My Generation
Baby Boomers are technically defined as being born between 1946 and 1964.
Up until the end of the Second World War it seemed every previous generation has suffered some sort of conflict right back to the Romans and the Vikings!
When peace was declared in 1945 the resulting rise in the birth rate produced a generation who would grow up free of fear and none-too-keen on suffering as their parents and grandparents had done.
As children, they saw adults in the prescribed uniforms of work, and even at leisure time clothing was somewhat uniform. Their elders listened to classical music, Jazz and swing on the radio or gramophone, ate traditional British food and holidayed by the sea in the U.K.
For the older end of our age group there were few domestic refrigerators, no TV – until black and white came along – the milkman delivered to your door and the postman came twice a day. If you were well off your toilet would be indoors.
The rumblings of change bubbled through the fifties, and whilst its impossible to point to one moment that triggered the revolution there are people and events that shaped the future.
In 1958 John met Paul and George and formed a band called the Quarrymen. Ringo joined in 1962 and late in that year The Beatles recorded “Love Me Do”. In the cold winter of 1962, in a pub in Richmond, The Rolling Stones were starting out. Music changed and with it changed pretty much everything. The swinging sixties saw a seismic shift in fashion, travel, sexual freedom and women’s liberation.
Financially the nation fragmented between the go getters looking to fund this lifestyle, and those less well-off working in traditional industries beset with strikes and conflict.
The financially astute bought their homes and were influenced by public share ownership, PEPs, ISAs and SIPs, but their attitudes and behaviours remain shaped by the social and cultural revolution they experienced growing up.
This generation now own around £5 Trillion of the country’s wealth and as they reach retirement they are looking to balance the security of a reliable income with taking care of their families.... And having as much fun as possible.
1960’s
1960: Coronation Street first aired
1961: First man in space-Audio cassette invented
1962: First computer game – Spacewar
1963: Beatlemania begins
1966: England win World Cup
1967: First heart transplant
1968: First emails sent
1969: Man walks on Moon / Apollo 11
1970’s
1970: Stylophone
1971: Space Hopper
1972: The Word Processor
1973: Glam Rock
1974: Abba
1975: Digital Camera
1976: Punk
1978: Lycra
1979: Mobile phone
1980’s
1980: Blondie
1981: CD Player
1982: Falklands War
1983: My Little Pony
1984: Band Aid
1985: Windows launched
1986: Prince Andrew married Fergie
1987: Disposable contact lenses
1988: Bros
1989: World Wide web