Where were you in '73

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Audax67
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Re: Where were you in '73

Post by Audax67 »

We were already in Paris by '73. We had a flat in a high-rise about 10k south of Orly on the edge of a plateau overlooking the Seine valley. To the north we could just see the Eiffel Tower on clear days, and we could watch but not hear the planes approaching to land. On the south we had a balcony from which we could see to the Fontainebleau Forest. We could also see the thunderstorms approaching, and watch the lightning strikes change from orange to violet as they got closer. I once stood and watched planes coming in through a storm, and it seemed that every one of them was struck.

I was working for a computer company in the 11e Arrondissement, a definitely unsnooty area with lots of restaurants where you could get a good meal for not much, or we could go to the bistro downstairs from the office, have a sandwich and play bridge. Fun days.

Just now I'm working my way through a Maigret omnibus, mostly of stories written in the 1930s. It's a sobering thought that Maigret's Paris is closer to the Paris I discovered in the 70s than the 70s Paris is to today.
Have we got time for another cuppa?
Cyril Haearn
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Re: Where were you in '73

Post by Cyril Haearn »

Maigret in French or English? I read some in English years ago. Have they stood the test of time? Are they still popular in French-reading countries?
..
Saw an interesting collection of photos on the interweb recently, views of le tour Eiffel from peoples homes, lots of people just have a view of it from the bathroom or the stairwell
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ambodach
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Re: Where were you in '73

Post by ambodach »

In late 1972 I moved to a new scotch whisky distillery which had just opened. The manager who was supposed to get this done was not up to the job and left a shambles behind.
1973 was spent mostly sorting the place out and getting it running efficiently with proper systems in place and training staff who knew nothing of the workings of a distillery and minor coopering. We ran 24/7 and I was on call all the time for the first 6 months. Hard work but rewarding seeing it all coming together.
scribes
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Re: Where were you in '73

Post by scribes »

Mick F wrote:
scribes wrote:In 1973 I was serving in the Royal Naval frigate HMS JAGUAR.
:D
We were in Singapore in '71 in Achilles, and Jag was across the other side of the basin. Mate of mine as an REM was on her then, by name of Dixie Dean. We had been in the same class at Raleigh.
Dixie is front row far left.
I'm middle row 4th from left.Raleigh.jpg

The Cat Class frigates - more correctly Leopard Class - had a gunnery radar nicknamed "the eyeballs in the sky" for obvious reasons.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Leopard-class_frigate

Hi Mick F,
In '71 I was in COMFEF in the dockyard and came across a Nobby Hall (AB) from Achilles in a x-country race at Simbang.
These were the days!
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Mick F
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Re: Where were you in '73

Post by Mick F »

:D :D
Happy days eh?

For the uninitiated, COMFEF stands for Commander Far East Fleet.

Achilles was the last RN ship to leave Singapore RN Base.
The fleet sailed away as a ceremonial departure ........ late 1971 ........... but we had to turn back after the fleet had left as we had a major mechanical defect, and went back. Consequently, WE were the last ship to go, though not recorded in history as such.
Mick F. Cornwall
carpetcleaner
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Re: Where were you in '73

Post by carpetcleaner »

Audax67 wrote:We were already in Paris by '73. We had a flat in a high-rise about 10k south of Orly on the edge of a plateau overlooking the Seine valley. To the north we could just see the Eiffel Tower on clear days, and we could watch but not hear the planes approaching to land. On the south we had a balcony from which we could see to the Fontainebleau Forest. We could also see the thunderstorms approaching, and watch the lightning strikes change from orange to violet as they got closer. I once stood and watched planes coming in through a storm, and it seemed that every one of them was struck.

I was working for a computer company in the 11e Arrondissement, a definitely unsnooty area with lots of restaurants where you could get a good meal for not much, or we could go to the bistro downstairs from the office, have a sandwich and play bridge. Fun days.

Just now I'm working my way through a Maigret omnibus, mostly of stories written in the 1930s. It's a sobering thought that Maigret's Paris is closer to the Paris I discovered in the 70s than the 70s Paris is to today.


I make this sort of comparison all the time.

In 1973 the death of my grandfather, killed in action in WW2 in 1944 and before I was born, seemed like ancient history.

