I remember when ... (Icy Poles were tuppence [2d])

[anat0l]

I remember in the old days when 60 posts that were coincidentally related to each other in The Totally Off-Topic Thread didn't result in a thread split.

 

[anat0l]

Oh yeah. And the health police weren't around so it was ok to wrap chips in newspaper.

Oh yeah that's an interesting one. So was it normal to see black marks (ink) on the chips?


I remember we still had lead pencils when I was in primary school. Then, of course, graphite came onto the scene. Then, most of us stopped using pencils altogether.


Also, can anyone relate when it became normal to use print handwriting rather than script? I don't know why script is taught in primary schools any more (even more so the "modern script", which both has inconsistent rules and is otherwise completely useless). I suppose it's a vehicle to encourage good handwriting from a young age (even as we move to print as we get older), but the scripted handwriting (or modern script) that some people carry on into high school and even adulthood is often terrible (understated bolding of the year).

 

[Pushka]

Hells bells. I learnt to write in ink with quills and blotters.

There was a thin piece of paper between the chips and the newspaper. And you'd dig a hole in the paper to let the steam out.

My 23 year old cant read my cursive but my 28 year old can.

 

[anat0l]

My 23 year old cant read my cursive but my 28 year old can.

I don't care about reading cursive, but more often than not, reading cursive rather than print of random people resulted in more confusion.

Of course, if I couldn't read someone's writing in print, either they had a medical condition, or my brain vomited in frustration.

And I've had to read some horrible handwriting in my life; one of the subjects I did in high school was Information Processing (read: how to type). As part of the assessment, one of our expectations was that we were supposed to be able to read any kind of handwriting - no matter how messy - that was thrown at us, in addition to recognising and correcting spelling and grammar mistakes even if the original copy had these. Kind of ironic as I also did Business Principles and Practice that was taught by the same department. And in their assessment, if your writing was not readable (read: not up to a standard), you failed instantly without opportunity for further consideration, and grammar and spelling errors attracted additional deductions on top of incorrect answers.

These days, "cursive" to a young person probably means the F word, the S word, and all variants of those. Come to think of it, that's not really "cursive" any more, that's a standard part of the language...

 

[basso]

I remember we still had lead pencils when I was in primary school. Then, of course, graphite came onto the scene. Then, most of us stopped using pencils altogether.

They may have been called lead pencils, but they have been using graphite since the 1500's. Of course, you may just be really old.

 

[whatmeworry]

Re: The totally off-topic thread

Does anyone remember the small chocolates called cobbers?

Do I ever! How many fillings they have ripped out.......I will never know

Cobblers were usually 1 cent a piece. freckles more likely 2 per cent.

Cobbers still around.
Allens Chocolate Cobbers
Good article about classic lollies.
Good Food - Lollies we love

 

[JohnK]

Hells bells. I learnt to write in ink with quills and blotters.

You are not that old are you?

 

[erkpod]

They may have been called lead pencils, but they have been using graphite since the 1500's. Of course, you may just be really old.

I remember the rubber thingos that a young kid put on a pencil to help them write.

Now I believe they have to get a pencil licence & then get a pen licence after that.

I'm the holder of a sewing machine licence from 1987 but it's probably expired by now.

 

[anat0l]

Now I believe they have to get a pencil licence & then get a pen licence after that.

We didn't have to get pencil licences, but in grade 6 we had to get pen licences before we were allowed to use pen continually after that.

I'm the holder of a sewing machine licence from 1987 but it's probably expired by now.

Yep, had to get one of those in Home Economics in grade 8 before we could complete our sewing projects.

At least the Berninas that we had in class were quite a bit easier to use than our Elna that we had at home.

 

[AdMEL]

Coke and Fanta in glass bottles , milk delivered in glass bottles with cream under the foil lid , bread delivered to your door or a warm finger bun from the back of the bakery truck on school holidays.
Does anyone remember the small chocolates called cobbers?

Do I ever! How many fillings they have ripped out.......I will never know

Yes, and their close relatives, mates! IIRC, mates were harder than cobbers.

Cobbers still around.
Allens Chocolate Cobbers
Good article about classic lollies.
Good Food - Lollies we love

I was going to post the same article!

Here's another in a similar vein, except about biscuits:

The stories behind Australia's favourite biscuits | Big bikkies

 

[Hvr]

I remember when copper coins had real value.

Well the one cent coin still does, it is the same size as the US 10c (aka dime) and according to people who were there when the AUS 1c was still in circulation, were actually able to be used in vending machines and phone boxes.

 

[cove]

Was that when Mr Whippy ice cream trucks played the Green Sleeves music?

 

[Pollywaffle]

The problem with jelly type lollies (jelly babies, snakes etc) these days is that it's all about the natural colours and flavours. I want my artificial, great tasting lollies back. These natural lollies are insipid.

 

[The Rok]

I remember when Fat Frog's were actually fat and a Curly Wurly cost $.10

 

[Deleted member]

Re: The totally off-topic thread

You're all talking words and sums of money I don't understand!!

There were pounds (£) shillings (/-) and pence (d)
But if you were really flash and shopped at high end stores you paid in guineas. (£1.1/-.00)
There were 20 shillings to the pound. 21 shillings to the Guinea.
Originally a gold coin but that's another story.
2/- was a florin. 2/6- was half a crown , so logically 5/- was a crown
In Australia 6d and 3d were zacs and dina's
There were 12 penny's to the shilling , penny's were big but half penny's ( pronounced Ha' penny ) were small'ish and farthings had pretty much fallen into disuse by the time I was getting pocket money . So you can imagine how interesting maths was at school

 

[Deleted member]

Re: The totally off-topic thread

I remember the days when my Amex card use to pay ATO points

I remember when you could book a JASA on line !!!

 

[Deleted member]

Hells bells. I learnt to write in ink with quills and blotters.

Luxury. We had to use charcoal and bark !

There was a thin piece of paper between the chips and the newspaper. And you'd dig a hole in the paper to let the steam out.

And the smell of integration and salt wafted out to add to the moment

My 23 year old cant read my cursive but my 28 year old can.

Apparently no one can read mine

 

[Rox]

Re: The totally off-topic thread

So you can imagine how interesting maths was at school

My dads boss couldn't cope with the new currency - when doing calculations in his head, he'd have to convert to £sd , do his mental arithmetic, then convert back again.

 

[erkpod]

How long was it before you'd never see the imperial price written on a price tag?

 

[Mal]

I remember when copper coins had real value.

Well the one cent coin still does, it is the same size as the US 10c (aka dime) and according to people who were there when the AUS 1c was still in circulation, were actually able to be used in vending machines and phone boxes.

There are plenty of examples of this. For example, I recently ended up with a coin from an African nation in my wallet instead of a 50 pence coin (very similiar size, roughly 1% of the value). It seems that I somehow managed to dispose of it ... Presumably through a self service checkout.