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At one time a school book satchell was identified with the schoolboy (think Shakespeare's "whining schoolboy"!) but, like caps and so, on they were rarely seen, at least in state secondary schools, after the early 1970s. One item I particularly remember was my book satchell. Some of the other boys also had them when I went to primary school. Funnily enough I can't remember the girls having them - or indeed any bag. They usually just had a purse on a leather strap for dinner money. I don't think this was a rule - just a convention. When I started at secondary school I naturally still had my satchell (they were made to last! - and I liked mine anyway).
What I do recall is that many of the boys there did not have satchells - they had proper "briefcases" just like the boy on the left in this image is carrying.Now I think my elder brother also had one of these briefcases to start at secondary school with - maybe my grandfather bought it for him or my Mum did because he was the eldest. He got long trousers straight away for secondary school too whereas I had to wait for mine. I can't remember exactly. I can only talk for London as always - things may have been different elsewhere in the country and in Scotland and so on. I never really saw what my cousin in Yorkshire wore to school as I was only ever there in the school holidays of course - but they did seem a year or two behind us in "fashion".
One item I particularly remember was my book satchell. Some of the other boys also had them when I went to primary school. Funnily enough I can't remember the girls having them - or indeed any bag. They usually just had a purse on a leather strap for dinner money. I don't think this was a rule - just a convention. When I started at secondary school I naturally still had my satchell (they were made to last! - and I liked mine anyway).
Mum always said that backpacks - or satchells as we had - were better for posture than briefcases or sports bags. We always wore them for going shopping and they say that today too. Although there is some concern that children are carrying too much weight in modern book bags today. I don't know why as books are becoming obselete with the internet! Anyway as I say I actually preferred my satchell as it left the hands free - and even when I graduated to a sports bag in secondary school, I carried it slung over my shoulder. The beauty of satchells of course was that they could be worn either properly on the back as my Mum insisted - the posture thing - or at the side with the single strap. Our satchells by the way had a single strap and you looped it around the back of your neck and under the arms in order to to wear it properly. The "German" boy's more "continental-type" back pack had double straps though one for each arm as I recall. I'm only sorry that I don't have a picture of me with my satchell! I was very fond of it and regretted stopping wearing it. I do have pictures in my mind though.
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