On the 1st of September 1939 two days before the start of Britain's involvement in WW2 an order previously declared by the government that Britain would observe a Blackout. In short all lights before sunset should be extinguished or Blacked out as not to aid the Germans on their bombing missions. Households had to cover there windows and doors etc with Blackout curtains or blinds, cardboard, paint, anything that would block light completely. It was even frowned upon to smoke outside for fear the glow from the cigarette could be seen from thousands of feet by bomber crews. ARP and Police patrols kept a constant vigil for anyone not observing the Blackout, heavy fines and sometimes a prison sentence for persistent offenders would follow. Public places such as pubs and cinemas had to devise methods of allowing the public to leave the premises without showing any light. Cars and street lights were fitted with deflectors to deflect the light down, even then they could only be very dimly lit. Inevitably what was meant to save life cost many due to road accidents and mainly the elderly trying to get around in the dark. Thousands lost their lives due to the Blackout but many more lives were saved because of it. Owing to the large loss of life through accidents, especially road and pedestrian related, the Pedestrian Association lobbied the government to have white lines painted at the sides of roads and white stripes painted on lampposts, this was done and accidents reduced. It was also recommended that pedestrians walk facing the traffic, it was also suggested that men walk with their shirt tail hanging outside their trousers, anything to be seen.
God help us, Come yourself, Don't send Jesus, This is no place for children.
Is that where 'walk into oncoming traffic' originated then?... very interesting Mr Bert
Most likely did Phil. Another thing worth mentioning, it was recommend, if paint was being used for blacking out of windows, black paint alone wasn't good enough, a coat of white paint first then followed by black. Also blast protection from flying glass, a lot of people simply stuck tape across their windows and some had nets, even though the blast could be far enough away not to damage the building, glass was the weak point and would often get blown in.
God help us, Come yourself, Don't send Jesus, This is no place for children.
Into the late '50's/early 60's you could still see the white bands they painted on the TREES in Singleton Avenue !!
The Mersey Railway trains had shoeguards fitted, so that the flash from the positive shoes on the live rail couldn't been seen from above. Never really been convinced on how efficient THAT sketch was.
Is that where 'walk into oncoming traffic' originated then?... very interesting Mr Bert
Most likely did Phil. Another thing worth mentioning, it was recommend, if paint was being used for blacking out of windows, black paint alone wasn't good enough, a coat of white paint first then followed by black. Also blast protection from flying glass, a lot of people simply stuck tape across their windows and some had nets, even though the blast could be far enough away not to damage the building, glass was the weak point and would often get blown in.
we were talking to a lady a few years ago who lived in the house next to ours & she said the windows got blown out she said a girl round the corner died but as far as I know there was only bomb damage on mount road.
I ask because I am sure I can (just) remember the blackout. I must have been very, very, young. However, I clearly remember a lot of banging on the front door and shouting etc - because I had been shining a torch through the blackout curtains. I remember mum coming into the room and taking it off me.
Snod
5 Precepts of Buddhism seem appropriate. Refrain from taking life. Refrain from taking that which is not given. Refrain from misconduct. Refrain from lying. Refrain from intoxicants which lead to loss of mindfulness
Naughty Snod, that would be a policeman or ARP warden coming to get you. Late 1944 it went from Blackout to Dim out on the understanding in the event of air raid warnings it went to complete blackout. In April 1945 the lights returned.
God help us, Come yourself, Don't send Jesus, This is no place for children.
Then it is perfectly possible that I really do remember the event. By April '45 I would be 3 years old. I recally the "worry" that mum had was that the torch concerned was fairly large and that (and the scarce wartime batteries) were almost certainly "ex-army" - if you know what I mean
Snod
5 Precepts of Buddhism seem appropriate. Refrain from taking life. Refrain from taking that which is not given. Refrain from misconduct. Refrain from lying. Refrain from intoxicants which lead to loss of mindfulness
I can remember that even in the 60's and 70's people still had white painted rear mudgards on their bikes !,
I remember in the mid/late 80's pulling a bike out of the cellar in a Halfords I was working at which had the white paint at the end of the muguards (old Raleigh bike, black with rod brakes) I just thought it was the colour scheme, makes sense now (only took 25 years)
One thing that i often wonderd about but never asked about at the time was why there was a faded painted rectangle behind the "Neston" in the company name on my grandfathers asbestos clad works shed, then about twenty years ago the penny finaly dropped...the name must have been painted out during the war!. Even though the building had passed to someone else it could still be seen until the 80's when the shed was reclad.
