Friday, June 28, 2013

A Blast From the Past!!

Surfing my pictures today, looking for the ones I took of my Mom's Tea Pots, I came across My collection of Ephemera, yes I know I'm always surprised to realize I'm a secret hoarder, but honestly I really never planned any of it! Everyone wants to know where I keep all this stuff, but my attic is totally empty, and I do have closet space yet to be filled! The collection I am about to show you, is from my time as a teenager, when we lived in England. I lived  there from the age of twelve thru sixteen, 36 miles south of London in Maidstone Kent/NAS West Malling , and I can't tell you how much my Family enjoyed our time there. When I was fourteen, Me and all my girlfriends would ride the train into London and spend the day shopping, visiting Tea Houses, looking at all the Teddy Boys,  (hoods) they were always the cutest!! Oh God with their Stove Pipe Pants, (skinny jeans), Winklepicker Shoes, (looong pointed toes), great pompadours and black leather studded jackets...I'm telling you they were visions to us! This was in the late 50's early 60's, Mini skirts, Beehive Hair, High heels, and White Lipstick, oh yeah, we were rock'n it! We would go to the Granada in London to see all the Rock shows, and I mean when you saw one, it was a loaded show, at least five top performers, Cliff Richards, Billy Fury, Adam Faith,Chubby Checkers, Bobby Vee, Little Richard, on and on, I saw them all! Can you imagine today letting your young teens  get on a train and traveling somewhere to go shopping??? Gods you can't even let them ride their bikes around the corner! So glad I was born when I was, I don't think anything can beat growing up in the 50's and 60's, ahhh the music led our lives, Rock was bust'n out just like we were! I would go to the store every week and buy Boyfriend Magazine, oh this was a great teen mag with all the scoop on the stars and great hair and makeup tips, and a romantic cartoon series, that you just couldn't wait to read each week! Then the piece de resistance was their centerpage foldout!!! Usually a Male Movie Star or Rock Star! Well I saved a couple of the mags, but all of the centerfolds! I bet I've got pics of Elvis you've never even seen!! Oh and don't get me started on the two scrap books I have filled with clippings from the Mirror News Mag. I don't know what the English News Papers are like now, but they used to be wonderful! Well let me get back to my collection, I keep it all in this little suitcase, and it is filled with all kinds of great stuff! I mean I even have the Menu's from the Ocean Liner USS United States (first class) that we rode over to England on in 1958!! Geesh so much I want to talk about, I get side tracked....


The treasures unfold...
All my programs from the Best Rock Shows Ever!! Dion (Run Around Sue)(got his autograph) Bobby Vee,(Bounce'n Ball) The Shadows and Gary U S Bonds ( Quarter to Three)!! Brings a tear...
Words to two Great Songs!!!
Lord the Stones when they were young...and The Rocky Horror Show, when it was The Show!! Paul Anka (Lonely Boy) oh and I was drawing then too! Oh and the cute little picture one of my English school mates drew, she named it Brigitte ! sniff..
Boyfriend Mags, Richard Chamberlain (Dr Kildare), Young Elvis (got tons of his pics) and George Hammilton.
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Troy Donahue, God did you see the Movie Summer Place??? Swoon..George Chakiris and James Daren, oh and in the back, Michael Landon (Bonanza)
Isn't this a trip!  and I mean a good one down memory lane! I have so many many more, but I think this is
enough to show, but I just had to add in my picture of Jayne Mansfield (late 1960' s)
When I was 19, I modeled shoes for the Great Shoe Designer Joseph LaRose for 2 1/2 years, and when Jayne Mansfield came to Jacksonville, just to buy his shoes, I got her autograph!!




2 comments:

  1. Another life comes to the forefront with your blog. I have been to London twice. The first time we were north of London in Potters Bar. We took the train into London. The second time we stayed right across from Kensington Palace. I took the subway myself and went from one end of London to the other. I got a pass and rode to my heart's delight. The Queen's rose garden was outstanding.. I never saw so many roses and I loved the way they put them together by color and type. The stores were something else.. especially Herrods.. Rena, you had a delightful time in England and I could just imagine you bopping into London with all your friends. I know there was never a dull time with you around. The concerts must have been over the top wonderful. I enjoyed seeing your past life collections.. I still am amazed at where you store all your collections with no basement. Amazing my friend..

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  2. Rena...loved it! All your old heart throbs were mine too! Do you remember the Fireballs (Sugar Shack)..they were from my area and used to play at our school dances. The Norman Petty studio here in Clovis NM recorded some of the biggest in our time...lots of memories....hugs, Penny

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