The Blackouts of '74 : When Britain Went Dark

[WestHamLyallStyle]

This one is for the more seasoned posters.

I watched the above documentary the other night on Channel 5 and there was footage of QPR running their floodlights from a generator because they weren't allowed to use the National Grid what with the three day working week. They also touched on the fact that clubs weren't allowed to charge admission to games and so they made the official matchday programme far more expensive as a means of getting the gate money.

Anybody remember going to games back then ?

Season 1973/74.

[arlhe]

It definitely wasn't free admission to games, unless my memory is even worse than before!

[WestHamLyallStyle]

I think it may have applied to Sunday games which fell under the ' Sunday Observances Act ' ?

The FA asked permission to play on Sunday in order to have a more realistic chance of an electricity supply bearing in mind the shortages but due to the law at the time they couldn't charge admission.

[Puff Daddy]

This one is for the more seasoned posters.

I watched the above documentary the other night on Channel 5 and there was footage of QPR running their floodlights from a generator because they weren't allowed to use the National Grid what with the three day working week. They also touched on the fact that clubs weren't allowed to charge admission to games and so they made the official matchday programme far more expensive as a means of getting the gate money.

Anybody remember going to games back then ?

Season 1973/74.

I certainly remember going to matches, but cannot recall any being cancelled

[WestHamLyallStyle]

I wasn't clear enough in my original post Puff. It was all about Sunday games as I've highlighted above.

[Puff Daddy]

I wasn't clear enough in my original post Puff. It was all about Sunday games as I've highlighted above.

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

[fester]

Grim, grim days. And the years that followed up to '79 were even worse. West Ham and punk seemed to be the only colour in my life. I picture everything else in black and white. Dirty, horrible public spaces reeking of piss.

Note to today's younger generation - Be very careful what you wish for!! Keep all of your good luck for West Ham please (there's not gonna be enough of it to go round).

[The_Dead_Ball]

Power cuts happen quite often during the 70s. I remember as a boy my parents turning on the gas stove in the kitchen to get heat or some light.

[arlhe]

I do remember something about Sundays but I am pretty sure they moved the KO times forward to 2.00pm, to avoid using the floodlights. Most of the power-cuts were at arranged times, I think. I particularly recall Wednesday evenings at my Nan's...

The good old days, my backside...

[One Peter Butler]

Power cuts happen quite often during the 70s. I remember as a boy my parents turning on the gas stove in the kitchen to get heat or some light.

We always had a stock of candles in. It was not uncommon to lose your TV for several hours, or even a day or two.

Not to mention getting leaflets through your door fairly often advising you what to do in the event of a nuclear attack!

[arlhe]

In memory of the 70s, my Mrs keeps a large stock of candles under the stairs...

[The_Dead_Ball]

Anyone remembers when some guy use to come round and empty the 50Ps from your gas and electric meters?

The van that use to come down your street selling bottle soft drinks? I can see the bottles but not the name from memory

The ITV strike?

1p sweets at your local corner shop?

[Eastcote]

I bet she does!!

[fester]

In memory of the 70s, my Mrs keeps a large stock of candles under the stairs...

Did she work in a nunnery (only joking no offence intended)?

'Candles out girls!

Remembering the queues for the petrol pumps in '73 too. Much larger/longer than the little problem we had a few years ago.

Candles is probably the thing that sticks in most peoples minds though. That and 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)). I was only 8 but aware of poverty, politics etc. Also the year I started supporting us (just before Bobby left).

[Plashet Grove Pete]

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?

[One Peter Butler]

Anyone remembers when some guy use to come round and empty the 50Ps from your gas and electric meters?

The van that use to come down your street selling bottle soft drinks? I can see the bottles but not the name from memory

The ITV strike?

1p sweets at your local corner shop?

10p back if you returned your glass bottle of R Whites lemonade.

[arlhe]

I am rarely offended...

Anyway, yeah 1st April 1973. I started working for Customs & Excise in 1977 and the standard rate was 10% when it was introduced (then 8% with a higher rate of 12.5%,followed by a standard rate of 15%. I could go on and on ....).

Back to candles and nuns.

[mickthekeeper]

Anyone remembers when some guy use to come round and empty the 50Ps from your gas and electric meters?

Absolutely...... "here you go grandma 'mickthekeeper', you can have the plastic 50p play money back for next time"

[WestHamLyallStyle]

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?

Anyone throw any light on it. Boom boom. Very good.

10,000 locked out that day aparently.

[officeboy]

Anyone remembers when some guy use to come round and empty the 50Ps from your gas and electric meters?

The van that use to come down your street selling bottle soft drinks? I can see the bottles but not the name from memory

The ITV strike?

1p sweets at your local corner shop?

Corona bottles?

And i thought the sweets were half a penny