I do remember the hype surrounding it and I also remember our school submitting material for it. It was a big event but back then I didn't realise just how important it was. It was something the grown-ups were doing. I do recall not longer after, seeing BBC Micro computers springing up in libraries and I recall seeing one at our central library down in Bromley - where I grew up. Of course by todays standards, it was basic but back then it was way ahead of its time and cutting-edge.
I've had a browse through it online and I'm amazed at what has been captured. Unlike a typical reference site, the information is made up of small articles. They are all written in a very basic format - as if by youngsters and provide a vaulable nugget of information for any place in the UK during 1986. The photo above shows Raglan Road, the road in which I went to school. The houses are typical of where I lived and grew-up.
It is all the more fantastic as all the articles are based on random everyday things. One such article reads;
We found that most of the shops
that are in Chatterton Road do not
sell food. Some of the older people
that we interviewed said that they did
all their shopping here because you
can buy everything you need and it is
such a friendly place.
Some we interviewed said that they
found the shops a little more
expensive than in Bromley ad so they
did their main shopping at large
supermarkets nearby.
In Chatterton Road there are four
takeaway food shops, a chemist and
Post Office in the same building and a
supermarket. There are several shops
which sell household goods and car
accessorioes. There are quite a few
service shops such as an estate
agent, two hairdressers, dry cleaners,
travel agents and hire shops.
The road is often very busy.
For instance, the M25 is mentioned as being not quite complete. The A17 bypass near to where I live hadn't been built and the subsequent traffic through the village of Long Sutton is mentioned.
It really is an amazing accomplishment and I take my hat off to all involved.
Another wonderfully written article gives a view of public transport in Bromley at the time...
Our transport these days in London 10th
July 1985 is not very good.The
transport takes too long to come_
that's buses.They are always late and
when they come the buses are packed and
they say only one on top sometimes.
The old people sometimes have to go up-
stairs and when their not even half way
up he rings the bell and they could
easily fall and hurt themselves.And
when somebody's running for the bus the
conductor does see him or her and rings
the bell so that the bus goes.Some
people jump on the bus and they could
easily fall and hurt themselves.On the
rectangled buses there are 28 seats
downstairs.And they let them still
stand on the bus.
So wonderful. This is another example of a genuine article;
Today 1985 their is alot of electric
equipment about. eg televisions, light,
microwave ovens. I will explain which
each one is about:
TELEVISION: This is a form of
entertainment. Actors and actresses
perform; films, soap operas, music
plays, series, and things like that.
Television has been around for about
since the 1950's.
MICROWAVE AND OTHER COOKING EQUIPMENT:
Microwave is a oven but this cooks
food quicker. A kettle is something
you boil a cup of tea or hot drink in.
Oven's and hobbs are something that you
cook your meals in. soda stream is a
fizzy drink's maker. Mr Frosty is a
milk shake maker, there are lots more
kitchen appliances but they are not so
well known.
VIDEO: A Video is connected to the
television and it can record things
I recommend a visit to this unique window on our past: http://www.bbc.co.uk/history/domesday
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