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?
Re: Historical (Pre-Covid) Lockdowns In UK, Any memories?
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
Re: Historical (Pre-Covid) Lockdowns In UK, Any memories?
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...
Re: Historical (Pre-Covid) Lockdowns In UK, Any memories?
Quote:
Originally Posted by
Lencoboy
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
Re: Historical (Pre-Covid) Lockdowns In UK, Any memories?
Quote:
Originally Posted by
NoraB
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.
Re: Historical (Pre-Covid) Lockdowns In UK, Any memories?
Quote:
Originally Posted by
dorabella
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?
Re: Historical (Pre-Covid) Lockdowns In UK, Any memories?
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...
Re: Historical (Pre-Covid) Lockdowns In UK, Any memories?
Quote:
Originally Posted by
MyNameIsTerry
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?
Re: Historical (Pre-Covid) Lockdowns In UK, Any memories?
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.
Re: Historical (Pre-Covid) Lockdowns In UK, Any memories?
Quote:
Originally Posted by
MyNameIsTerry
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: