

A twin-tub washing machine

Remembering to get it out of one side and put it in the other was a challenge in itself! But, we swore by these trendy inventions in housekeeping. They made washing clothes a whole world easier!