Social History 1963 #62

Saturday 21 December 1963

Brian Parks, a telephone linesman from Hull, climbed up a telephone poll and got stuck there, too cold to move. The ground temperature was six degrees below freezing. Brian’s mate, Stanley Dick, climbed up the pole, but couldn’t rescue him. Stanley called the fire brigade and half an hour later Brian was safe on the ground.

Over the past six years the number of railway policemen has dropped by nearly 1,000, from 3,500 to 2,503. The reduction is on the grounds of economy. Last year, property valued at nearly £1,500,000 was stolen from the railways, an increase of £200,000 on the previous year.

Last minute Christmas ideas for the gardener: a long-handled fork, 32s 6d; a Swoe, a hoe with three cutting edges; a Wrake that cultivates as it rakes; the Chrysanthemum Growers Diary; a seed packet of the new dwarf Bijou Sweet Peas.

“My twelve year old son, listening to the news that the two murderers had been executed, said, ‘I think that’s wrong, Dad – two wrongs do not make a right.’” – E C, Exeter, Devon. “The Bishop of Bristol said of the hangings, ‘This is an evil thing.’ It was also an evil thing for two youths to commit brutal murder.” – (Miss) S J W, London.

Felicity Green writes, “A short time ago, I mentioned that for a girl to be With It these days she should much onions. A reader’s letter confirms that her daughter received a jar of onions instead of a box of chocolates to take to the pictures.”

West Bromwich Albion players staged their second walk-out from training in twenty-four hours and threatened to go on strike next week. Twenty-one players refused to train because manager Jimmy Hagan insists that they should wear shorts in the bitterly cold weather.

Television highlights: The Physicists – drama set in a mental clinic. That Was The Week That Was – Dick Whittington and his Fascist Hyena. The Avengers – Death A La Carte.

Radio highlights: Jazz Club introduced by Humphrey Lyttelton. Saturday Club introduced by Brian Matthew.

Weather: cold but mainly dry. Outlook – milder some rain. 4c, 39f.

Sunday 22 December 1963

Brian Clough (pictured in striped shirt), the England and Sunderland centre forward, whose playing career has come to an end because of an injury, could possibly be a leading figure at the next General Election. Mr Clough has been invited to stand for the Labour Party in Richmond, a safe Tory seat. Mr Clough is an able speaker with firm Socialist beliefs.

The Somerset town of Taunton was in a state of chaos yesterday. Over 35,000 people were in danger from leaking gas. A fault at a depot turned down the pressure and flames went out. When the fault was corrected gas poured out of stoves and other appliances. Police cars drove through the streets broadcasting warnings over loud speakers. A gas board spokesman said, “We shall be working around the clock to ensure people’s safety.”

Jack Hobbs, one of the greatest cricketers of all time, died yesterday at his home in Hove, Sussex. He was 81 last Monday. Known as “Gentleman Jack Hobbs”, he broke many cricket records, and was knighted for his services to the sport.

The kiss that shook America. There was uproar when a white man kissed a coloured woman in a production of the musical No Strings. There were violent scenes in the audience followed by threatening letters and phone calls. The show will open in London this month.

Why do people begin to grow old at fifty? Is it work, worry, food, too little exercise, or too little laughter that is to blame? Doctors and researchers are keen to find out why some people are gay and spry at seventy while others are dull and listless at fifty.

Football Results: First Division – Blackburn 2 Aston Villa 0, Blackpool 0 Liverpool 1, Chelsea 3 Sheffield United 2, Everton 4 Manchester United 0, Sheffield Wednesday 3 Burnley 1. Top three – Blackburn, Spurs, Liverpool.

Television highlights: Ghost Squad – The Big Time. Fireball XL5. The Saint – The Benevolent Burglary.

Radio highlights: Star Over Aldermaston. Top Twenty.

Weather: Dry and cold with sunny spells. Outlook – no snow expected at Christmas.

Monday 23 December 1963

A bronze statue of a discus thrower in Hemel Hempstead was robbed at the weekend…of a fig leaf. The fig leaf was welded on after citizens complained that the statue was immodest. Mrs Violet Blacklock, whose jeweller’s shop faces the statue, said, “I think it is shocking now.”

Thousands of homes in Cornwall and Yorkshire were blackout out last night. The power cuts were caused by ice forming on power cable insulators. Because of severe frost, many roads in Britain are dangerously icy.

Film producer David Newman yesterday rescued two teenaged sisters who were trapped by fire. He made three trips up the stairs through thick smoke to rescue the sisters and their three kittens.

The mills at the huge steel works in Port Talbot, Wales ground to a halt today. The workers are in dispute with management over pay. Over 17,000 jobs are on the line. The Major of Port Talbot and the Ministry of Labour are in talks with management and workers to resolve the issue and save the plant.

“What do I want for Christmas? To get away from the rat race and know the real meaning of peace of Earth. And to escape from money-mad people; to settle back with a cup of tea and know the joy of reading a book again. Bliss!” – A Mother, Canton, Cardiff.

If all you want for Christmas is a Beatle, then television will disappoint you. You will have to make a date with the radio on Boxing Day (10am, Light) for their programme From Us to You.

