In 1967 I was 18 years old. I had just left school and expecting to go to university. I was on the threshold of becoming an adult, which was exciting and bewildering enough for this working class youth from Birmingham. But little did I know that Britain was in the process of unprecedented social and cultural change which would sweep me along with it.
It is now over fifty years since the Beatles’ Sergeant Pepper’s Lonely Hearts Club Band. Fifty years since homosexuality was de-criminalised, Half a century since new laws were introduced promoting equal pay and making racial discrimination unlawful. At about this time, censorship was relaxed, abortion made legal and the contraceptive pill became easily available.
In 1967 we saw massive demonstrations against the war being waged in Vietnam by the USA. In a few months time, in May 1968 there would be a near revolution in Paris with other uprisings across the world including Czechoslovakia. The British Empire continued the decline it had suffered since the 1940s.
This blog will be my real time diary from fifty years ago. I will attempt to re-imagine what I was doing, thinking, feeling, reading, watching, experiencing at that time. I did not keep a diary at the time so I cannot be certain about dates or names in some cases. It will be how I remember it, with some hindsight, but I will try not to make things up. This is a true story. I will only use real names with permission.
50 years ago today 
My parents Brenda and Brian Derry and now myself lived at the top of Hubert road, so Bennet’s was and still is my local , Cynthia had time for all us kids and we could often be found over the shop at their house , many happy memories
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I have just posted an item about Raddlebarn Road to a Facebook group about Selly Oak. I will post it on this blog as well, on the Encyclopedia’ page. And I will tell Cynthia as well about your contact.
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I went to school with Diane Lombard, her parents owned the Dolphin fish & chip shop on Raddlebarn Road.next to the pub but cannot remember the name. My sister taught at St. Edwards School. 1959 – (Mrs. C.Higgins ). I lived on Harrow Road, glenyswilson@hotmail.com
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Greetings Glenys Wilson. Thanks for reminding me of the name of ‘The Dolphin’. It was a few doors down from Mrs Entwhistle’s shop. The pub was ‘The Country Girl’. The name Diane Lombard rings a bell – perhaps she knew my sister, Cynthia Perry.
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Hi Derek, just browsing FB and came across your fab Selly Oak photos. I went to school with your sister Rita. My name was Mary Fazey now Atkins. I lived at 76 Raddlebarn Road with my mother, sister (Susan ) and brother (Ian). Reading your various accounts of the shops on Raddlebarn road triggered many happy memories for me.
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I lived at 104 Umberslade Road. I grew up with Max Allen – his sister used to babysit my sister. Great photos of Raddlebarn Road
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I will tell Max – he has moved to Portugal with his wife and children. His sister Katie is married in Kingstanding and is waiting for her second child.
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my father had a butchers shop in harborne lane his telephone number in those days was SEL0176 strange how you remember things that was 65yrs ago
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i love the look and concept of your blog – can’t wait to read more ) beth
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Thanks for your comment – I will keep posting. Fifty years ago as a 19-year old I went from a suburb of Birmingham, England to study in Chelsea, the centre of ‘swinging London’. What a time! What a place! I have plenty to say about it.
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