Saturday, 9 July 2016

…a Vistascreen 3D viewer and cards






These cheap plastic 3D viewers became popular in the late 1950’s. This one, which was purchased in September 1960, was linked to Weetabix cereal, and could be purchased by sending one shilling and sixpence and a voucher attached to a cereal packet. Every packet of cereal contained one of the twenty-five cards in each series, which included “Animal Cards”, “Our Pets”, “Working Dogs” and “British Cars”. 




For further information on the 3D viewers, consult Wikipedia:  

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/VistaScreen



Wednesday, 6 July 2016

…a 1960’s bar of British Railways soap (unscented)






This rather scabby bar of soap was liberated from a train toilet, in the days when the dirty water from the sink, and deposits from train toilets, was emptied directly onto the track, hence the notice I recall from the 1960’s: “Do not use the toilet while the train is standing in the station”. Oh, apparently it is still the case with many trains. It seems that time has not moved on.

One could perhaps be forgiven for using the toilet when the train was stationary, because I remember well what expertise was needed when the train was in motion.

Sunday, 3 July 2016

...a 1960's Jew's Harp



According to Wikipedia the ancient musical instrument known as a Jew’s Harp has no connection with Judaism, and the name may be a corruption of the word “Jaw”, or the French word “Jeu” meaning play, though the Oxford English Dictionary rejects these theories.

The instrument is played by Roger Daltrey of The Who on their 1972 track Join Together.