Personal Advertisements: “Julie, rendezvous London?” – Kathryn. “Molly, see me Christmas.” – Flo. “Yvonne, please come home for Christmas.” – Mum.

Television highlights: Whicker Down Mexico Way. Panorama – AJP Taylor’s round-up of 1963. World in Action – the best of 1963.

Radio highlights: Christmas at the Forge. Carols 1963.

Weather: mainly dry with fog patches and night frost. Outlook – similar. 4c, 39f.

Tuesday 24 December 1963

Battery Hen. A chicken sent to a prisoner on remand at Aylesbury, Bucks contained a battery for his transistor radio. Both the radio and battery were confiscated.

A 32 year old woman broke into jail and laid an escape route, marked with lipstick and red wool, for the man she loved. However, when Phyllis Strutton turned up at Lincoln Prison to visit Frederick Strutton, detectives were waiting. Phyllis climbed a ten foot wall, climbed on to a mailbag shop roof and sawed through iron bars in a skylight. For her trouble, Phyllis was jailed for six months.

Moves to end the dispute that has closed the giant Port Talbot steel plant have failed. There is little hope that the plant that employs 17,500 people can re-open before the New Year. The dispute is over pay and holiday agreements.

West Bromwich Albion’s footballers, who have been in dispute with their manager over training in shorts in the cold, had their first training session since their walkout – in a warm gymnasium. The players and manager will face a showdown with the club’s directors in a “peace and goodwill” meeting.

Television has gone on its biggest ever spending spree this Christmas. The three days’ programmes on BBC and ITV are costing more than £500,000 in artists’ fees and overheads.

Christmas Eve highlights: Christmas Carols from King’s College Chapel, Cambridge. Christmas and a Mouse – Alan Whicker tells the true story of the Song of Christmas. Beat City – a musical documentary on the Mersey Sound.

Christmas Day highlights: Christmas Night With the Stars, Christmas Startime, Mr Pickwick, Christmas Music from Messiah – recorded in Llandaff Cathedral – and Dick Whittington – pantomime.

Boxing Day highlights: Who is Secombe? Friends and colleagues look at Harry Secombe, The Seven Giants of Denby Dale – a chronicle of a town over the last 200 years, Grandstand, Sportstime and Stars and Garters with Kathy Kirby.

Radio highlights: Brought Up in the Cotswolds – reminiscences. Play – Oh, Whistle and I’ll Come to You.

Weather: cold, dry, sunny. Outlook – milder. 3c, 37f.

Christmas weather: the chance of snow is very slight and if it does fall it will be only a light covering in isolated areas.

The newspaper digest will return on 27 December.

Friday 27 December 1963

Ninety-four people were killed on the roads over the three days of the Christmas holidays. Thirty-four people died on Christmas Day, compared to thirteen in 1962. These figures make it the most murderous Christmas on the roads since 1959. The figures are even more shocking because the road conditions this Christmas were regarded as good.

Families in Maidstone, Kent have been told that boa constrictors or pythons might be hibernating in their homes. It’s believed that the snakes escaped from a zoo or circus. Local residents are said to be “terrified”.

Terence “Houdini” Cutts is at large again after his fifteenth escape. He got away from Brixton Jail on Christmas Day by scaling a wall.

The BBC is to hot up its battle for “round the clock” radio. At present, the Light Programme starts at 6.30 am and closes at midnight. The BBC wants to broadcast from 5 am until 2 am. Broadcasting hours are restricted by “needle time”. The BBC’s current agreement covers thirty-four hours a week. They are appealing to the Broadcasting Rights Tribunal to increase this time.

Football – a piece I wrote for the Seaside News: Boxing Day, 1963, the day the defences in the First Division went on holiday. Two mundane results to start: Leicester City beat the current champions Everton 2 – 0 and Sheffield Wednesday beat Bolton Wanderers 3 – 0. Then the goals really started to flow: Blackpool 1 Chelsea 5; Nottingham Forest 3, Sheffield United 3; Wolves 3 Aston Villa 3; West Bromwich Albion 4 Tottenham Hotspur 4; Burnley 6 Manchester United 1; Liverpool 6 Stoke City 1: West Ham 2 Blackburn Rovers 8. The real turkeys though were Ipswich Town – they lost 10 – 1 at Fulham.

Birmingham City and Arsenal didn’t play until 28 December, but they joined in the fun – an away win, 1 – 4, for Arsenal.

Why so many goals over that particular festive season? Factor one: the weather. Five days of frost led to a thaw followed by heavy rain. This combination produced slippery conditions, difficult for defenders. Factor two: the general philosophy in 1963/64 was to attack – 3.4 goals were scored per game. In comparison, 2.8 goals are scored per game in the modern Premier League.

Television highlights: Only 363 to Go – entertainment for the disenchanted. Ready, Steady, Go! with Little Stevie Wonder and the Rolling Stones. Puppet Film.

Radio highlights: The Bartered Bride. Play – Gentlemen Prefer Blondes.

Weather: sunny spells. Outlook – rain at times. 5c, 41f.