In 1953 when Queen Elizabeth was crowned at her coronation on 2nd June 1953, Uncle Ron had obtained for us a modern 12" screen television from his shop, of course it was only black & white, colour didn't start until the mid 1960's.
We were the only ones along the Terrace who had a television set, and I can remember our best front room being full of neighbours all sat around our television watching this coronation.
The television at this time was set up in what was known as our best living room, that was used only on special occasions, and it had a large H shaped aerial attached to the chimney stack.
As this ceremony took many hours I can remember making lots of tea and being sent to the nearest local shop, when they had an 'interlude' to get everybody ice creams or ice-lollies just as if we were at the cinema.
My mother had my paternal grandmother make me a special dress. This grandmother had trained as a seamstress in her youth, and after she was first married moved to London to work as a seamstress at the Court of St James. The clothes for all the Royal family were made at St. James's.
The material used for this dress had a white background with deep border showing the coronation with its glass coach and horses as well as pages etc. printed all around the edge.
This was the first of many television sets we had over the years.
By the time that Independent television started around 1955 the television had been moved from the front best living room to the large kitchen room. That was situated just across the hall from the living room.
This room was large and cosy and big enough to have a large table and chairs that could seat all the family, as well as a large Welsh style dresser on which we kept all our crockery.
A lovely large fireplace beside which my parents sat in Windsor rocking chairs on either side, there was a home made rug in front of the fire made from old cut up pieces of material and woven onto a piece of old sacking, there was a sideboard along one wall on which the television was placed.
Of course that meant we could now watch television of an evening. Television at this time wasn't on for as many hours as it is today, it didn't start until around 5.30 p.m. of an evening when it broadcast the news and finished around 10.30 p.m. at night when the National Anthem was played to close the station down.
Of course, we children, that is my younger brother and I were not allowed to watch television as much as children do today and definitely not after about 7.30 to 8 p.m. of an evening, as this was the time we had to be in bed.
On a Friday and Saturday evening, Chris and I were allowed to stay up to around 9 p.m., depending on what television show was being shown, as we didn't have to get up early in time for school the next day.
