Media: Nottingham Post {Main} Edition: Date: Monday 27, November 2017 Page: 18,19 BYG O N ES With Andy Smart [email protected]nottinghampost.com/bygones HAPPY YEAR OF JIVING, JUKEBOXES AND TEDDY BOYS According to a recent survey, British people think 1957 was the happiest year of the 20th century. So DAVID LOWE turns the clock back 60 years to recall events in Nottingham and nationwide in an era when Prime Minister Harold Macmillan declared ‘we have never had it so good’ O N the face of it, 1957 might seem an odd choice for most people’s favourite year. Certainly there was plenty happening... skating star Jayne Torvill was born in Nottingham on October 7, 1957; Paul McCartney first met John Lennon that year; Elvis had his first UK No1; Stanley Matthews played his final game for England; and Patrick Moore first appeared on British television. But it was not one of modern history’s iconic years. No-one has ever written a book celebrating the events and achievements of 1957, as they have with landmark years such as 1914 (the beginning of the First World War), 1945 (the end of the Second World War) or 1989 (the end of the Cold War). The main story dominating the national news was the Cyprus troubles. By the end of February 1957, the religious and factional differences on the Mediterranean island had claimed the life of the 100th British serviceman. Around this time Nottingham was also experiencing more than its share of dramas. Heavy snow at the end of February threatened to disrupt Forest’s home game against Sheffield United. In the end it went ahead with l COPYRIGHT: This cutting is reproduced by Gorkana under licence from the NLA, CLA or other copyright owner. No further copying (including the printing of digital cuttings), digital reproduction or forwarding is permitted except under license from the NLA, www.nla.co.uk (for newspapers) CLA, www.cla.co.uk (for books and magazines) or other copyright body. Article Page 1 of 5 A23794 - 1
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Media: Nottingham Post {Main}Edition:Date: Monday 27, November 2017Page: 18,19
BYG O N ESWith Andy Smart [email protected] nottinghampost.com/bygones
HAPPY YEAR OFJIVING, JUKEBOXESAND TEDDY BOYSAccording to a recent survey, British people think 1957 was the happiestyear of the 20th century. So DAVID LOWE turns the clock back 60 years torecall events in Nottingham and nationwide in an era when Prime MinisterHarold Macmillan declared ‘we have never had it so good’
ON the face of it, 1957might seem an oddchoice for mostpeople’s favourite
ye a r.Certainly there was plenty
happening... skating starJayne Torvill was born inNottingham on October 7,1957; Paul McCartney firstmet John Lennon that year;Elvis had his first UK No1;Stanley Matthews played hisfinal game for England; andPatrick Moore first appeared
on British television.But it was not one of
modern history’s iconic years.No-one has ever written abook celebrating the eventsand achievements of 1957, asthey have with landmarkyears such as 1914 (thebeginning of the First WorldWar), 1945 (the end of theSecond World War) or 1989(the end of the Cold War).
The main story dominatingthe national news was theCyprus troubles.
By the end of February1957, the religious andfactional differences on theMediterranean island hadclaimed the life of the 100thBritish serviceman.
Around this timeNottingham was alsoexperiencing more than itsshare of dramas.
Heavy snow at the end ofFebruary threatened todisrupt Forest’s home gameagainst Sheffield United. Inthe end it went ahead with
l
COPYRIGHT: This cutting is reproduced by Gorkana under licence from the NLA, CLA or other copyright owner. No further copying (including the printing of digital cuttings),
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Article Page 1 of 5 A23794 - 1
Media: Nottingham Post {Main}Edition:Date: Monday 27, November 2017Page: 18,19
Forest losing 2-0.But 1957 turned out to be a
very happy season for Forestfans. Reds supporters turnedup in their thousands atBramall Lane on April 27 tosee their team clinch
promotion to the FirstDivision with a 4-0 victoryover the Blades.
It was a year of bizarrehappenings. An earth tremorwas page one news in theNottingham Evening Post onMonday, February 11.
“Buildings were actuallyseen to move backwards andforwards,” reported the Post.“In the Evening Post office,work was proceedingnormally when a generalmovement was seen.
“Panic seized a Nottinghamcinema. A Post reporter toldhow people had startedrunning in all directions.Women screamed and severalpeople were knocked down inthe rush to the exit.
