Things in living memory which seem very anachronistic now

[styles]

Horsehoes hung above doors for luck .

Funnily enough picked up 3 rusty horseshoes from a family member recently, to put above the door on our new house.

Just need to remember to sleep them in vinegar at some point.

 

[AM9]

Mention of live chassis reminds me of Cathode Ray Tube televisions - I recall being advised to check the wiring in the plug in case someone had interposed live and neutral, which would render the aerial socket live.

Aerial sockets are isolated anyway. Since the mid '50s, manufacturers have fitted sockets that have capacitor coupling on both the core and screen conductors. The lowest received RF frequency was 41.5 MHz so a value to pass that will only allow a miniscule and safe 50Hz current.

 

[Harpo]

Famous performers that survived being electrocuted……..Now, the risk is almost completely eliminated by circuit breakers.

Also by transmitters rather than guitars and microphones plugged directly into amps or mixers.

The more cautious musicians of the 60s and 70s had their own earth wire hook-up in their kit.

 

[Indigo Soup]

Famous performers that survived being electrocuted: Keith Richard, Greg Lake, Ace Frehley, Gary Thain, Nick Lowe, Deke Leonard, Dave Grohl, and many, many others less famous. Now, the risk is almost completely eliminated by circuit breakers.

That was the reason for the infamous 'no brown M&Ms' rider - it was a very simple test to see whether the venue had (a) actually read the band's requirements, and (b) adhered to them. If they hadn't done something as simple as checking for brown M&Ms, they probably hadn't checked the electrics properly either.

 

[scarby]

The Covid pandemic, or at least any prominent mention of it in the news.

 

[swt_passenger]

Delete please.

 

[gg1]

Yes, I had that in my bathroom when I was a kid in the 1970s, we had that weirdly shaped thing on the wall to attach the shower head as well!

Same, though 80s in my case.

I'm pretty sure it was still there when my parents sold the house in 1999, don't remember them ever upgrading it to a proper shower.

 

[GordonT]

When cars were mostly content to have only three or four forward gears.

 

[dangie]

The original Vosene Shampoo. I remember it being like a thick gel.

Back in the 1950's Sunday night was bath night. That meant mum washing your hair with Vosene. Get it in your eyes, which you always did, was like red hot needles. Of course you had to grin & bear it. No point crying, your eyes were full of tears anyway.

I believe it was later banned as it contained coal tar, suspected to cause skin cancer. Sometimes makes we wonder how we survived

 

[Sun Chariot]

The original Vosene Shampoo. I remember it being like a thick gel.

I believe it was later banned as it contained coal tar, suspected to cause skin cancer. Sometimes makes we wonder how we survived

I asked my wife a few months ago, why we don't see swordfish in supermarkets or in fishmongers these days. She replied that swordfish are now known to contain toxic levels of mercury, if lots of it is eaten.
I had eaten it ad hoc for decades, clearly I've never been rich enough to eat enough of it as I haven't gone as mad as a hatter (my wife might beg to differ....)

 

[DelW]

I believe it was later banned as it contained coal tar, suspected to cause skin cancer. Sometimes makes we wonder how we survived

Along with the doses we got from x-ray machines in shoe shops, radium-painted numbers on alarm clock dials, atmospheric nuclear bomb testing ...

 

[PG]

Along with the doses we got from x-ray machines in shoe shops,

Oh wow, would that be those machines which had motorised metal bars that moved in to snuggly fit your foot? Then the assistant telling your parents what size you were. I wonder if the assistants knew that they were possibly being exposed to numerous doses per day?

 

[Lloyds siding]

Along with the doses we got from x-ray machines in shoe shops, radium-painted numbers on alarm clock dials, atmospheric nuclear bomb testing ...

The there's the Chernobyl fallout, Sellafield discharges, asbestos from brake pads, etc, in fact it was in just about eveything, lead from your water pipes or household painted surfaces, air pollution (far more particulates than now, sulphur dioxide, nitrogen oxides, carbon disulphide from rayon works; if you didn't light the town gas coming out of your gas cooker it would quickly poison you). Etc, etc.

== Doublepost prevention - post automatically merged: 3 Jun 2025 ==

Oh wow, would that be those machines which had motorised metal bars that moved in to snuggly fit your foot? Then the assistant telling your parents what size you were. I wonder if the assistants knew that they were possibly being exposed to numerous doses per day?

