Remember the heatwave of 1976?

Yes I definitely do, I was 15 and last year of school, going down the beach everyday with friends, & some of the boys who had a portable record player and played beach boy songs, greatest hits I think & some very appropriate for on the beach. Those were the days… of ‘76’

Nightmare, my children were 5 and 2. Two and a half mile walk to shops (no bus or car and no deliveries except mr Corona fizzy pop man), hose pipe from bath to garden, very limited washing facilities for laundry and completely on my own.

I was 8 mths pregnant in the summer of 76 . I spent most of my time in the shower or sat in the shade with my 15 mths old in her paddling pool but luckily we didn't have to put up with the constant doom and gloom merchants as we do today

My mum and I worked for same company in Princes Risborough
We started at 5.00a.m and finished at 1p.m
Wonderful memories such great year just started dating my now husband

I was pregnant throughout the '76 heatwave. My baby bump did a fantastic job of regulating my temperature and I never felt uncomfortable in the heat even though everyone around me was sweating and suffering. She's 46 now and can't stand hot weather but I'll always be grateful for her pre-birth temperature regulating skills!

I can remember the heatwave breaking. I'd been to a club and it was midnight, rain started to fall and we all took our shoes off and danced about in the centre of Bath!

During that summer I found every excuse to skip work lolol and enjoy the wonderful weather.

It was glorious. I lived in Fulham, fell in love again with my childhood sweetheart and married in the September. Nine months later our first daughter was born.

The summer of '76 was indeed memorable.

I remember that there was a lido at Whipps Cross, set amongst the edges of Epping Forest, where there was a forest fire. The entire area was scorched black and brown.

My daughter was 3 in 1976. We spent the summer on sidmouth beach and she learnt to swim. Like a fish. I worked in the evenings as a waitress and my mum looked after her for me. Happy days ?

Best home grown strawberries that year.

I don't recall it being that hot to be honest. I remember the bad winter of 1966 much more.

My friend and I were newly qualified staff nurses on night duty during 1976. We worked 8 x 11 hour shifts and slept outside in the day under the shade of trees in the nurses’ home garden. On our first night off we took the midnight train to Devon to spend 5 days with the two fellas we’d met on holiday the previous year. What a fabulous summer!

Wasn’t it water shortages and sharing showers back then?

I was pregnant with our first child in that summer of 76. She was born earl February 1977. We went on a holiday to the West Country and, instead of its being all green and lush, it was a desert of scorched grass. I remember thinking when the rain did eventually come, just after the government appointed a Minister for drought, that I would never complain about rain again.

I did A levels that summer and remember taking a water bottle into the exams, before that was fashionable. It was hard revising in the heat and I think I was quite grumpy with my family!!

Sparklefizz

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!

We didn't know it was going to be that hot!!

Anyway, our planning hadn't worked ?

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!

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!

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.

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.

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

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.

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’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.