View Full Version : Historical (Pre-Covid) Lockdowns In UK, Any memories?
I'm currently wondering if anyone on here remembers any past occasions (between the years 1945 and 2020) where lockdowns (local or national) of any sort were imposed, and for what reasons?
My most recent recollection is Tuesday 9th August 2011 when our town centre was locked down as a precautionary measure at the height of the riots when both Birmingham and Wolverhampton city centres were being turned over, though both our town, and the county of Staffordshire as a whole (even the Stoke area) luckily escaped said disturbances unscathed.
Any other instances anywhere, for whatever reason?
Just curious?
On 9/11, everything pretty much stopped here in the US. It wasn't a "lockdown" per se' (although NYC did) but more of a voluntary hunkering down of the country. It was a Tuesday and we were sent home a little after Noon and off for the rest of the week. I went camping and was one of two people in the entire campground! I remember how quiet it was because there was no air traffic and very few cars on the road or people out and about.
Positive thoughts
I remember local 'lockdowns' in the 1970s in West Bromwich - every Saturday that the local football derby (Aston Villa, Wolverhampton or other Midlands clubs) came to West Bromwich the whole town used to shut early before the end of the match day to escape the running riots after the Hawthorns chucked the fans out. It was quite scary...
I'm currently wondering if anyone on here remembers any past occasions (between the years 1945 and 2020) where lockdowns (local or national) of any sort were imposed, and for what reasons?
My most recent recollection is Tuesday 9th August 2011 when our town centre was locked down as a precautionary measure at the height of the riots when both Birmingham and Wolverhampton city centres were being turned over, though both our town, and the county of Staffordshire as a whole (even the Stoke area) luckily escaped said disturbances unscathed.
Any other instances anywhere, for whatever reason?
Just curious?
Someone mention Stoke?
Mind you, I'd emigrated further North by 2011...
I love the 'even the Stoke area' comment. :D
Someone mention Stoke?
Mind you, I'd emigrated further North by 2011...
I love the 'even the Stoke area' comment. :D
My 'even the Stoke area' comment is down to it being the largest settlement in Staffs and a 'conurbation' in its own sense, and probably the most vulnerable to 'incidents' of any kind, but fortunately, like the rest of the county, the August 2011 disturbances passed it by.
I remember local 'lockdowns' in the 1970s in West Bromwich - every Saturday that the local football derby (Aston Villa, Wolverhampton or other Midlands clubs) came to West Bromwich the whole town used to shut early before the end of the match day to escape the running riots after the Hawthorns chucked the fans out. It was quite scary...
That was obviously the heyday of footie hooliganism. Plus the Baggies ground being in fairly close proximity to the Handsworth area of Birmingham, which in those days especially was notorious for racial tensions and aggro in general, which inevitably added to the often futile atmosphere in that particular neck of the West Mids conurbation.
Wasn't there also a geezer with a bit of a screw loose who went on a shooting rampage in a residential street in West Brom around 1978 or so, then went on to Nuneaton in Warwickshire to continue his trigger-happy madman antics, where he was finally caught and arrested?
MyNameIsTerry
18-10-20, 12:32
The recent riots wouldn't affect Stoke as we are very different to those in London railing the government. Unlike London we are used to being outside of the places anyone cares about.
Besides it would paltry compared to the football running battles with the police that held with some pride going back in time before the 90s.
But take away our oat cakes and you have better bring the army in to stop us! Nora will understand :biggrin:
Even when Farage's lot tried to win a seat around here they had to bus in 'metro' types. We've got better things to do...
The recent riots wouldn't affect Stoke as we are very different to those in London railing the government. Unlike London we are used to being outside of the places anyone cares about.
Besides it would paltry compared to the football running battles with the police that held with some pride going back in time before the 90s.
But take away our oat cakes and you have better bring the army in to stop us! Nora will understand :biggrin:
Even when Farage's lot tried to win a seat around here they had to bus in 'metro' types. We've got better things to do...
Terry, when you said 'recent riots' were you referring to those in the major conurbations back in August 2011 or the recent bout of general 'protests' in central London?
Not a lockdown as such but a building evacuation.
I recall one occasion in the summer of 1989 (when I was 12) us going to Birmingham Airport to drop my grandma off as she was going to stay with my aunt who lives in Ireland for a week and when we arrived at the airport there was a mass gathering of people on the car park in front of the main terminal building, due to a bomb scare in said building, that luckily turned out to be a false alarm, then all normal activity was able to resume within the airport.
Once my grandma had checked into the departure lounge for her flight to Dublin, we went upstairs to the spectator gallery on the top floor of the main terminal building, which overlooks the runway, so me and my younger brother (who was 9 at that time) could watch my grandma's plane bound for Dublin take off into the sky.