“The tremor was feltthroughout the south andwestern part of the Post’scirculation area, in Ilkestonand Loughborough, and alsobeyond, in Derby and as farsouth-west as Birmingham.”
Three days earlier, the RiverLeen burst its banks inBasford following prolongedrainfall.
So where were all the happystories?
The jive was the dancecraze in 1957 and it wassweeping the East Midlands.The Guardian Journalnewspaper reported that girlsat St Helena’s School,Chesterfield, “gatheredaround a record player afterlunch for one o’clock rock to
“get hep” to the music of Elvisand Bill Haley.”
Borough education officerArthur Greenough did notforesee any problems.
“The girls are taught folkdancing. So why shouldn’t
they jive?” he reflected.Elvis Presley had his first
UK No1 in 1957 but the best-selling single of the year wasPaul Anka’s Diana.
The first “espresso bars”were spreading acrosssouthern England and thefirst skiffle groups werefinding an eager audience.
An application for a jukebox at the Bulwell Café, inCinderhill Road, was rejectedby Nottingham TransferSessions on the grounds that
it would attract undesirables.But Nottingham’s well-
established milk bar, theFarmer Giles, in Chapel Bar,was granted a licence for arecord player.
Teddy boys were big newsin 1957 and fashion reflectedtheir passion for Elvis Presley,rock ’n’ roll and jive dancing.
They enjoyed wearing drapejackets, drainpipe trousers,crepe-soled shoes andBrylcremed hair with a quiff.
Girls wore flared skirts witha wide waistband and sportedpony tails.
One of the best-sellingbooks of the year was BertWeedon’s guitar guide, whichhelped the careers of manyrock legends.
It was an era when childrenenjoyed simpler pastimes –the most popular gifts foryoungsters were yo-yos and I-Spy books.
The frisbee was invented in1957 and the hula hoop wasthe biggest-selling toy.
Although television washaving a big impact on theworld of entertainment,cinema going was stillpopular. Around the World In80 Days, starring David Nivenand Shirley MacLaine, wonthe 1957 Oscar for best film.
So why were people socontented in 1957?
Researchers at theUniversity of Warwick, whocarried out the survey, puttheir findings down to more
realistic expectations about ahappy life.
After living through twoworld wars, it is believedpeople had learned to counttheir blessings.
Dr Daniel Sgroi, co-authorof the report, said: “In 1957memories of the SecondWorld War and the period ofausterity that followed werestill fresh in the mind of thenation, perhaps helpingpeople to appreciate whatthey had.
“It may be that people inthe 1950s had a greater senseof realism about happiness.”
Rationing was over by 1957.The space age had begun withRussia launching Sputnik 2,carrying a dog named Laika.
Technology was cominginto the home. By the end ofthe decade three in tenworking-class families owneda washing machine and eightin ten owned a television. Atthe beginning of the 50svirtually no-one owned either.
Traffic jams barely existed,with only four million cars onthe road, compared with 37million today.
British motorists breathed asigh of relief on May 14, 1957,
when petrol rationing ended.It had been in force for fivemonths following the SuezCrisis.
Two of Britain’s best-sellingcars in this era were the FordPopular and the Ford Anglia.Simply engineered, theserobust models sold in hugenumbers.
But millions still went to
work by bike. Field MarshalViscount Montgomery visitedNottingham in September,1957 to open Raleigh’s No 3cycle factory. Three thousanddealers were invited to theceremony at the £5m plant.
Football pools were bigbusiness and 1957 wascertainly a happy year for IvyHowkins, a 51-year-old grand
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Article Page 2 of 5 A23794 - 1
Media: Nottingham Post {Main}Edition:Date: Monday 27, November 2017Page: 18,19
from Nuthall. She won afortune on the pools,scooping £51,000 (equivalentto £1,151,000 today).■ If 1957 was your happiestyear, tell us why by writing toAndy Smart at NottinghamPost, City Gate, TollhouseHill, Nottingham, [email protected]
A charming picture of Bert and Mary Elliott sitting in the back yard of their home inDryden Street, Nottingham, in 1957. The terrace houses were later demolished andreplaced by modern housing in the 1980s and 90s.
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Media: Nottingham Post {Main}Edition:Date: Monday 27, November 2017Page: 18,19
The jive craze that began in 1957.
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King Street and Queen Street, Nottingham pictured in 1957.
No sign of any traffic in this 1957 picture of Wilford Lane and Main Street, Wilford.
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