Game On

Two of my favourite childhood pastimes were Hopscotch and conkers but at school I would usually be found in the middle of a gang of kids playing British Bulldog a game more or less banned from playgrounds now. 

Hopscotch via

At home we played card games like Whist, Cribbage and New Market competing for matchsticks or pennies. Another favourite was roulette. Probably not the games you would expect children to play, but we loved them, and I'm pretty sure it didn't do my brother, sister or me any harm. Sadly, I don’t have any photographs, partly because we didn't take many back then but also because game playing was taken very seriously.  When I met my future husband back in 1966 he had little choice but to join in. He still talks about being paid on a Friday afternoon and fleeced by his future in-laws on a Friday evening! It may not be far from the truth. We still played for pennies, but it could mount up and wages of about £3.00 a week didn't go far. He obviously didn't mind too much as we are still together forty-five years later.

In this photograph taken in 1972, my husband Terry and my dad are playing table football a much gentler but no less competitive game.

Mum helpfully captioned most of the photographs in this album. We always spent at least one day with my sister and her family over Christmas. Their house was just perfect, large enough for plenty of fun but small enough to feel warm and cosy. My sister has written more about the house here. 

My sister's children Christmas 1972

From the top Jacqueline, Paula, James and Michael Wood.

Peekaboo in the park 1976.  

Me doing the peeking and our son Steven running to hide.

I was an agent for Freemans catalogues back then, and this photo of Steven was chosen for the February edition of their 'Happy Families' Competition. It was published with the caption “It ain't arf cold, Mum", but Steven is warm and cosy in his Freemans coat and bobble hat.

A boy and his dog - probably the best games of all...

Steven and Kelly - May 1983.

Another family favourite

Steven and I getting in a twist while mum awaits a turn. Dad suffered from Rheumatoid arthritis so Twister was a bit beyond him, but he never said no to a game of cards.

A sign of things to come? Well yes and no.

 This is Steven, Terry and I playing a slightly larger version of table football with Steven's son Kip.

The victors!

One final photograph before I put the games away. This is Steven's younger son Tristan contemplating his next move. I can't remember what we were playing, but this is a favourite picture of mine because it sums up Tristan's competitive nature and sense of fun. 

The boys are grown up now, but it's lovely to have these memories to look back on.

This is my contribution to Sepia Saturday No. 282 Chess : Games : Musicians. Chess was one game we didn't play.  I'm sure we had a board and the pieces but probably none of us could understand the rules.

See who else is playing over at Sepia Saturday