The Lucky Generation

We wanted to link up with the brilliant Playful Anywhere project – and also to get some interview practice for our team – so we pitched up at OPAL to meet some of their older members. The topic was “play”. What games did people play as kids, where did they used to play – and did they have any stories to tell us? Some of the OPAL members were in the 80s and 90s and their childhood was vastly different to the kids of today. As Joyce says, they were “the lucky generation” who had the freedom to “play out”. Take a look at some story excerpts below.

“I was a kid in the war”

June’s Story

I lived in Bradford. The coalman used to come round in a car. And the milkman in just a buggy. No cars on the road. Nobody had cars round there. We didn't have money for cars. We just got up in the morning, had your breakfast and went out to play.

I was a kid in the war. I was born in 1934, so I was five when the war started. I had to have a gas mask. I used to go to school with it. It took off and it took the gas mask everywhere. Just in case. But nobody thought anything about it. They just did it. You were told to do it. You didn't argue. You just accepted.

“Bell Hill”

Jean’s Story

We used to go on Bell Hill for picnics. We used to take a bottle of water and sandwiches, you know, jam, or whatever. Always on our own, there were never parents with us, because parents were busy cooking or at work. But you were told how long you could be and you had to be back.

One day I said, “Can we go on Bell Hill?”

My mum said, “No. Because there's somebody undesirable about.”

I said, “Everybody else is going, I'd like to go.”

“I won't tell you again, you're not going!”

So the third time, I tried again. No! So, I slammed the door, behind me. The door got hold of my hand, end up losing my finger end! My mum had to run for my dad to come home from work and take me to a dispensary. My finger end were on the floor. Dad never thought to take it with him. And they sent him back for it…

“The Lucky Generation”

Joyce’s Story

I came from Devon. I didn't come up here till I was about nearly nine, and I'd never heard of Whip and Tops. Oh, the Whip and Tops! I enjoyed the hopscotch on the pavement.  A long skipping rope - I used to take my mother's washing line to school. About 20 of us would be in and out of it. And you had ice slides as well. They're not allowed to have ice slides. You know, in winter. We were the lucky generation.

“Simple Play”

Kath’s Story

In Leeds, we had street play. We were quite simple in our play. We had a green in front of the house. There weren't as many cars either. So we played cricket, we played football, we played rounders. We spent a lot of our time on the fields at the top of Cookridge.

We went on a Donkey Ride - Bridlington in 1961. I have two younger sisters, we always went on the donkeys. My dad was always a really friendly person. If anybody got lost on the beach, he would find the parents.

“You looked after yourself”

Elma’s Story

I grew up in Bermondsey in London. It was all factories and docks, very, very working class. I used to play Tin Pan Alley. You used to go round the dustbin and get a can out, a tin can out. And you threw it and you had to shout a name. And then that person had to run and get the can. I can remember playing out when I was about four. Nobody looked after you. You looked after yourself. And if you fell down, you went in.

“A right tomboy”

Marie’s Story

We used to do a pack-up. There were eight of us, I think. So we used to leave home at nine o'clock, we'd have a picnic, and we'd come back home at five. We used to go to a place that we called the Blue Lagoon. It’s actually the pond at Golden Acre Park. We used to walk from home to there, have our picnic, and then come back. Our parents had no idea where we were.

I only played with boys. I were a right tomboy. We had bogies A bogie is like, it's got a seat on it, you've got two small wheels at the front, and then you've got big wheels at the back, and then you've got a seat. My dad made ours. We got into trouble because I lived on St James's Drive, and it goes straight down. The old ladies at the bottom of the street didn't like noise when we were screaming and what have you.

I loved climbing trees, but I couldn’t get down. So, there was a tree on St James’s Drive, where we lived. And I used to climb this tree and my dad would come along and I could see him when he got off the bus. Every day, he’d get me down!

“May Day”

Hilary’s Story

I'm from Crosby in Merseyside. The Queen's coronation - they had a party in the street. They built a stage in the street. We had the curtains from the picture house opposite. Then on May Day, somebody dressed like the Queen, with all of the people walking like a retinue. You know, dressed up all in fancy dress. I even dressed the dog up. We asked for money for sweets. No, actually, we couldn't buy sweets. They were rationed!

“My china doll”

Brenda’s Story

There were gas lamps then and they had a rail across where the man used to put the ladder to go up and light the gas at night. And the boys used to put a rope over it and make a swing.

I had a doll - it had ringlets and everything and it was made in Hamburg. It was printed on the back, it was a china doll. And the eyes opened and closed, with eyelids, you know. Oh, I thought the world of that.

During the war, somebody wanted a gift for their granddaughter.  So my mother said, “I don't think I can get anything.”

I said, “Well, there's my doll there, let her have it.”

I let her have the doll!

Brenda had another story up her sleeve, from when she was a young woman. Nothing to do with play, but we can’t resist!

Paramount Films. I was an extra for them in America. Near the borders of Mexico and near San Diego, in that area.  Star Trek, the film was. I was on the moon. And you had boulders to throw at these aliens that were coming from another planet. It was my pen friend - they wanted extras for this film. And she said yes, and she put me forward. and I thought she was coming to be in the film, but she didn't, she just sat and watched me!

It’s not often you meet someone who has been to the moon… even if it is only on Star Trek. Thanks Brenda and all the OPAL members. And thanks to Emma and Jo from Playful Anywhere and the team at OPAL.