The Blackouts of '74 : When Britain Went Dark

[Tezza65]

I was at the match,took half day of work. Didnt Geoff Hurst score a hat trick in a 3 nil win? Always rhought it was played as you stated cos of power cuts,Wasnt the 3 day week under the Callaghan government? Might be wrong as im old now!

No,it was under the tories and Heath.

[IronRhino]

I remember an FA Cup game against Hereford being played at Upton Park on a Monday afternoon (loads of us bunked off school) and always thought that was because of the 3 day week or blackouts - but the dates don't seem to fit. Anyone throw any light on it? Is my memory playing tricks?

I was there, it wasn’t the year of a 3 day week but there were power strikes in 1972 that caused the fixture to be played on a Monday. I think k/o was 11am

https://www.herefordtimes.com/news/1735 ... ms-ground/

[Ilford Paolo]

I know this brought about an end to Edward Heath's Conservative administration. The country, simply couldn't properly function against this backdrop and his fight against the miners, so he called an election under the banner 'Back us or Sack Us' and the country couldn't decide which

That was in my 4th year just starting O Levels.Dominic Sandbrook's books on that era are an excellent read ;State of emergency and Seasons in the sun. Lots of cultural stuff as well as political history.

[Ilford Paolo]

I remember going to Ipswich around February time 1974 to watch us win there, in an evening Legue game under floodlights. Can't recall now whether that was before the black outs began, but there were two General Elections that year and around 6 months between them. One was November, and I know they were about 6 months apart

The first one was in February,Heath's 'who governs' challenge.Labour didn't have an overall majority so Wilson called another and they marginally improved to a majority of about three.

[Ilford Paolo]

D

Remembering the queues for the petrol pumps in '73 too.
Led to the end of 5* petrol so my dad had to have his car detuned to take 4*.National speed limit of 50MPH and many US states kept a 55MPH limit for years after the emergency
the introduction of V.A.T. (seem to remember the prices of everything going up by 12.5% or something (might not have been '73 but was in the same era)).

VAT came in as part of joining the EEC in'73 and was 7.5% (I think without checking) until it was doubled to 15% under Thatcher .

[mushy]

I was there, it wasn’t the year of a 3 day week but there were power strikes in 1972 that caused the fixture to be played on a Monday. I think k/o was 11am

https://www.herefordtimes.com/news/1735 ... ms-ground/

2.15pm to be precise.
A most unusual kick off time back then.

[Whitton tank]

I think anybody attending the Hereford replay in 1972 will remember the people on the roof of the flats overlooking the North Bank. It was one of the biggest gates ever at the Boleyn Ground.
All on a 'work/school day' afternoon. Hereford's cup run really captured the publics imagination.
Roll on 2 years and to quote from Hammer, our match day programme of 16/3/74, reflecting on the repercussions of the 3 day week restrictions on us at the time.
"Until we met Ipswich at Portman road on Feb 5th no referee had previously suggested our normal colours caused a colour clash with royal blue jerseys.
Before kick off the ref apparently considered problems might arise because the floodlights were being operated from a generator as power supplies for evening games had been banned under the emergency regulation then in force.
The reduced power being likely to produce a lower standard of lighting.
We accepted the home clubs assistance in providing a suitable alternative " an all white strip. Deep in relegation trouble we deservedly won 3-1,we wore the colours the next Saturday at Leicester and won again, then having beaten Everton 4-3 at home we wore them again at Burnley, gaining another valuable point.
The editorial mentions the possibility of adopting the strip as our change of colours and given the special memories of 'sparrows' exploits in white during the cup win of 75. Luckily they did.
All because of incompetent industrial relations and a referees (P. G. Reeves of Leicester) eyesight.

[WestHamLyallStyle]

Great stuff Whitton.