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Saturday 8 August 2015

REMINISCING ……….







Came across this photo yesterday ….. that's me in the middle in the back row, age 17, taken at my school, The Latymer Grammar School 1968 !!!! We were in the Upper Sixth !!! We look more like pupils from St. Trinians !! You can see how I liked to be individual ….. all the other girls have their Summer uniform on and I obviously decided to stay in my Winter uniform !! My hair has stayed virtually the same since then !

Have a listen to Tomorrow Never Knows from The Beatles and see if you were doing much the same as me when you were 17. 




It was a time when we smoked Gauloises or Dunhill International and, if we wanted to be truly sophisticated, St. Moritz menthol !



….. a time to get lifts in MGB's …..


 ….. or to hang around with Mod's and ride on their scooters.


….. having seances and drinking vodka and lime …..


….. hanging out all day in Biba …..


….. going to see The Beatles at Finsbury Park Astoria …..


Dancing to the likes of  Cream, The Yardbirds, Manfred Mann, The Who, The Moody Blues and Jimmi Hendrix at The Marquee or going to Samantha's and The Purple Pussycat …..


Shopping at Chelsea Girl …..


Meeting friend's for a chocolate milkshake in the Wimpy …..


Wearing hot pants and suede boots …..


….. and mini skirts …..






….. painting on lower lashes and freckles, like Twiggy …..



….. and spending Saturday in Carnaby Street.

It really was great to be a teenager in the 1960's  !






XXXX









tomorrow never knows - the beatles: via YouTube, image 1: via me, image 2: via distal, image 3: via pinstopin, image 4: via fan pop, image 5: via the magic cafe, image 6: gala darling, image 7: via islington.gov, image 8: via tumblr, image 9: via telegraph, images 10 & 12: via pinterest, image 11: via digilander, image 13: via boro, image 14: via best dressed ginger


Jackie

50 comments:

  1. Oh my . . . the memories . . . I was in my young twenties in the early 60's . . . college grad, newly married in '61, short dresses, mini skirts, we were "it!"
    Great time in my life . . . thanks for stirring the memories!

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    1. It must have been very similar in the U.S as it was here Lynne …… brilliant times. XXXX

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    2. Similarities I am sure . . . although you could reach out and TOUCH the BEATLES!

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    3. Yes Lynne …. that's true …. the Beatles were a bit more available and a lot of the music and fashion did start here but you had other things going for you. When I was young, I was in awe of anything American ! XXXX

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  2. I lived in London from 64 to about 68 so pretty well all of your pictures are familiar... even the one hanging about in Biba. What great times they were. I knew Twiggy quite well, met BB, and was friends with Paul Macartney.....I could go on. (I also shared a house with Syd Barrett for a while, so you can imagine). Wonderful memories.



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    1. p.s. One of my grandfathers went to your school!

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    3. WOW Cro …… you hung out with some great people. When I was a little older and was at work in Mayfair, I used to fraternise with Long John Baldry, The Who, Status Quo, to name drop just a few !!!!! Also, David Niven used to touch his hat to me every morning on my way to work !!
      That's great that your Grandfather went to my school …….. I had to pass the 11+ to get in but it's an entrance exam now and everyone wants to go there. Happy days. XXXX

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    4. Back in England I have a book prize that my grandfather was awarded at Latymer. The prize was for Latin, and the book is called Latymer's Candle.

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    5. I don't recall Latymer's Candle Cro but, I didn't do Latin and maybe it was before my time !! The Latin teacher that my sister had was Mr. Cox and he wore built up shoes. He was so horrible to my sister that my Dad { who was way over six foot }, went up to the school and told him off …….. he had vertically challenging problems, obviously !!!! I must ask my sister about the book. XXXX

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  3. You were so lucky. I wasn't born until 1968 but I did do Carnaby Street every Saturday in the early 80's dressed in my best 60's clothes, I was a Mod when the Mod revival happened.
    Jo xx

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    1. I don't like to live in the past but, it was a great era. We all had a wonderful time, Hesta. XXXX

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  4. Wonderful photos.
    Brings back so many memories . . .

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    1. They are, aren't they Rick ……. a really fun time to be young. XXXX

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  5. Biba looks just as dark as I remember it.

