Two Rooms And A View: 64 - Dance Time
...During the 1950's dress was very formal. Most young men with their hair covered in Brylcream wore a sports jacket and grey flannels, whatever the occasion. Sporty types might venture to a blazer, and most had a best suit for Sundays and important events.
It was the age of the convenient but horrible nylon shirts and ties with wide Windsor knots. A long raincoat was usually worn or carried over the arm from October to March. Mature men always wore a trilby or cap...
Robert Owen tells of social life in the 1950s. To read earlier chapters of Robert's autobiography please click on Two Rooms And A View in the menu on this page.
About this time, and along with a few colleagues from the drawing office, I started to learn a new practical skill - ballroom dancing. Music had never been my forte and I had never bought a record in my life, much preferring the radio and talking programmes.
Nevertheless, Jimmy and I built up the courage to go to George's Dancing School in Lawe Road. Here, someone was brave enough to attempt to teach us how to do the waltz and quickstep for l/6d (7 ½p) per lesson. I did not envy him but it worked, and more important perhaps, it gave us the confidence at the mature age of 19 years, to progress to downtown dance halls.
The Majestic at the Pier Head was by far the most popular and crowded several nights of the week. It was 2/ - (10p) during the week and 3/6d (17 ½p) on a Saturday. The Hedworth Hall in Dean Road was more upmarket and seemed to cater more for the needs of the Rugby and Cricket Clubs.
Neither of these popular dance halls served alcoholic drinks, just tea, coffee and an assortment of soft drinks. Those who wanted alcohol, had to go to the King's Hotel in Kings Street which had a much more mature clientele.
If couples agreed to go out again after an evening dancing, the meeting place was often Marr's Corner at the junction of Ocean Road and Mile End Road and named after the well-known Marr's the tobacconist. In truth however, I believe more romantic relationships were born at Reyrolles rather than the local dance halls.
Nearby, Minchellas Ice Cream Parlour was another popular meeting place for teenagers and young adults in the 1950's. It recruited many of its customers from the nearby Marine School, before, during and after classes.
Most adults smoked. The pubs were full particularly at week-ends, but most teen-agers managed to enjoy themselves without getting drunk. Drugs were unknown. As an individual with a rather narrow upbringing, apart from trying a cigarette to see if I was missing something, I never smoked. Also I was over eighteen years of age before entering a public house and then it was only for a lunchtime farewell drink for someone leaving at Reyrolles.
During the 1950's dress was very formal. Most young men with their hair covered in Brylcream wore a sports jacket and grey flannels, whatever the occasion. Sporty types might venture to a blazer, and most had a best suit for Sundays and important events.
It was the age of the convenient but horrible nylon shirts and ties with wide Windsor knots. A long raincoat was usually worn or carried over the arm from October to March. Mature men always wore a trilby or cap.
Most of the girls wore a blouse or jumper with a skirt for work - trousers were quite unacceptable. It was the age of the sweater girl, often with twin peaks. Many women wore hats, and no respectable lady would be seen showing a bra strap or a bare midriff. Stiletto heeled shoes were extremely popular as were dirndl dresses with tight waists and large net underskirts.
At dances, couples danced together, not yards apart, while singers imitated romantic and popular Ronnie Hilton and Frank Ifield numbers.
