Yes Nick, you’re right.
For most, recognising our birth year must be commonplace. Besides the obvious, I’ve found it interesting to learn of special events, none-the-least being certain political signings. It would be advisable to leave those alone.
But Mickey Mouse gets a mention; Amelia Earhart flew solo across part of the Pacific Ocean; a large dam with the name of a vacuum cleaner was completed; and cat’s eyes with a built in `wash and brush up’ were introduced onto British roads.
There’s a bit more traffic now so it’s not safe to try this, but if you stamped on the rubber covered cat’s eyes, you’d likely produce a jet of water up-yer-kilt.
As a 1st year apprentice in about 50-51, a visit to Horwich Loco Works northwest of Bolton was another eye opener.
**LINK**
I can still recall the pleasant(?) smell of the smoke being chuffed owt-ut-th’engin-chim-ly. Was it sulphur combining with steam?
Down the road towards Bolton was de Havilland Propellers.
**LINK**
It was a most interesting place for a young lad. I watched intrigued by the degree of balance of those enormous three-bladed props. They would begin to turn from the weight of a folded visitor’s card, only coming to a standstill once the card fell off.
Times change!