Strangely none of us in our family felt particularly fazed by the earlier bomb scare ordeal in the airport (nor terror threats in general) as in these more enlightened times, the idea of hanging around in major airports after dropping people off or picking people up would be considered virtually unthinkable and something of an alien concept, even if there are no actual 'terrorism' scares.
How times have changed.
But take away our oat cakes and you have better bring the army in to stop us! Nora will understand :biggrin:
I miss my 'chaise' and bacon oatcakes, Terry. They sell Staffordshire oatcakes in our big Tesco but it's not the same as standing in the oatcake shop on a cold winters day - listening to the sizzle of the batter hitting the hot plates and the shrill of the, 'What d'yer want on em duck?' :yesyes:
My 'even the Stoke area' comment is down to it being the largest settlement in Staffs and a 'conurbation' in its own sense, and probably the most vulnerable to 'incidents' of any kind, but fortunately, like the rest of the county, the August 2011 disturbances passed it by.
It was genuinely thought that riots might have broken out this summer due to the effects of the pandemic - like closing the oatcakes shops and anywhere which sells Wright's pies - but the closest I've ever been to seeing riotous behaviour in my 38 years in Stoke is when the Teenage Mutant Turtles first went on sale at Toys R Us. :scared15:
It was genuinely thought that riots might have broken out this summer due to the effects of the pandemic - like closing the oatcakes shops and anywhere which sells Wright's pies - but the closest I've ever been to seeing riotous behaviour in my 38 years in Stoke is when the Teenage Mutant Turtles first went on sale at Toys R Us. :scared15:
Wow, the Teenage Mutant (whatever) Turtles are most certainly a blast from the past, even though I was never mega crazy about them myself.
I remember them being all the rage throughout 1990 but were pretty much a dead duck already by early 1991.
The Great Oatcake Riots? Well I never!!
MyNameIsTerry
19-10-20, 12:55
I miss my 'chaise' and bacon oatcakes, Terry. They sell Staffordshire oatcakes in our big Tesco but it's not the same as standing in the oatcake shop on a cold winters day - listening to the sizzle of the batter hitting the hot plates and the shrill of the, 'What d'yer want on em duck?' :yesyes:
My brother has moved to Yorkshire and says the same. He works with another ex-oatcake so when he visits us he takes a stash back for both of them.
I remember seeing something about ex stokies living in the US who made their own as so many of them missed it.
MyNameIsTerry
19-10-20, 12:56
I remember one big riot which my history teacher told us about many years ago. One of the most violent riots of the Industrial Revolution was in Longton.
History we can be proud of :yesyes:
MyNameIsTerry
19-10-20, 12:58
Terry, when you said 'recent riots' were you referring to those in the major conurbations back in August 2011 or the recent bout of general 'protests' in central London?
I think it would have been the 2011 when it all kicked off in London. It just never happened here.
The epic local derby battles would have made such later riots look pretty tame around here.
Wow, the Teenage Mutant (whatever) Turtles are most certainly a blast from the past, even though I was never mega crazy about them myself.
I remember them being all the rage throughout 1990 but were pretty much a dead duck already by early 1991.
My eldest was Turtle mad! He got banned from the playgroup for hogging the slide and shouting COWABUNGA DUDES!! all the damn time. (true story) :huh:
The Great Oatcake Riots? Well I never!!
Only time I've ever seen my dad close to tears was when the oatcake shop had sold out.. :ohmy:
My eldest was Turtle mad! He got banned from the playgroup for hogging the slide and shouting COWABUNGA DUDES!! all the damn time. (true story) :huh:
Only time I've ever seen my dad close to tears was when the oatcake shop had sold out.. :ohmy:
In addition to the Turtles related craze 30 years ago, I did also find out about the epic pre-Christmas stampedes for Cabbage Patch Kid toy characters on both sides of the Atlantic back in the mid-80s (circa 1983-85), according to a TV documentary about the 80s about 15 or so years ago.
More recently, there were epic stampedes reported in France for Nutella chocolate spread in early 2018, resulting in riots breaking out in many French supermarkets (or in their own language, supermarches).
Even more bizarre than the (global) toilet roll stampedes of March this year, as Nutella spread alone is hardly a life-saving food product, nor were there any reported shortages of said product. And why that particular brand, as surely there are other likewise products on sale by other brands?
Probably the result of just another irrational (social) media-fuelled frenzied craze where everyone revelled in the excitement of all the jumping on the bandwagon and the ensuing hysteria, that was all forgotten about in no time once the Nutella-mania had finally died down and the next big 'pack mentality' craze came along!
In fact, I might even start another thread dedicated to bizarre crazes and manias.
