Swinging Back to the 60s ; Baby Boomers Relive Time the World Changed
By Tony Henderson
PAUL McCartney wrote “When I’m 64″, but now he and other chart giants from Mick Jagger to Cliff Richard have passed that milestone.
All ravers from the 1960s find themselves in the same advanced age bracket, which will be celebrated at North Tyneside’s Age Takes Centre Stage festival next month.
The festival’s theme is the 1960s, based on the fact that most of the youngsters who enjoyed the swinging decade are now in their 50s and 60s.
Previous festivals have focused on wartime events and memories, said Lesley Turner, secretary of the festival’s planning group.
But she said that the baby-boomer generation, who were the driving force behind the 1960s, were now the target audience for the festival, which stages activities and events for the over-50s.
“People who are now in their 50s and 60s had their formative years in the 1960s,” said Lesley, who is a mere 47.
“The festival needs to move on from the war years. Ageing needs to be looked on as a positive and not something to be avoided.
“In any case, people today don’t think of the 60s years as being old and it is something we should be celebrating.
“Things have changed, and if you were in your 50s in the 1960s, you would not have felt as young as people in that age group do today.”
The launch event coincides with the International and UK Day for Older People and will be held at the Shiremoor Centre in Earsdon Road on Wednesday, October 1, from 10.30am-3pm.
Health worker Alvic Alon will be dressed as Elvis as he offers to take visitors’ blood pressure.
People are invited to dress in their old 1960s clothing for the free event, which includes the Sage Silver Samba Band, and a memory room containing 1960s furniture and objects.
There will also be a Taste of the 60s session after reminiscence groups came up with memories of the food of the time, ranging from Black Forest gateaux and prawn cocktails to steak Diane, Babycham and cheese and pineapple on sticks.
The Sixties was also the decade of the Beach Boys and the festival will include a surfing session at Tynemouth Longsands on October 24.
Other 1960s-themed activities include a 1966 World Cup challenge based on football skills at Marden Bridge Sports Centre every Monday in October from 6-7pm and Games of the 1960s at Burnside Business and Enterprise College and The Parks Sports Centre in North Shields.
Entertainers Tom and Marge Davidson will lead social afternoons with 60s songs at the Balliol Centre, Longbenton, Trinity Church Hall, Station Road, Wallsend, and St John’s Community Centre, Percy Main.
Lesley said: “At first some people in their 50s said they were too young to take part in Age Takes Centre Stage, but gradually the response became very enthusiastic.”
Coun David Charlton, co-ordinator of Age Takes Centre Stage, said: “This year’s festival is set to bring back some great memories from the 1960s.”
The full Age Takes Centre Stage programme is available from council buildings and online at www.agetakescentrestage.org.uk
“Most of the youngsters who enjoyed the swinging decade of the Sixties are now in their 50s and 60s
THE SIXTIES
Muhammad Ali: probably the greatest sporting figure of the decade, whose first crack at the world heavyweight boxing title came in 1964 against Sonny Liston.
Eamonn Andrews: dominated TV with programmes like What’s My line and This is Your Life.
The Animals from Tyneside, and House of the Rising Sun in 1964.
The Apollo moon missions leading to the lunar landing in 1969.
Arkle: held to be the greatest steeplechaser of all time whose contests with Mill House were among the great sporting occasions of the 60s.
The average weekly wage in 1969 was pounds 24 16s 5d.
Barclays became the first British institution to launch a credit card.
Dr Christian Barnard made history with the first successful heart transplant operation in 1967.
Beatlemania reigned supreme.
Dr Richard Beeching cut the railway network by 5,000 miles and closed 2,000 stations.
The beehive was the popular hairstyle of the early 1960s.
The breathalyser was introduced.
Michael Caine became a major star of the 60s with films like Zulu, Alfie, The Ipcress File and the Italian Job.
The film Lawrence of Arabia won seven Oscars in 1962.
Donald Campbell died in 1967 in Bluebird on Coniston lake.
Coronation Street begins in 1960.
The E-type Jaguar made its debut at the 1961 Geneva Motor Show followed the next year by the Ford Cortina.
One of the most daring British crimes ever, the Great Train Robbery, happened in 1963.
Christine Keeler was at the centre of the biggest political scandal of the decade.
The first Monty Python programme was broadcast in 1969.
Washington New Town was created in 1964.
The contraceptive pill became available on prescription in 1963.
BBC2 went on screen on 1964 and Radio One launched in 1967.
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