Category: Leeds stories

By David M Cameron Posted on

‘Cup of Tea Tales’ – Further Heights in Rock Climbing Escapades. Almscliffe Crag and the Roundhay School Snowdonia Climbing Trip. Memories to Last a Lifetime!

After my initial ventures into rock climbing, courtesy of borrowed equipment from my older brother, at the Cow and Calf and Hetchell Crags, I began to venture further afield. One … Continue reading ‘Cup of Tea Tales’ – Further Heights in Rock Climbing Escapades. Almscliffe Crag and the Roundhay School Snowdonia Climbing Trip. Memories to Last a Lifetime!

By David M Cameron Posted on

‘Cup of Tea Tales’ –The Serious End of High School, the Lower and Upper Sixth Forms, Going Co-Ed, a Shock for the Teachers and for Us. We were so Bad!

There appeared to be two types of people at Roundhay School and they can be split into those who would cause their parents concern and those who wouldn’t. When adolescence … Continue reading ‘Cup of Tea Tales’ –The Serious End of High School, the Lower and Upper Sixth Forms, Going Co-Ed, a Shock for the Teachers and for Us. We were so Bad!

By David M Cameron Posted on

‘Cup of Tea Tales’ – That Time of Year Again and Still Dreaming of a White Christmas. Are Your Memories of Family Madness, Like Mine?

This has been the most globally traumatic year that I have ever experienced and I suppose it is a reminder of how fragile peace and tranquility is. For some reason … Continue reading ‘Cup of Tea Tales’ – That Time of Year Again and Still Dreaming of a White Christmas. Are Your Memories of Family Madness, Like Mine?

By David M Cameron Posted on

‘Cup of Tea Tales’ – Drugs, Sex and Rock and Roll – Or at Least the Rock and Roll. The changing face of Youth Culture from the 1950s to 1970s and How it Affected a Local Leeds Boy.

At first sight this seems a rather tall order to cover such a subject in two thousand words, but maybe I can give you my personal views and I hope … Continue reading ‘Cup of Tea Tales’ – Drugs, Sex and Rock and Roll – Or at Least the Rock and Roll. The changing face of Youth Culture from the 1950s to 1970s and How it Affected a Local Leeds Boy.

By David M Cameron Posted on

‘Cup of Tea Tales’ – The Changing World of Work. The Wray and Cameron Experience in 20th Century Leeds and Australia.

My first knowledge of work comes from my mother’s accounts of her school days and moving into employment. My mother had an older sister, Joan, and she was a clever … Continue reading ‘Cup of Tea Tales’ – The Changing World of Work. The Wray and Cameron Experience in 20th Century Leeds and Australia.

By David M Cameron Posted on

‘Cup of Tea Tales’ – How Did We Survive? Radium, Mercury, Lead, Asbestos, Sawdust, DDT – Things We Had That Aren’t Allowed Nowadays.

Last week’s blog about smog got me thinking about other changes since the 1950s in the way that people live and there are many things that we were allowed to … Continue reading ‘Cup of Tea Tales’ – How Did We Survive? Radium, Mercury, Lead, Asbestos, Sawdust, DDT – Things We Had That Aren’t Allowed Nowadays.

By David M Cameron Posted on

‘Cup of Tea Tales’ – Fog and Smog the Curse of the Winter Months in Northern Cities and a Blight for Travellers. From the 1950s to 2000s and Still Causing Havoc.

As a young boy in Leeds I found fog rather exciting. In the 1950s coal was the main source of heating in houses and in Harehills and local areas the … Continue reading ‘Cup of Tea Tales’ – Fog and Smog the Curse of the Winter Months in Northern Cities and a Blight for Travellers. From the 1950s to 2000s and Still Causing Havoc.

By David M Cameron Posted on

‘Cup of Tea Tales’ – Toys, Toys, Toys! The move from the Imagination. Clockwork to Battery Power – Simple to Complex, and from Cheap to Expensive – 1950s to 1960s.

We didn’t realise it at the time, but we were living through a revolution. The world was changing and changing quickly and children were oblivious to this change apart from … Continue reading ‘Cup of Tea Tales’ – Toys, Toys, Toys! The move from the Imagination. Clockwork to Battery Power – Simple to Complex, and from Cheap to Expensive – 1950s to 1960s.

By David M Cameron Posted on

‘Cup of Tea Tales’ – Learning to Read, Learning to Love Books and Learning to Write. Listen With Mother, Radio Assemblies, Oakwood Library, Secret Seven, Famous Five, The Lion The Witch and the Wardrobe, and The Lord of the Rings.

Stories! Stories have had such an impact on my life and on most people’s. When I was very little, before television, there was the radio and I still remember the … Continue reading ‘Cup of Tea Tales’ – Learning to Read, Learning to Love Books and Learning to Write. Listen With Mother, Radio Assemblies, Oakwood Library, Secret Seven, Famous Five, The Lion The Witch and the Wardrobe, and The Lord of the Rings.

By David M Cameron Posted on

‘Cup of Tea Tales’ – On With the Improvements – Bringing a Pre-War Semi-Detached House into the 1960s and 70s! Coin slot TVs, Fitted Carpets, Central Heating. How Thoroughly Modern!

With the windows replaced, my father was starting to get into the swing of bringing the house on Gipton Wood Crescent up to scratch and this meant attacking the heating. … Continue reading ‘Cup of Tea Tales’ – On With the Improvements – Bringing a Pre-War Semi-Detached House into the 1960s and 70s! Coin slot TVs, Fitted Carpets, Central Heating. How Thoroughly Modern!

By David M Cameron Posted on

‘Cup of Tea Tales’ – Ch,Ch,Ch,Changes, Heating, Bath Time, Laundry and the Coming of Mod Cons in the late 1950s! My Grandma’s in Chapel Allerton.

A few weeks ago I was remembering how my father had modernised our house and so many other aspects of our lives have changed during my lifetime. My Grandma’s house, … Continue reading ‘Cup of Tea Tales’ – Ch,Ch,Ch,Changes, Heating, Bath Time, Laundry and the Coming of Mod Cons in the late 1950s! My Grandma’s in Chapel Allerton.

By David M Cameron Posted on

‘Cup of Tea Tales’ – School Dinners – Harehills County Primary and Roundhay School. Treacle Sponge, Manchester Tart, Spotted Dick, Jam Roly-Poly – the origins of our hardening arteries!

I believe that school dinners were first introduced into the UK in 1906, but not all local councils provided them. When I attended primary school in the late 1950s, Harehills … Continue reading ‘Cup of Tea Tales’ – School Dinners – Harehills County Primary and Roundhay School. Treacle Sponge, Manchester Tart, Spotted Dick, Jam Roly-Poly – the origins of our hardening arteries!