This week’s guest writer is Alan Power, who is a member of the staff at Wycombe library.

Alan has been researching what life was like in the district 50 years ago, and here he sets that in the context of the scene nationally.   

Fifty years ago, 1973, turned out to be quite a year, both nationally and locally. The year began with perhaps the biggest change in the country’s status for hundreds of years.

It is surprising that the fiftieth anniversary of this event has not been extensively commented upon in the media.

Bucks Free Press: Phase 2 of the construction of Wycombe Hospital is in progress to the south of the main building, with staff accommodation on the other side of Barracks Rd, High Wycombe, c1973.Phase 2 of the construction of Wycombe Hospital is in progress to the south of the main building, with staff accommodation on the other side of Barracks Rd, High Wycombe, c1973. (Image: Bucks Free Press)

On the first day of January we formally became a member of the European Economic Community (EEC), much to the delight of the then Prime Minister, Edward Heath.

The EEC  was of course destined to become the European Union.

Prospects looked bright then, but little did we know at the time how the many twists and turns in the relationship with our European cousins would turn out.

The national scene
On the domestic front, there were just three TV channels (BBC1, BBC2 and ITV), where you would have been able to see the first episodes of Last of the Summer Wine, the Wombles and Some Mothers Do ‘Ave ‘Em. 

A few weeks later Are You Being Served began its first regular series, while Ronnie Barker’s Open All Hours broadcast a pilot episode. 

Songs played incessantly on the radio (no streaming or downloads in those days) included Long Haired Lover From Liverpool by Little Jimmy Osmond, You’re So Vain by Carly Simon and Daniel by Elton John.  

On the sporting stage, lowly Sunderland FC were on their way to Wembley, where they would beat the mighty Leeds United and become the first post-war team outside the (then) First Division to win the FA Cup Final.  

At odds of 5,000-1 Leicester City won the First Division.

The average weekly wage was less than £40, while those out of work would get just £7.35 per week in unemployment benefit.

In the weekly food shop, a pint of milk would cost 5½p, a large loaf of bread 11½p, and a packet of Golden Wonder crisps 2½p.  

A gallon of petrol would set you back just 39p, a 22” Pye colour TV would cost £208.90 and the average price of a house was just £9,000.  

(A detached house would be in the region of £16,000).  

Those really were the days, or were they?

The equivalent in purchasing power of £100 in 1973 is £1,547 today, due to the ravages of inflation.

High Wycombe in 1973
In the Bucks Free Press (which cost just 4p per issue) the year began with news of a start being made on the new Handy Cross sports centre, which was due for completion in March 1975.

History was made in January when Mrs Frances Monks passed her driving test to become Wycombe’s first-ever woman bus driver.

Three more ladies were reported to be in training to join her. They would have expected to take home a pay packet of £35 per week.

Bucks Free Press: Factory units under construction on the industrial site off Chapel Lane in Sands, February 1973. The road now also leads to Adams Park, the Wycombe Wanderers football ground. Factory units under construction on the industrial site off Chapel Lane in Sands, February 1973. The road now also leads to Adams Park, the Wycombe Wanderers football ground. (Image: Bucks Free Press)

On another driving-related topic, but somewhat less a cause for celebration, it was reported that Matthew Roche of Loudwater had a somewhat eventful start to his driving career.  

He passed his driving test on the Monday, but the very next day appeared at Wycombe Magistrates’ Court for offences committed as a learner driver.  

He was not disqualified, but fined £10, and had his licence endorsed for driving without “L” plates.  

He was fined a further £25 for driving when not accompanied by a qualified driver.  

History of another kind was made in January 1973 when the General Post Office (GPO, as they were called then) introduced modern postcodes into the Wycombe area, some 14 years after the first postcodes had been piloted in Norwich.

The GPO took out several full-page adverts in the Free Press to publicise the introduction. 

In the Bucks Free Press, another report began with the curious sentence: “The case of the mysterious lady and the chipolata sausages has caused some problems for Wycombe Rural Council”  

Have you any suggestions about what this might have been about?

There were pages and pages of adverts, including many display adverts for used cars.

The Frogmoor Motor Company was offering a 1972 Vauxhall Victor for £1395, and a 1969 Ford Capri XLR 3000 GT for £975.

Meanwhile Davenport Vernon were selling a 1971 Ford Escort for £695, and a 1972 Hillman Imp for £645.

The list of job vacancies showed wages that matched these prices.

By way of example, Thames Valley Police advertised for a shorthand typist at Marlow Police Station with a starting salary of £675 [per annum!] rising by annual increments to the dizzy heights of £1,251.

Molins of Saunderton advertised for “vertical millers (28in, 48in, 72in and 84in)” with average earnings for a 40-hour week of £35.20.

[Perhaps someone can explain what a vertical miller does.]

Local house prices were a world away from where we are today.

To take at random two properties for sale, the first advertised:
“DEEDS GROVE.

"A semi-detached house was built about 14 years ago in this popular development, situated about a mile from the town centre.

"Entrance hall, living room, kitchen, three bedrooms, bathroom, separate wc, oil-fired central heating, garage space, garden -  £12,250”

While the second house, in perhaps an even more desirable location, was described as: “Situated between the Old Town and New Town of Beaconsfield, an older type semi-detached house which has been extensively modernised and improved by the present owners to form a pleasing family home.

Cloakroom, living room, dining room, kitchen, three bedrooms, bathroom, enclosed garden. £13,850.”  

Extensive redevelopment work was continuing, which continued to change the “sleepy market town” to the industrial hub we know today.

New factories were being built on the industrial estates at Cressex and Sands.

Phase two of the construction of Wycombe General Hospital was well underway on the southern side of the site, linked to the original main building by a pedestrian bridge.

Improvements to the social infrastructure was not ignored, with the auditorium in the Town Hall undergoing refurbishment.

Your own research
If you want to look back to 1973, or indeed any other year from times past back to 1856, the archive of the Bucks Free Press is available on microfilm in High Wycombe Library.

You are welcome to call in to relive past memories whenever the library is open.