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    1. Oh how I loved Biba Tom but mostly when it was in Kennsington Church Street …… I wasn't quite as keen when they moved to Derry and Toms in Kensington High Street but it was amazing with the roof top garden and flamingos !!!!
      I had pretty much the exact outfit as the girl in the hot pants in the above photograph, but my boots and hotpants were grey ….. don't think that I'd get away with it now !!!!!! XXXX

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    2. My pants were grey as well. They still are.

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    3. Hahahahaha ……. that's why all of my underwear is black !!!!!! XXXX

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  6. Great photos, great times Jackie ....love that photo, you look the same, I instantly knew it was you!!

    We went to Latymer last month to look round with my son - they began the Parents Talk by telling us that most of us would not get a place, it's ridiculously competitive to get in these days....lovely school though, am crossing my fingers! Xx

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    1. Hi Simone ……. lovely to hear from you and am always thinking of you.
      Oh, I do hope that you get Latymer ……. I still think that it's a wonderful school but, I know just how hard it is to get in. I probably didn't make the most of my time there { to busy doing all of the above !!!! } but still had a wonderful education.
      Keep me posted ….. I love to hear how you are all getting on. Much love. XXXX

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  7. Oooh lucky you Jackie you went to Biba! and got to see The Beatles!! Cor....this was a trip down memory lane. Just showed your post to my husband and he recalled being in The Cavern before The Beatles were famous and John Lennon and the others coming to sit as his table and John caging a cigarette from him. Apparently hubby's girlfriend at the time was a school friend of Ringo's wife.

    I loved your old school photograph, I recognised you there on the back row. My my the girl sat on the lads knee at the front on the left looks a flighty piece... Legs Eleven!! ;))))

    Hugs Jane x

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    1. Wonderful memories for your husband Jane ….. it seems that we all have a tale or two to tell from those times don't we ? My friend's and I saw The Beatles twice ….once at The Finsbury Park Astoria and another time at The Hammersmith Palais.
      The girl in the front was Beverly Criddle …. she was nice and, I think that all of us girls showed everything when we sat down because our skirts were SO short !!! XXXX

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  8. Such wonderful memories shared here Jacqueline, and yes I admit, I do actually enjoy living in the past, especially when it comes to fashion and music. I was ahead of you by several years and emigrated to the US in '62 . My years at Torquay Girls' Grammar are memorable - the boys were in a separate school and still are - just prior to the Beatles/Twiggy etc. We were very affected by Bill Haley & The Comets, and of course Elvis! When I made my first trip back to London in '64 it was amazing and I HAD to buy mini skirts to bring back to Washington DC where, I must admit, they caused quite a stir in the rock 'roll clubs we frequented downtown, nobody here was wearing them! I also had a pair of fabulous high-heel black patent 'winkle-pickers' bought at Mansfield - do you remember those shoes? Of course I also had the legs to wear them back in the day, haha!

    Great post and fabulous photos, you haven't changed at all.
    Many thanks for the memories.
    Mary -

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    1. Dear Mary,
      Thank you so much for such a lovely comment.
      …… and you brought back some memories for me …. Mansfields …. I'd forgotten about that shoe shop but bought a few pairs of shoes from there.
      Such great times weren't they ? XXXX

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  9. Great memories, and fabulous pictures. I'm older than you & was a young bride in '62. I did go to the Cavern before the Beatles, but didn't really like it. too claustrophobic for me I loved the mini skirts and bought one in Spain whilst on holiday there it was brown suede and I wore it with white knee high boots. Ah ! memories. I did meet singers Frankie Vaughan and Dickie Valentine, now I'm giving away my age ( well before your time ) . I was a fan of Billy Fury who I saw on stage as the warm up act before Marty Wilde. Great post

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    1. Hi Barbara ….. I am very envious that you went to the Cavern …… about one of the only places that I didn't go !!
      …. and suede was so fashionable in the '60's wasn't it ? I had suede boots, suede coats and mini skirts too.
      …. and, I do remember Frankie Vaughan and Dickie Valentine and Billy Fury and Marty Wilde !! Happy days. XXXX

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  10. I remember it all. Thank your for sharing the images and reminding me of my teenage years.

