Saturday 31 July 2010

My Past Trivia from the 1960s


My Dad and I in the early sixties. I've been wading through photos and thought I might play safe and not loose them if I put them in a blog space. I was born in 1961, so I'm guessing this is about 1963. I'm obviously enjoying the day, but I don't know where it was taken. In the background there are a lot of other people who seem to be enjoying a day out. It might be Theydon Boyes - we used to go there a lot.

Trivia from my past. Mum, Aunts and Cousins


My Mother is in the centre with her two sisters either side. To the right is Aunt Eileen and to the left is Aunt Marie. The two boys are my cousins Joey - right and Steven - left. Both Steven and Joey are Aunt Eileen's sons and I think the picture is at a school function. I don't know how I came to have this picture, I just found it among many in an old album. It was taken about 1967 or 1968. It is a good one and it is in colour when most of the photos were still in black and white.

Trivia from my past. (East London in the 60s)

This picture was taken in 1966 at Number 1 St Anne's House, St Anne's Road in Stepney, East London. I can remember a man coming around one day and we had to sit on the sofa while he took this photo of My Mum, Sister and me. He then went and a few days later we had this photo.

I went to a school called Cyril Jackson. It was the old school at first but then we went to a new one across the road. The old school has since, been pulled down. I remember going to Cyril Jackson school across East India Dock Road and down Three Colt's street from 1964 to 1967 before we moved.

I went back about three years ago to look around. I was driving through the area with a delivery. It was a whim and I decided to do a George Orwell - coming Up for Air thing. Everything was different and I come away feeling very disappointed. I don't know why, because the area is much improved to the run down way I could remember it. I suppose I felt robbed of a memory and for that I was disappointed. Sometimes you try to touch your past or grab a piece of nostalgia but it doesn't happen the way you expect.

Dad's national service in Germany.

The year is about 1958 and the man with dark hair on the left is my father Alan Powell. The three squaddies are at a British Army Barracks in Germany and he is doing his national service. The man in the middle is called Bushy. I think it might be Bushy Couldroy or something like that. He remained friends with my Dad when they both left the army. I think he worked on fruit and veg running a stall or shop along Burdett Road near Mile End station in East London. I can vaguely remember him in the 1960s as a kid, but by about 1968 they had lost contact.

I don't know who the bloke on the right is, but he obviously does - he has written 'ME' on the photo with an arrow pointing to himself. All three were great Army buddies and spent their national service together. My Dad on the left is now 72 years of age and his hair is white, but still very thick with a Teddy boy bung slopping forward from the top - he has put on a little more weight, as can be expected, but he is still fit and up and about in Hornchurch, Essex.

Friday 30 July 2010

Austin 16 (made 1947)



An old Austin 16 made 1947. The picture is taken in 1963 with my Dad and me. I can't help thinking what these old cars would be worth now. I would love to go back in time and get one of them and bring it back in such condition.

My Dad's Wolsely 680 (1954 model)

When I was a kid I thought this car was very big. We lived near Limehouse but we would always go away to places in Kent. Not many of the other kids parents had cars but my Dad always seemed to have one and he was always tinkering about with them. That's me on the right of the picture and my sister and Dad on the left. It was a Wolsely 680 and was built in 1954. The picture is about 1965. I wonder what a car like that would be worth now? It was probably an old banger by then, but now it would be a vintage classic car. I can remember them well, when I was a kid, but they did seem to vanish from the roads very quickly. I can't recall seeing many by the 1970s. I really like the retro look of the old British Cars and back then, almost every car on the roads of Britain, where British made motors. I would love to see one that has been restored to its former 1950s glory - they looked great. 




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Saturday 24 July 2010

Thunder Child to the rescue.


Read this exciting new pastiche story.
In 1898 H.G. Wells wrote The War of the Worlds. Martian tripods invaded Britain and destroyed the civilization in a matter of weeks before becoming infected by germs which they had no resistance to.
During the story the British tried to flee their small island hoping to escape the alien fighting machines.

As a group of such refugees tried to escape on a small paddle steamer from the town of Maldon in Essex they were pursued by three monstrous tripods. A small ironclad called H.M.S. Thunder Child came to the rescue and it become a fictional legend.

