The recent world wide coverage of the late Pope’s funeral and subsequent arrival of the new Pope reminded me of the times when big state occasions happened in the 50s/ early 60s and were, for the first time, televised.
I have covered this theme before so apologies to readers who have heard these tales before.
Starting with funerals, when Winston Churchill died in 1965. We’d had a television for about two years but many households in our village didn’t yet have TV. On Saturday January 30th his state funeral took place. TV was still in its infancy. Daytime TV was nonexistent apart from a few exceptions. So my mum asked a few villagers and their children to come and watch the whole proceedings at our house. In those days the TV picture was so weak you had to close the curtains when watching in daylight. What an occasion. Sad, but so exciting too. Curtains closed, TV on, a room full of neighbours plus cake!!
Earlier in the 1960s, before we had a TV, there were a few notable state occasions.
The funeral of Sir Winston Churchill in January 1965. We watched in black and white. Not many households had colour tv in ‘65.
Childhood Memories of growing up in the 1950s and 1960s. 
Great post! I remember the time without day-time tv as well 😉 In Sweden we also had to wait for a very long time to get cartoons on tv. As a child I could watch cartoons at the end of the weekly sportbroadcast for children, that started In the early 1980’s. And then at Christmas (“From all of us yo all of you” has been broadcasted since 1960) – we still have one hour of cartoons every Christmas in Sweden at 15.00… And we all watch it, even though you can see cartoon anytime now 😀 Funny how certain things become tradition.
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Thanks for sharing that memory! We had relatives who lived in a town and had two channels! When we stayed with them we children used to watch Muffin the Mule which we couldn’t get at home.
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Yes, we only had two channels as well… It was a time when everyone watched the same programmes. Today, TV is not that kind of “camp-fire” any more;)
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Agree. Almost too much choice!
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It’s great to see a new post from you, Meryl!
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Thanks Liz! I’ve been in a bit of a writing slump recently. Good to be back.
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You’re welcome, Meryl! Nothing wrong with a little break every now and again.
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Even when I don’t comment, I’m still following all your posts and love what you’re doing.
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Thank you very much for telling me, Meryl!
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I’m maybe a bit older than you. My dad was fanatical about radio and the new T.V technology so in spite of being strapped for cash he bought a T.V in about 1951. It was an upright piece of wooden furniture really with a small screen on top and a cupboard below. Apparently I stood behind my mother holding on to her skirt wide -eyed at the pictures on the screen. I remember the children’s hour programmes, like Muffin the Mule and Prudence Kitten, and the Queen’s Coronation , in black and white. Our neighbours and relatives came to watch it with us.
As someone has said programmes weren’t on all day. Maybe someone else can remember how they went. I seem to remember there was a Women’s programme in the afternoon, though that may have been later, then children’s programmes about 5p.m, but then nothing until about 7 p.m when the adult programmes came on starting with the news, preceded by a picture f a television mast. I had to be in bed by then.
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Thanks for sharing your memories! I remember seeing a TV exactly like the one you describe back in the ‘50s at the house of a relative, long before TV had reached our village. I also remember the ‘test card’ showed on the screen during the day when there was nothing showing. Late in the evening, the National Anthem played after the last programme (possibly the news?) followed by the shut-down for the night.
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Found you by chance when looking for material about pen and ink. Fascinating blog. Will spend a lot of time here and find a lot of interest as we cover similar subjects, but I am on Blogger rather than WordPress. Like you, I am interested in how things have changed over the years, but not in a nostalgic way.
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Hi. Thanks for the lovely comment! Yes, I try to be informative, maybe amusing at times but not overly nostalgic. Where will I find your blog? Meryl
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My URL is below, with a list of posts on the top right. I have now included you in my site bar. https://taskerdunham.blogspot.com/
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Thank you. I will enjoy looking into it. Reading your profile I see we have a few other things in common besides our blogging. I too am a would-be writer who always lacked the courage to try – although I did self-publish a collection of short stories a few years ago. I also live in West Yorkshire! I was sorry to read about your seizure and brain tumour. That must have been very scary for you and your family. Meryl
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I am near Huddersfield. We have a small community of Yorkshire blogggers, or bloggers with Yorkshire interests or connections, here on Blogger. Wish it were easier to swap comments between Blogger and WordPress. Haven’t fully mastered searching WordPress – have you done school milk? We sound around the same age, although my wife is younger. I see you grew up in a small rural Welsh village, so did well to pass 11+. David (TD).
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Hi. Does Jetpack link Blogger and WordPress? I’ve done school dinners. I’ll have to scroll back through my published posts and check school milk – but a good idea for a topic.
I live between Wakefield and Barnsley with my husband – who has completely different interests! Football, golf, climbing etc. I have three daughters with families, one in London, one in Ireland and one in Marsden. Meryl
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