I HEART 80s

Charles & Diana

Do you remember the day? I have some vague memories - some of them I fear merge into the Queen's Golden Jubilee of 1977. The summer of 1981 was very hot, a proper old style 80's summer and 29 July was no exception to that trend. I remember that we had a street party, or rather a party down in the playing field - a great municipal space created by the builders of the Shropshire council estate on which I was brought up. We had some swings, a rocking horse and a climbing frame. We also had a concrete manhole ring tipped on its side - that was great for when we played kiss chase. But that's another story. This is about the Royal Wedding. Us kids were allowed to get involved in the planning of our street party and I remember that the big thing for me was that we were allowed to have one of the specially struck silver proof crowns in our party packs. I've still got mine somewhere - along with a Jubilee one too.

** Edit ** Good grief - the woman on Radio 4's Front Row has just launched into a discussion of a new TV drama about the wedding as it impacted upon a small Welsh valley community. It's Friday 14 May 2010 - spooky or what! **