Figure 1.--.

I had two brothers, an older and a younger brother. We were a family of modest means and lived in several different areas of London. We were not a close famliy - everybody did their own thing as far as possible. We lived in a poorer part of London, and they were building new housing - but in New Towns outside of the city. Without a Dad we were also reliant on council housing. My cousins who lived in Yorkshire owned their own house and had more stuff - clothes and suchlike. But we seemed to have more fun. I mean to say - my experience of Boyhood in England in the 1960s-70s is not typical. I have noticed that many contributions came from wealthier families - who may have paid to go to private schools which is why I wanted to tell my story. My experience of most of the boys, primarily because after primary school I went on to a Grammar school (selective secondary school). I find these HBC personal experince pages very informative. It would be good if more people got in touch with their experiences of the period and they provide a very useful historical record.

Mum

We had no Dad around and on the whole I think we realised that my mum didn't have a lot of money in our own way so didn't get on to her for new clothes or anything. I notice that I seem to be complaining a lot about my mum in my own writing - I don't know how this comes across to HBC readers. Given HBC is about clothing, it seems that I'm forever at war with her as a kid. I have not added here the stories of how I was lovingly looked after when I was sick etc. As I was writing about the school trips I was remembering all of the work it must have taken for my mum to keep us clothed and fed. I have give my point of view and things I observed as a boy. For instance I complain about my mum wrapping us up in the Winter in clothes we hated, but I could also tell you stories of kids who had no warm clothes for the cold eather. Generally as I said my mum's main concern was to keep us healthy first and then to try to get us the best education she could. Having us on her own meant that she had to work hard at sorting all this out. She was also under pressure from her mum who was always on at her to move back up to Leeds with us. She also tried to be fair with us all. I just didn't want to give the impression that my mum was unfair on us as far as clothes were concerned – she did her best – even though we'd argue. Looking back as an adult now, I'd say I had a wonderful mum.

Older brother

My older brother and I were dressed very much alike, with very few exceptions. This only changed when he entered grammar school. As we went to different grammar schools, we had different unifoms. I suppose the other thing was the grey shirts I wore. They must have been new to me but I never recall discussing the matter. I wore grey and my elder brother wore white. On some of the pages here I get on at my older brother a bit – and he did sometimes deliberately wind me up over clothes (like with my check shorts that he knew I hated wearing) – but on the whole he was alright and, to be honest, we didn't have a lot to do with each other as kids. We were just very different characters – I've said that before – he'd be in the cubs and scouts whereas I wouldn't go near them (I lasted one week at cubs and never got anywhere the stage where you get the uniform). That means he was more into order and organised things whereas I was a bit of a rebel. I used to think my mum was unfair sometimes – but I forgot a lot of the things she did for me – or didn't even think about them. She recognised that we were different and tried to cater for us both but she hated us arguing. The only time she tried to get us talking to each other was when she had us all sat round the table on Sunday for a proper meal but I was always straining to get out and play and talking rather than eating just meant that it would be longer before we'd finished and I could wash or dry the dishes and make my escape. I also think that my older brother would more consiously attempt to help my mum as we didn't have a dad around – he kept his clothes neater and even helped mend them whereas I had to be coaxed or threatened into doing anything like that. He also would look after my younger brother sometimes – including taking him out which I would never do. The incidents like the one I mentioned when we were playing with the frozen shorts stood out as they were unusual – you know having a laugh together.

Younger Brother

I don't recall much of what my younger brother was wearing at this time. He was 3 years younger than me whereas there was only less than a years gap between us older two. I think maybe he too got more new stuff as the two of us had worn stuff out by then, but I'm not sure. Because of a move, he went to a different primary school than the on we older boys attended. Because it had no uniform requirement, he wore more casual clothes than we had worn.

Bill