The Bradnam Blog

If we go back some thirty-three years to the 7th of June, 1977, we find the UK strangely united behind our monarch, Queen Elizabeth II. That was the day that on which the country celebrated her Silver Jubilee, marking the occasion of twenty-five years on the throne. As I recall it was a national holiday and people across the country held street parties to celebrate Her Majesty's special day. It seems strange, thinking back, that this was a time when our monarchy was still held in high regard, and with a fair degree of affection. The subsequent decades put an end to that with a never-ending series of royal scandals, though it was touching to see some reverence for the Queen restored by the time of her Golden Jubilee in 2002. I guess it's not inconceivable that she will be around to celebrate a 75th (diamond?) anniversary in 2027!

Like many households, we too took part in a Silver Jubilee party, hosted by our neighbors in their back garden. Another neighbor captured some of the 'festivities' on video (on Super 8 film I believe). At that time in the UK, video cameras were kind of a big deal. I don't think i ever saw anyone else with any sort of portable video recorder for another ten years or so. As it was, I didn't get to see this footage until some 25 years or so later, when my neighbors received a copy of the clip on VHS tape and they then converted it into a digital format. Take a look at the video...

Featured in this video are my parents and my two brothers, along with our neighbors and their two kids. I'm the one in the turquoise colored top. Tony (the neighbors son and the youngest person in the video) remains one of my best friends, and as he was born in the house that features in the video, I can say that I have literally known him for all of his life. Note the presence of bunting and home-made hats, all in the Union Jack colors of red, white, and blue. Also note the entertainments: the classic garden game of 'reel-the-thing-in-between-your-legs' and 'negotiate-hat-obstacle-course-on-stilts'. i guess this is what we had to do to amuse ourselves while waiting for Nintendo to invent the GameBoy.

The sad aspect of watching this video is that my father died of a brain tumor about six years after it was filmed. I'm glad to have this video as this is probably the only time in his life that he was ever captured on film. How times change. Kids growing up today will no doubt discover that their life-on-film starts from the time their parents make YouTube videos from their sonogram. I guess it is only fitting that I end a Silver Jubilee video with an appropriate message of God save the Queen.