Nutella spread alone is hardly a life-saving food product
Couldn't possibly comment. :whistles:
Probably the result of just another irrational (social) media-fuelled frenzied craze where everyone revelled in the excitement of all the jumping on the bandwagon and the ensuing hysteria, that was all forgotten about in no time once the Nutella-mania had finally died down and the next big 'pack mentality' craze came along!
Well you've hit the nail on the head haven't you? Pack mentality. Sheep sheep everywhere!
While the idiot masses were descending into insanity during the lockdown, you know, panicking about not having enough loo roll with 850 packs of 24 stashed in their houses - I tootled down to our local Morrisons (ok, I sent Hubs down) and just picked up one pack of 4 whereas other people loaded up their trollies with enough bog roll to wipe the arses of the world's population - twice over!
And don't even start me on the scum who were flogging a 4 pack of Andrex for FOUR times what we pay in the shops! May they develop bum grapes the size of Brazil! :mad:
I remember one big riot which my history teacher told us about many years ago. One of the most violent riots of the Industrial Revolution was in Longton.
History we can be proud of :yesyes:
Wasn't there a 'Play For Today' TV film back in the early 70s called 'Rank And File', which was some kind of docudrama about futile industrial relations in the Stoke area, which also depicted militant trade union actions?
On the face of it, it does sadly seem that the Stoke area has gotten a lot of bad press over the years, and no doubt exacerbated by the national miners' strike in 1984 and its effects on nearby collieries.
I remember one big riot which my history teacher told us about many years ago. One of the most violent riots of the Industrial Revolution was in Longton.
History we can be proud of :yesyes:
Was that to do with the pottery riots (general strike) in 1842?
MyNameIsTerry
20-10-20, 05:54
Was that to do with the pottery riots (general strike) in 1842?
I'm not sure, probably. I think there was one in Hanley too.
MyNameIsTerry
20-10-20, 05:58
The French do love a riot. Poor Macron is going to be bricking it soon when the fishermen lose loads of access to our waters. Then the farmers as the CAP is going to get squeezed with them all needing to put more in so others lose to France to prop that up. And the yellow vests.
I would have thought the superior palettes of the French would have been after more expensive stuff. Nutella must be doing well over there.
I'm not sure, probably. I think there was one in Hanley too.
How is Hanley doing these days? Haven't been there since about 2006. I used to go all the time then I switched to Newcastle. I asked Hubs to drive us through the Burslem a few years ago and I was shocked at the deterioration. More than shocked actually. It upset me. It was a totally different place when I was growing up..
How is Hanley doing these days? Haven't been there since about 2006. I used to go all the time then I switched to Newcastle. I asked Hubs to drive us through the Burslem a few years ago and I was shocked at the deterioration. More than shocked actually. It upset me. It was a totally different place when I was growing up..
Self-inflicted destruction because many can't even be bothered to vote anymore, they constantly moan for England about austerity and the like but whenever elections come up they consider it the lesser evil over say 'them pesky foreigners comin' over 'ere willy nilly', 'them bleedin' benefit scroungers', etc!!
Some people are so wrapped up in their own bubbles and out of touch with the real world, but still continue to moan about nearly everything going to hell in a handbasket whilst still seemingly doing naff all about it!!
And I'm not naming any specific areas BTW.
Not a lockdown as such but a building evacuation.
I recall one occasion in the summer of 1989 (when I was 12) us going to Birmingham Airport to drop my grandma off as she was going to stay with my aunt who lives in Ireland for a week and when we arrived at the airport there was a mass gathering of people on the car park in front of the main terminal building, due to a bomb scare in said building, that luckily turned out to be a false alarm, then all normal activity was able to resume within the airport.
Once my grandma had checked into the departure lounge for her flight to Dublin, we went upstairs to the spectator gallery on the top floor of the main terminal building, which overlooks the runway, so me and my younger brother (who was 9 at that time) could watch my grandma's plane bound for Dublin take off into the sky.
Strangely none of us in our family felt particularly fazed by the earlier bomb scare ordeal in the airport (nor terror threats in general) as in these more enlightened times, the idea of hanging around in major airports after dropping people off or picking people up would be considered virtually unthinkable and something of an alien concept, even if there are no actual 'terrorism' scares.
How times have changed.
By some strange coincidence, I had a very bizarre dream about Birmingham Airport last night, that we were walking along a river/canal which went past the back of the main terminal building in the dream (must have got mixed up with Broad Street and the Symphony Hall/ICC complex in the city centre), and I walked into the main terminal building through the back door of one of the bars that backed out onto the (fictional) river/canal bank looking for the toilets but was unable to find them anywhere in the airport building, and I ended up getting lost and panicked.
Then I woke up and I actually needed the toilet for real!!
Funny things dreams can be!!