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    1. I guess that I might be putting a slightly rosy glow on it all Josephine but, I do remember having fun in the '60's. The music and fashion were revolutionary and laid down the path for all that has come since …. it was a great time to be young I think. XXXX

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  11. Even though I was in the US, I definitely did the hot pants and boots and hung with my friends at the malt shop! Oh those were the days----we are all lucky we lived through them. Most of the time I was busy being the pesky little sister to my oldest sister who was dating a guy I had a mad crush on. She let him get away, and I mourned for weeks. She was was fine, but I wasn't :)))))))
    I LOVE your posts so much dear Jackie!!!! They are so much fun to read. I also love this darling class photo of you and your classmates. You and I wore our hair the same. Because mine was curly, I would straighten it by wearing soup cans (bet you remember that) or jump in the back of my brothers truck and he would speed down the road and when we were back
    my hair was dry and straight as a rail. I had my long hair all my life until I turned about 45 and then---WHACK---
    much love from me....

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    1. I think it was the same in the US as it was over here June…… I was also the pesky little sister to my older sister !!!!
      My hair is as straight as a poker so, wearing it long is best for me June.
      Thanks so much for your memories …. you made me laugh !! Much love back. XXXX

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  12. Squeeeee! What a great photo of you and your pals, Jackie!
    So envious - I always wanted to be in London at that time.

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    1. I am so pleased that I've got a few photographs of me and my friend's from the '60's Carol. We didn't take that many in those days did we ?
      London was definitely the place to be in the 1960's, that's for sure. XXXX

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    2. There was something special about having fewer photos I think - today when people take so many 'selfies' I want to scream, I think back about when you had to wait to see what came back from the photo developer place...and those few photos were treasured. (Even the not-so-flattering ones, or maybe not! :) xo

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    3. You're so right about the ' selfies ' Carol …. what's that all about ?
      …. and, that anticipation of waiting for your photos to come back …… they were often a bit of a disappointment though !! XXXX

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  13. Hot pants - tick. Mini skirts - tick. Dancing to groups before they were famous - tick. Queuing to see the Beatles - tick. Painting on eyelashes and freckles a la Twiggy - tick. Mods not Rockers - tick. Great times great memories. Great photo of you and your mates.

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    1. Sound's as if we were all doing pretty much the same thing in the '60's Elaine.
      I was a Mod …. loved the clothes, the boys, the music !! XXXX

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  14. Love your post...!!...i was born in 1965.....so a little girl when you do al those things but i did it 13 years later....;-)...love from me Ria x

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    1. The 1970's were just as good Ria …. a great time to be young. XXXX

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  15. Dear Jackie - absolutely lovely! I still have (in a wardrobe on the attic) a wonderfull jacket from Biba (black, slim, and white imitated sheep-fur as a very long collar), if you see my wedding-photo you see mostly legs :-), and I varied the eye-make-up a bit, but not that much - still a success (I'm definitely NOT in the beige-colour palette of Bobby Brown, though they changed now when bought by the French) Great time then - great time now.

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    1. Dear Britta,
      I too, still have a Biba jacket. Mine was even on The Antiques Road Show and was valued at £800.00 !!!!!! I can still get in it too !! I also have lots of Biba make up although I think it's a bit over the top for me now.
      …… and, you're so right …. good times then but good times now. XXXX

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  16. I started primary school in 1969, so I only remember snippets from the 60s, but in my teens i loved the clothes and music (I still do), Lovely post.xx

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    1. Dear Deb ……. you are just a baby !!! hehe
      I think that the 1970's were pretty good too and I love the here and now.
      Have a great week Deb. XXXX

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  17. This post is a winner Jackie! Although I was only four in 1968, I have always been a fan of The Beatles. Their songs were the first that I heard and I used to sing along with them in Dutch as a toddler :-). You can imagine how envious I am that you actually saw them. Lucky lucky you! Great photo of you in uniform. You are right....you haven't changed a bit! Your photo's make me wish I was born ten years earlier ;-)

    Have a good week ahead!

    Madelief x

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    1. Hi dear Madelief …….. seeing The Beatles was brilliant and I saw them twice !! You couldn't hear them as eveyone was screaming !!
      I'm afraid that my hair has stayed the same ……. I'm not very adventurous in the hair department !!!
      Have a great week Madelief. XXXX

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  18. Great post, Jackie...you haven't changed a bit!
    FABULOUS xx

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  19. Haha …..if you saw me close up Catherine, and without my phone in front of my face, you wouldn't say that !!!!!!! Still, I do what I can !! XXXX

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  20. I love these photos. Your old Upper 6th form one could easily be mine from 20 years later. I love the 60's sense of style. The one of the woman walking daringly through the crowds in her shorts is incredible.

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