Remember the heatwave of 1976?

Hellogirl1

We worked all through that long, hot summer, then went on holiday in September to S.Devon. On the way down, we were travelling through, I think, the village of Modbury, and there was a cottage down a pretty lane that had been painted black all over. Printed in large white letters on the side it said that this had been done as a punishment to the householders for wasting water in the heatwave. I still haven`t come across anyone else who remembers this. On the Thursday lunchtime, we were sitting on the beach at Thurlestone when the sun suddenly disappeared and the heavens opened, oh boy, did it rain! And all day Friday as well, but when we were settying off for home on Saturday the sun came out again.

I don't remember that although we lived nearby but perhaps I didn't go very far with a toddler and new baby!

Ps we didn't live in that cottage!
They are very eco-friendly in Modbury - the first town to ban plastic bags. I have a Modbury cotton bag, bought years ago.

My two boys were 6 and 4, younger one at nursery.The nursery had a huge garden at the back and the children ran round it in the sun. Sometimes they got the paddling pool out and the children were in and out of it and the staff let them remove their clothes as always wet.We would go to pick them up and they were all stark naked, imagine that being allowed now.
In the school holidays we spent a lot of time on the beach.I was working night duty as a nurse my husband managed to get alternate days to me so we had no worry about childcare.
The hot weather seemed to last for ever, then in early September the rains came down, and my lovely grandfather died.

It didn’t seem all that hot to me, because we were visiting from Abu Dhabi, where it was a hell of a lot hotter.
But I do remember the ‘green and pleasant’ having turned brown and looking decidedly un-English.

My son had a nude 2nd Birthday Party. We invited twin girls and he painted them all over with Galt play paint ??? I must remind him !

Another here who gave birth in June 1976. My daughter weighed 9lbs 14oz and I was huge.
I remember all the babies in the nursery at the hospital only had towelling nappies on to try and keep them cool.

I was at home with 2 small children, we had a large garden and the children spent every minute outside. I was having problems with my husband (and his girlfriend of the time! ) so I took the children to say for six weeks with his lovely mum who lived near the sea, had a lovely time.

At home with an 18 month old we sort of carried on with adjustments. Grey water kept the garden going. A paddling pool kept our son and my feet happy. Hats were worn. A financially tight time I had one lightweight summer dress. It was washed a lot . I suspect I coped better with heat back then.

Just watched the programme again. They said we had 45 days with no rain and the heat lasted 10 weeks. Started 23 June with high pressure and temperatures over 30 degrees. Hottest summer in three centuries. There were 15 days over 30 degrees and the hottest day was Cheltenham at 35.9C on 3rd July.

However, I have to add there were some boiling hot days 5th to 7th June as I said in my diary!

Do wonder at posters on here talking about paddling pools for their children during summer 1976. My memory is that these were strictly banned under the water regulations. Unless they were filling them with used bath water or washing up water.

Franbern

Do wonder at posters on here talking about paddling pools for their children during summer 1976. My memory is that these were strictly banned under the water regulations. Unless they were filling them with used bath water or washing up water.

I don't think the ban came in straight away but obviously we wouldn't have used them after! - and the water was used afterwards to water tomatoes, beans etc.
Every drop of washing up water was used on the vegetables and bath water was rationed to a few inches.

DD was washed off with soap in her paddling pool anyway. New baby was bathed in the sink.

Chestnut odd that the ladies at the standpipe all have winter clothes on?

I had a 4 yr old and a 2 yr old and we spent most days in the garden, so I’m wondering if the heat either wasn’t so fierce or it just wasn’t as hot.

They arrived with all the gear to erect a standpipe at the end of our road and that afternoon and night it rained so they didn’t bother to do it.

I remember dancing with the children in the garden the first time it rained after the long dry weeks.

I wouldn’t describe them as wearing winter clothing. Short sleeves for the most part, but times were harder for most of us then and women - especially of a certain age - would have had less in the way of summer clothing. Summer dresses would not have been worn for housework, for instance, and filling buckets at a stand pipe counted as housework.

The one day it rained, the 19th June, our wedding day. When we returned to our new house after honeymoon the front turf had gone brown and there was a hosepipe ban. I had a twin tub then and bucketed every drop of water out onto the lawn.

Wearing jumpers and cardigans though and brown shoes?

Oopsadaisy1

Wearing jumpers and cardigans though and brown shoes?

Well, I certainly wasn't! Not that my photo hit the papers

I’ve looked on t’tinternet and all the people at standpipes have woolly jumpers on! Some with blouses and cardigans.

I found just one with a man and a lady who had a short sleeved top on and the man had his shirt sleeves rolled up.

Obviously no one like to let their arms see the sun.

I spent from July 16th to September 23rd in hospital with DS threatening to be born early. A never to be forgotton Summer not just for me but for my husband and DM who had charge of two small girls the whole way through.

I was off work ill with some weird virus and was totally exhausted. I lost 3stones in weight, sat in the garden most days and ended up brown as a berry.

It didn’t come to standpipes in our area but I think I was happy then I was 15

Regarding that photo… I think it just wasn’t the thing to have bare arms during the day, and most women wore tights whatever the temperature…I certainly did, ridiculous though it seems now. exceptions would be being on Holiday or an evening out, dance party etc.
As someone has already mentioned people didn’t have all that many clothes and houses being generally colder anyway so few people had the cash to splash on heatwave togs

It was idyllic, but then I was only 14, so didn't have any of the adult concerns about it. I don't remember standpipes, either.

Remember that those women in the picture were all older and had lived through the 1940s and 1950s when things were really tough. They would not have been fazed by using stand pipes. Imagine the fuss if it happened today! Which I'm sure it will one day. How will people cope, they are used to daily showers, washing machines, dishwashers. They will be tearing their hair out.

Well done to all those who were pregnant in 1976. I had an 18 month old toddler and we were planning a 2nd baby but I knew I couldn't cope with pregnancy in similar heat plus a toddler in tow.

Our planning worked as I became pregnant and gave birth to our son in May 1977. Of course it rained!

I was expecting my daughter in 1976 - she was born 1st July. At the time I had a very active 2 year old. I can remember having his 2nd birthday party and running around after all these little 2 year old with only 8 days to go before giving birth. The plus side was the fact that I was only 24 and had lots of help from my mam. The birthday cake was made of ice cream and quickly melted when it came out of the freezer! Happy days!