TonyS Coventry All posts by this member | 1 of 47 Wed 1st Feb 2012 7:17pm Member: Joined Jan 2011 Total posts:1549 I don't recall getting pocket money when I was very young - I think I simply enjoyed The Beano comic (paid for by my grandmother) every week. The earliest "real money to spend on myself" pocket money I remember was in the late 50's - when I was awarded the princely sum of about 2/- (that's 10p in new money!)
With this shiny coin gripped tightly in my palm, I would dash into town, straight to Woollies - where I would purchase an Airfix model kit - or - if I could wait longer - I would save it up and buy a Corgi model car or maybe something for my train set. I particularly remember a white Corgi Ambulance, complete with flashing lights, powered by an AA battery (which always seemed to leak after about 2 days!) - for the astronomical sum of 5/1d (26p)
What did everyone else spend their hard-earned pocket money on? (and did you actually have to earn it?) |
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morgana the secret garden All posts by this member | 2 of 47 Wed 1st Feb 2012 9:31pm Member: Joined Nov 2011 Total posts:1932 When we were young we had to knock on doors down the street to ask if they wanted any shopping, cleaning paths, clearing snow, which we would get 1d to 3d to 6d depending on the job and who it was. I saved mine to get patent shoes, the rest went into my school bank where we would buy stamps, stick them in a little book - when it was full it would come to £1.00, then we would be given another book when I was 7. I did this until from 5 to 12, when we got older in the 60s we had 10/- (50p) which we had to earn, clean the house at weekends, wash up evenings, run errands to the shops, cut the lawn or get the coal in for our mum, baby sit. I used to spend mine on records so we always had to earn our money unless my mum, dad's friends at the Jag & Daimler club or the AEU Club on the Foleshill Road, or the Westwood Heath Club occasionally, gave us any for pop at weekends. |
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Rob Orland Historic Coventry All posts by this member | 3 of 47 Wed 1st Feb 2012 9:41pm Webmaster: Joined Jan 2010 Total posts:1655 When I was about 7 or 8 (early 70s) I remember saving up 50p from my pocket money, then went shopping with my mum to find something to spend it on. She helpfully suggested that I ought to buy myself a nice purse to keep my pocket money in (you're way ahead now, aren't you!). ![]() ![]() |
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PhilipInCoventry Holbrooks All posts by this member | 4 of 47 Wed 1st Feb 2012 10:31pm Moderator: Joined Apr 2010 Total posts:4247 Hi Tony ![]() ![]() ![]() |
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shoestring Rutland All posts by this member | 5 of 47 Wed 1st Feb 2012 10:50pm Member: Joined Jan 2012 Total posts:21 Hi PhilipinCoventry - you've answered my question before I asked it. We used to buy the saving stickers at school and I was given the money for the Princess Anne one, which was pink, but I couldn't remember the value of them. I don't think my mum could afford to give me enough for the Prince Charles. What colour was it, and how did we redeem the little books when they were full?
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PhilipInCoventry Holbrooks All posts by this member | 6 of 47 Wed 1st Feb 2012 10:57pm Moderator: Joined Apr 2010 Total posts:4247 Hi Shoestring. ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() |
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shoestring Rutland All posts by this member | 7 of 47 Wed 1st Feb 2012 11:36pm Member: Joined Jan 2012 Total posts:21 Thanks Philip, I thought they were 6d.
When I was a bit older I used to go down town, to the Precinct, and buy a quarter of rum truffles with my pocket money. Also all sorts of ornaments which my father said were rubbish. He said money burned a hole in my pocket!
One day I found a wallet - I stood there holding it for a bit but no-one came running back looking for it. It had £2 14s 2d in it (I remember to this day). That was a FORTUNE!!!! I thought about how I could spend it bit by bit so no-one wold notice, and was still working it out as I walked up the steps into the police station to hand it in. AND NO-ONE claimed it. They rang me 3 months later and said I could have it!!! Rum truffles all round. |
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dutchman Spon End All posts by this member | 8 of 47 Thu 2nd Feb 2012 12:16am Member: Joined Mar 2010 Total posts:2975 On 1st Feb 2012 9:31pm, morgana said:
I use to spend mine on records Records were extremely expensive in Coventry back then. Six shillings and eight pence for a single, thirty-seven and six for an LP. Fortunately, the landlady of the Oak Inn (Pam) had a crush on me and used to give me the discarded records from their juke-box! ![]() |
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MisterD-Di Sutton Coldfield All posts by this member | 9 of 47 Thu 2nd Feb 2012 12:27am Member: Joined Sep 2011 Total posts:870 I used to purchase national Savings Stamps at school too. The Prince Charles ones were 2/6d, and were blue. The Princess Anne ones were 6d, but I thought they were green. Mind you, I'm a bit colour blind! ![]() |
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morgana the secret garden All posts by this member | 10 of 47 Thu 2nd Feb 2012 12:36am Member: Joined Nov 2011 Total posts:1932 On 2nd Feb 2012 12:16am, dutchman said:
Records were extremely expensive in Coventry back then. Six shillings and eight pence for a single, thirty-seven and six for an LP. Fortunately, the landlady of the Oak Inn (Pam) had a crush on me and used to give me the discarded records from their juke-box!
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dutchman Spon End All posts by this member | 11 of 47 Thu 2nd Feb 2012 1:00am Member: Joined Mar 2010 Total posts:2975 On 2nd Feb 2012 12:27am, MisterD-Di said:
The first toys I ever recall buying with my own money were Matchbox cars. I seem to recall they were 1/6d each (late 50s) and the best selection was at Devlins in Broadgate.
As a very small boy I remember Matchbox toys on sale at a tiny newsagents in Albany Road but on the opposite side of the road to the present newsagents, close to the pub. The shop was very cramped but I'm unable to find any evidence of its existence.
On 2nd Feb 2012 12:27am, MisterD-Di said:
Later I used to save for Corgi cars, which I preferred to Dinky, and for Airfix kits which started at about 2/6d.
Yes, Dinky were very dated compared to Corgi.
On 2nd Feb 2012 12:27am, MisterD-Di said:
Barnbys was the place for cars, but the best Airfix range was in Woolworths.
The polythene bagged kits were a Woolworths' suggestion. They had previously been boxed at a much higher price. Incidentally the first ever Airfix model was the Coventry-built Ferguson tractor!
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PhilipInCoventry Holbrooks All posts by this member | 12 of 47 Thu 2nd Feb 2012 10:49am Moderator: Joined Apr 2010 Total posts:4247 Hi Dutchman ![]() ![]() ![]() |
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PhilipInCoventry Holbrooks All posts by this member | 13 of 47 Thu 2nd Feb 2012 10:56am Moderator: Joined Apr 2010 Total posts:4247 Hi Tony ![]() ![]() ![]() |
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shoestring Rutland All posts by this member | 14 of 47 Thu 2nd Feb 2012 12:39pm Member: Joined Jan 2012 Total posts:21 My weekly comic was the Girl's Crystal, and I used to have the annual at Christmas |
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PhilipInCoventry Holbrooks All posts by this member | 15 of 47 Thu 2nd Feb 2012 12:58pm Moderator: Joined Apr 2010 Total posts:4247 Hi again ![]() ![]() |
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