Childhood revisited

This is the 'Potting Shed' a cafe at our local garden centre - familiar to people who follow Wendles56.

I escaped my marking for a walk with my friend this afternoon in familiar territory around St Ives. We finished up here for a treat (tea and scone).

Always fascinating to look at all the 'stuff' hanging from the ceiling as well as study the photos of Harden and the Bingley area in a bygone era.

This was part of my view and my attention was caught by the strange looking glass screen on legs. My Grandma had one. As a child we didn't have a TV (yes I am very old!) we just had a radiogram till I was about 7 or 8 but we went to Grandma's for tea on a Saturday to watch her 9" screen! We would watch either Billy Cotton's Band Show or The Black and White Minstrels. Also 6 -5 Special with Ruby Murray and Tommy Steel (yes I really am old) and scary things like Qatar Mass which I had to watch through the mirror!

What has this got to do with the 'Potting Shed - the screen on legs was a magnifier for your tiny black and white TV! I'm sure it distorted the picture unless you were right in front of it but it was an innovation of its time!

(I stopped going to museums too when I realised that I recognised most things I saw in the social history sections)