Norman Dunn's 'Hebburn and our Neighbours Forum'

Norman Dunn's 'Hebburn and our Neighbours Forum'
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Christmas in Hebburn in the '50s

Posted by Alan Young on 23/12/2025, 3:03 pm

Norman - your board header photo of Victoria road junction in 1954 put me in mind of just what Christmas was like then. If I remember rightly Turkey for Christmas dinner for me was unheard of - the treat was a fresh chicken or a pork joint. Visiting family outside of Hebburn was not possible - not many people had cars and I don't think that there was public transport. We watched the 12 or 14 inch tv or listened to the Queen's speech on the wireless.
How things have changed.
For the better ??
I will leave you to decide.
Everybody Enjoy the true meaning of Christmas.

Re: Christmas in Hebburn in the '50s

Posted by Sheila on 23/12/2025, 3:35 pm, in reply to "Christmas in Hebburn in the '50s"

Alan, I remember a capon ( I had to discover it was a big chicken) and always pork. Tinned salmon on Boxing Day and home made mice pies and Christmas cake. Still no TV for us in 1954. Read my Christmas annuals. Pretending not to listen to the grown up gossip. All happy childhood memories.

Re: Christmas in Hebburn in the '50s

Posted by Norman on 23/12/2025, 4:30 pm, in reply to "Christmas in Hebburn in the '50s"

Hi Alan,
I lived down the Quay from 1944 until we moved to Grasmere Rd 1953.No TV's for us then.
It was probably the late 1950s when we got a pay per week 'Radio Rentals' or 'Rediffusion'telly.
Today we watch large wall mounted TV's and I often think 'what would our ancestors (who didnt even have radios)think if they could see us today.
How lucky my generation have been.
We watched a Catherine Cookson made for TV film a gfew days ago & the young lady (in the mid 1800s) was offered a job in a Farmhouse starting at 4am & finishing at 6pm & not a minute earlier she was told for 4 shilling per week. (20 shillings was £1 ).
We are so lucky.

Re: Christmas in Hebburn in the '50s

Posted by Liz Dance on 23/12/2025, 5:25 pm, in reply to "Re: Christmas in Hebburn in the '50s"

We were the only people in our street to have a TV, as you can imagine I was quite popular as I always used to invite friends home to see things like Bill and Ben, muffin the Mule and the like.

Like you Sheila I always received annuals at Christmas time, loved reading them, I also recall tinned salmon on Boxing Day, I guess we were lucky we managed a small Turkey only, I think, because we had guests fir Christmas lunch.

I don’t think I missed out on anything but Christmas these days seems, to my mind, very commercialised and very costly, I feel very sorry for families who don’t have a lot of money it must be awful trying to keep kids happy.

Re: Christmas in Hebburn in the '50s

Posted by Sheila on 23/12/2025, 6:04 pm, in reply to "Re: Christmas in Hebburn in the '50s"

My married brother had a TV for the Queens Coronation in 1953 and eventually persuaded my Mum to rent one in 1956. I think it was a Rediffusion. Happy memories.