Then We Had Colour - A Memory

I am old enough to remember the time black and white TV was the norm and then the roll out of colour TV I was there when it arrived. It was big news in the press telling everyone they needed to own a colour TV.

We rented our TV from Granada and we pay to view via a coin meter which mum preferred because if the TV needed repair or replacement it was sorted as it was all part of the deal.

I cannot really remember but before Decimalisation Day, I think we were putting a Half-crown in the meter and afterwards 50p coin. I think each coin gave you two/three hours viewing before you had to put another coin in the meter. It seemed more than fair amount of time with only the three channels and the amount of time the TV channels were not broadcasting.

The first colour TV broadcast was on Saturday, July 1, 1967, BBC 2's coverage of the Wimbledon tennis tournament, hit our screens but at 4 Pomeroy St we were still in the Dark Ages of black and white TV . The Granada man had no joy selling this new-fangled technology nonsense. It was down to mum not liking the new rental terms. She was in it for the long game knowing the rental price would come down. Any way most programming was still black and white anyway. It was a long wait, two years but I did not care I was happy playing in the street.

It was just before Wimbledon 1969 we saw colour in our house as mum explained to me years later. The Granada man was at the house emptying the meter and mum was saying she was looking forward to Wimbledon giving the green light to the collector the turn on the charm and so hard sell. “Mrs Ugarte watching Wimbledon in colour is a whole different experience” that kind of thing.

With a rental deal agreed mum stipulated only if it was install tomorrow, it normally took a week, or more, but mum was adamant tomorrow or no deal. Given the thumbs up mum left it quiet from the rest of us so on Friday coming home from school there it was colour TV and I even remember what I saw… horse racing.

That night we all sat there watching our new colour TV with mum enjoying Coronation Street and dad could not wait for some football. Has for me, I was soon bored and back outside in the street with my mates.