MyNameIsTerry
20-10-20, 21:05
Self-inflicted destruction because many can't even be bothered to vote anymore, they constantly moan for England about austerity and the like but whenever elections come up they consider it the lesser evil over say 'them pesky foreigners comin' over 'ere willy nilly', 'them bleedin' benefit scroungers', etc!!
Some people are so wrapped up in their own bubbles and out of touch with the real world, but still continue to moan about nearly everything going to hell in a handbasket whilst still seemingly doing naff all about it!!
And I'm not naming any specific areas BTW.
It has always been red rosette on a donkey land until recently. That just means you get a stale council who know no matter how crap they are they will still get in. They were once in the top 10 worst councils.
Add to that all your industry disappearing to be replaced with unskilled low pay work.
Can I ask what your occupation is, LB?
May I ask as well?
LB you should be the fact checker in the next debate between The Don and Biden:winks:
MyNameIsTerry
21-10-20, 05:13
May I ask as well?
LB you should be the fact checker in the next debate between The Don and Biden:winks:
He would have a contract out on him from both sides :roflmao:
MyNameIsTerry
21-10-20, 05:25
How is Hanley doing these days? Haven't been there since about 2006. I used to go all the time then I switched to Newcastle. I asked Hubs to drive us through the Burslem a few years ago and I was shocked at the deterioration. More than shocked actually. It upset me. It was a totally different place when I was growing up..
To be honest I haven't been for a few years. It's little different other than the old bus station was moved to a new one across the road. The old bus station shops and the arcade across with the army recruitment centre all became empty long before.
Otherwise it's about the same around the Potteries Shopping Centre. As big businesses went bust new ones came in (e.g. Poundland replaced Woollies).
There are more supermarkets now as the land just across from the museum and further down was all demolished to put a big Tesco on.
Not much outdoor market remains but the big indoor one is still there. But the smaller arcade just across from the entrance (the one opposite the Debenhams end) got turned into a big TK Maxx.
I rarely go through Burslem as I'm near Longton. But yeah away from the main ones the small towns have died. Stoke is like that.
Longton is lots of charity shops, some smaller stores in the precinct (many empty for years and the old Woolliss remains empty from when they went bust) and a few larger stores (Tesco, Argos, Matalan, Sports Direct, B&M, etc) but they did build a new retail park down the A50 from the train station which has a few big stores on. Longton market is pretty dead too.
Fenton is another dead one other than the retail parks down Vickie Road.
Newcastle was always a pain to get too for me by bus so I went Hanley instead.
There are more supermarkets now as the land just across from the museum and further down was all demolished to put a big Tesco on.
Isn't that (or wasn't that) the cultural quarter?
MyNameIsTerry
21-10-20, 06:09
Isn't that (or wasn't that) the cultural quarter?
Yeah that's still there. Plenty of places to eat.
The old ABC cinema was ripped down. That's where the pedestrian access to Tesco is now. Fond memories of that cinema and the 'proper' Odeon.
Fond memories of that cinema and the 'proper' Odeon.
Me too Terry. Queued for 4 hours to see Grease at the ABC in 1978 (I think?)
I whinged my bag off, but it was worth it. :yesyes:
The original Odeon was a lovely building - felt very posh in there.
MyNameIsTerry
22-10-20, 06:33
Me too Terry. Queued for 4 hours to see Grease at the ABC in 1978 (I think?)
I whinged my bag off, but it was worth it. :yesyes:
The original Odeon was a lovely building - felt very posh in there.
I did that as a little kid to see E.T.
Went to a special of 3 Star Trek films back to back too a few years later. Loved it. Mum sleep through a fair bit of it.
Those were at the ABC. At the Odeon I saw Ghostbusters. They were all nice but it felt special sitting in the big one with amazing ceiling.
Yeah that's still there. Plenty of places to eat.
The old ABC cinema was ripped down. That's where the pedestrian access to Tesco is now. Fond memories of that cinema and the 'proper' Odeon.
The original 'proper' Odeons were owned by the Rank group, who were quite a big conglomerate back in their heyday, and some also doubled up as theatres/live music venues, in addition to their principal cinema operations.
The current incarnation of Odeon cinemas (for better or worse), is 'Odeon In Name Only' (OINO), with no direct relation to the original organisation.
Same with the 'Bush' consumer electronics brand, whose products are now sold solely through Argos and ceased to be a mainstream brand from late 2008 onwards, and relationships with its original owners the Rank group long obsolete, though I've never really held said brand in high regard.
TBH, I've always sensed something rather fishy about the seemingly modern-day phenomenon of BINO (Brand In Name Only).
Powered by vBulletin® Version 4.2.5 Copyright © 2024 vBulletin Solutions Inc. All rights reserved.