Now it seems much more recent, and I understand why my mother still talks about it quite often.
richardfm
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Re: Where were you in '73

Post by richardfm »

carpetcleaner wrote:
Audax67 wrote:We were already in Paris by '73. We had a flat in a high-rise about 10k south of Orly on the edge of a plateau overlooking the Seine valley. To the north we could just see the Eiffel Tower on clear days, and we could watch but not hear the planes approaching to land. On the south we had a balcony from which we could see to the Fontainebleau Forest. We could also see the thunderstorms approaching, and watch the lightning strikes change from orange to violet as they got closer. I once stood and watched planes coming in through a storm, and it seemed that every one of them was struck.

I was working for a computer company in the 11e Arrondissement, a definitely unsnooty area with lots of restaurants where you could get a good meal for not much, or we could go to the bistro downstairs from the office, have a sandwich and play bridge. Fun days.

Just now I'm working my way through a Maigret omnibus, mostly of stories written in the 1930s. It's a sobering thought that Maigret's Paris is closer to the Paris I discovered in the 70s than the 70s Paris is to today.


I make this sort of comparison all the time.

In 1973 the death of my grandfather, killed in action in WW2 in 1944 and before I was born, seemed like ancient history.

Now it seems much more recent, and I understand why my mother still talks about it quite often.

I know that feeling, I was born in 1961 and when I was growing up WW2, as you say, was ancient history. However, it only finished 16 years before I was born. My teenage years don't feel that long ago, but they were 40+ years ago.
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Audax67
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Re: Where were you in '73

Post by Audax67 »

Cyril Haearn wrote:Maigret in French or English? I read some in English years ago. Have they stood the test of time? Are they still popular in French-reading countries?
..
Saw an interesting collection of photos on the interweb recently, views of le tour Eiffel from peoples homes, lots of people just have a view of it from the bathroom or the stairwell



In French. Quite fascinating due to changes in vocabulary and attitudes since then.
Have we got time for another cuppa?
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NATURAL ANKLING
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Re: Where were you in '73

Post by NATURAL ANKLING »

Hi,
lbomaak2 wrote:I was a rather depressed and lonely 15-year-old in 1973. But I had a heavy, second-hand bike with Sturmey-Archer 3-speed hub, and when I got bored at weekends and during school holidays I used to go off for rides of 20 miles or more around the lanes of Beds and Bucks. No map, no tools, no waterproofs.

Me :wink:
Not every life is great is it.......
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Morzedec
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Re: Where were you in '73

Post by Morzedec »

I'm in no way trying to 'hijack the thread, but lets see if I can get any response if I suggest '1963'.

To start you off, I was at University in Sydney, playing rather more rugby than I was studying - when I wasn't surfing, that was.

And yes, I can (just about) remember those days. Hic.
Cyril Haearn
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Re: Where were you in 1963?

Post by Cyril Haearn »

I was in short trousers in 1963 :wink:

@Morzedec Hope you have spent lockdown writing your autobiography, may I order a copy? When shall you be released?
..
Anyone for 1953? (not me)
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NATURAL ANKLING
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Re: Where were you in '73

Post by NATURAL ANKLING »

hi,
I thought I was five but actually I was four I might even be in a few months less.
3 feet of snow in South Devon.
Distinctly remember plastic bags for gloves :
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Philip Benstead
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Re: Where were you in '73

Post by Philip Benstead »

Morzedec wrote:I'm in no way trying to 'hijack the thread, but lets see if I can get any response if I suggest '1963'.

To start you off, I was at University in Sydney, playing rather more rugby than I was studying - when I wasn't surfing, that was.

And yes, I can (just about) remember those days. Hic.


As far as I can tell these were taken in 1963 at Seacroft Holiday Camp I can remember it well.

https://www.flickr.com/photos/trainsand ... 5555961366

https://www.google.com/search?q=seacrof ... 58&bih=475
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Mike Sales
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Re: Where were you in '73

Post by Mike Sales »

I have memories of the very cold winter which began the year.
All the Fen rivers were frozen and I would take short cuts on the way to school.
Boys in the first two years were forbidden long trousers, so I resorted to track suit bottoms over my shorts on the way to and from school.
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It's the poor what gets the blame
It's the rich what gets the pleasure
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Cowsham
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Re: Where were you in '73

Post by Cowsham »

Can't remember much about 73 apart from swimming my first mile at 9 y old and Sunderland winning the FA cup but I remember the heat wave of 76 better -- 95 was hot but I think the summer of 76 was ( or maybe seemed to be to a young me ) a lot longer. I too thought the second world war was ancient history but had an uncle who was a doctor on board an RN ship in the war.
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