This gallant act is told in a pastiche story, starting a few days before when the coastal defence vessel sets off on its ominous mission. The story changes each chapter between the crew of Thunder Child under the command of Scotsman, Captain McIntosh and the land based Ministry of Defence clerk, Mister Albert Stanley. Both men are linked in Thunder Child's destiny from beginning to end.

The ironclad is a twenty five year old ram that has been neglected on coastal backwater duties and is ready to be scrapped. Her turret guns are still the obsolete short barrelled muzzle loaders, but her crew love her and feel their little iron lady can still pack a punch.

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Sunday 18 July 2010

Brigitte Bardot - Ne me laisse pas laimer



Brigitte Bardot sounding wonderfully French. The French can say anything in their language and sound sexy, but when Brigitte Bardot says it; it becomes wonderfully French with Brigitte Bardot as a gorgeous cherry on the top of the most fabulous cake in the whole world. She is a lady to die for that is the crème de la crème of all ladies and every blokes fantasy.
 

Bringing You Flowered up - Weekender Part 1 of 2







Flowered Up's song Weekender is a great track about the 90s weekend life. Of course it could be a weekend from other decades too. Its a great song - very moving and atmospheric so give it a go. There is a bit of banter going on around the radio before the track kicks off. It then springs into life and is very dreamy.

Thursday 15 July 2010

The Battle of Tsushima 1905 - Sea of Japan Naval Battle - Video Clip



This is a movie clip from a Japanese war film about the Battle of Tsushima in the year of 1905. It was the only gathering of two opposing fleets of dreadnoughts and was a colossal event of its time. It was fought over Korea in the sea of Japan. This movie should be released with English subtitles, but to my knowledge, it has not been done yet. The battle was fought between imperial Russia and the rapidly rising power of Japan. The events of this famous battle established Japan as a major sea power from 1905 onwards.

Wednesday 14 July 2010

Doctor Who Mission to the Unknown Fan film 1/3



The original Doctor Who story of Mission to the Unknown was an introduction episode to the 13 part Dalek story - The Dalek Masterplan with William Hartnell playing the first Doctor. I can remember many parts of the story from my childhood but sadly most of the episodes are now lost from the BBC archives. There are clips from the original Mission to the Unknown, but these only last for a few seconds. I was rather sad about the loss of the early William Hartnell Doctor Who stories and the Patrick Troughton ones too. Every now and then a lost episode is discovered abroad which causes much excitement.

This particular single episode is of strong importance because it was the only episode not to have the Doctor in. It was an introduction teaser to the twelve episodes that would follow and stands as a story on its own. It concerns group of human space marines who land on a remote planet on a spying mission to find out about the Dalek's devious plans.

This is a remake of that very special episode by a group of students and I have to say it is very good indeed. Any Doctor Who fan would be pleased by this. It is on YouTube and in this Blog. I hope you enjoy...

 

Doctor Who Mission to the Unknown Fan film 2/3



This is the second part of a remake called Mission to the Unknown - a Doctor Who story from the 60s

Doctor Who Mission to the Unknown Fan film 3/3



This is the third part of a remake, Mission to the Unknown - a story from Doctor Who in the 1960s

Sunday 11 July 2010

Thunder Child Fights the Martians.



Victorian Britain in Chaos - death and destruction everywhere - yet one ship challenges...
Read their adventure in this pastiche of War of the Worlds.

Available in USA, CANADA, AUSTRALIA and NEW ZEALAND

Flowered Up-Phobia



Flowered Up was a great band from London during the early 90s and this is one of my favorite tracks. It is great driving in the car through the city streets at night as you watch the world moving about. You cruise along in your bubble, looking out at the neon world - raindrops on the windows and you feel stable as you watch the world go by. No one can touch you - your just the safe observer, listening to this fine song and tune.
 

Thursday 8 July 2010

Battle of Cable Street



The Black Shirts march through the East End of London and are confronted by Londoners that are opposed to facism.

Jim Clark interview.




Jim Clark won the Formula One Championship on two occasions. 1963 and 1965. He was killed during a minor none F1 race in Germany 1968. Had he lived beyond his 32 years, I believe he would have undoubtedly gone on to win at least one other championship.