No, that was just a measuring machine. The x-ray machines had a scope to show up the image of your foot. As usual, the shoe industry resisted government regulations to protect the public and shoe shop staff. It was mandatory to have a warning notice on them from 1958 onwards, I believe they eventually disappeared in the 70s.

 

[3141]

The original Vosene Shampoo. I remember it being like a thick gel.

Back in the 1950's Sunday night was bath night. That meant mum washing your hair with Vosene. Get it in your eyes, which you always did, was like red hot needles. Of course you had to grin & bear it. No point crying, your eyes were full of tears anyway.

I believe it was later banned as it contained coal tar, suspected to cause skin cancer. Sometimes makes we wonder how we survived

There was also Wright's Coal Tar Soap, which still exists, or did recently, though presumably no longer contains coal tar if that can cause skin cancer.

We also used Vosene shampoo, though there was another called Loxene, which according to my hazy recollection was less thick. (I can't say whether the recollection is hazy because of all the things we used with ingredients that are now banned, or just because of age and it was so long ago!)

 

[The exile]

Costermonger ?.....Don't ask me what it means though!

Strictly speaking - apples - costards.

 

[D6130]

Strictly speaking - apples - costards.

Thanks.....but I thought that was usually paired with bananas?

 

[dangie]

There was also Wright's Coal Tar Soap, which still exists, or did recently, though presumably no longer contains coal tar if that can cause skin cancer.

That is correct. Wright’s Coal Tar Soap no longer contains coal tar.

 

[GordonT]

Another couple of once commonly utilised proprietary brands of medicaments which may or may not still be retailed.
Famel Syrup (for coughs) and Mycil Powder (for "Athlete's Foot").

 

[BingMan]

That’s something the manufacturer’s have really cut down on (pun intended), the length of the mains lead

It was said that there are two lengths of prewired mails leads: too long and too short

 

[cool110]

That is correct. Wright’s Coal Tar Soap no longer contains coal tar.

That one isn't available in its original form, but other coal tar products are still available from pharmacies as the medical benefits outweigh the risk at low doses. It was the much higher amounts in creosote that are considered dangerous.

 

[Y Ddraig Coch]

The national anthem at the end of the evenings TV

 

[Western Lord]

When cars were mostly content to have only three or four forward gears.

However many cars offered an overdrive option, which effectively gave you up to seven gears.

 

[Mcr Warrior]

Strictly speaking - apples - costards.

Indeed. See post #2,747.

 

[Peter C]

The national anthem at the end of the evenings TV

Not TV but Radio 4 still plays the national anthem at the end of each day's programming (which actually happens at about 1am, when it hands over to the World Service for the night). In a world of 24/7 media it's quite nice in a way that Radio 4 takes the night (well, four hours in the night) off!

-Peter

 

[Jimini]

Not TV but Radio 4 still plays the national anthem at the end of each day's programming (which actually happens at about 1am, when it hands over to the World Service for the night). In a world of 24/7 media it's quite nice in a way that Radio 4 takes the night (well, four hours in the night) off!

-Peter

Still miss the morning sign on music from back in the day!

 

[AM9]

That one isn't available in its original form, but other coal tar products are still available from pharmacies as the medical benefits outweigh the risk at low doses. It was the much higher amounts in creosote that are considered dangerous.

The dreaded coal tar vapourisers aren't though.

Still miss the morning sign on music from back in the day!

Ah, the UK theme, a medley of patriotic tunes, - the inclusion of Lily Bolero was considered too sensitive for Irish Nationalists on a UK a national service so R4 dropped it years ago. The World service stopped it more recently.

 

[Sun Chariot]

Admittedly this Pathe "Look At Life" pre-dates me by several years; but the commentary about HMS Hermes' introduction, plus the military aircraft shown on deck, feels a bygone age when I think of the RN's two aircraft carriers at Portsmouth - a short drive from "Maison Chariot".

 

[dangie]

… It was the much higher amounts in creosote that are considered dangerous.

Oh yes, creosote. My shed must have at least ten coats of that. Plus whatever I’ve given it since…

 

[GordonT]

When your car owner's manual was encapsulated within around 30 pages and did not resemble the complete edition of "War and Peace".

 

[pdq]

Oh yes, creosote. My shed must have at least ten coats of that. Plus whatever I’ve given it since…

Mentioning creosote... I have a vague recollection that the playing field in my junior school (so early 80s) had the lines marked out by creosote. Not sure if it stained the grass or killed it off, but the lines were definitely brown. I assume this was cheaper and/or more effective than paint.