A year for us to forget but here’s some to remember!
THIS year will be remembered for the Covid 19 virus, that is if anyone wants to remember it at all. But what of other years that marked the start of a new decade? What do we recall about them, especially so far as the news agenda is concerned? As a small boy at the time, 1970 meant sport. I was allowed to stay up late to see England take on Brazil in Mexico’s World Cup, a tie that produced Gordon Banks’ famous save of a Pele header. There was also the FA Cup Final between Chelsea and Leeds, which ended in a 2-2 draw (Chelsea won the replay). The Beatles split up, and Ted Heath ousted Harold Wilson to become Prime Minister.
In 1980 I was taking A-levels, and travelled 3,500 miles in a single week thanks to a British Rail All-line Rail Rover costing just £80. I followed the saga of both the US elections, eventually won by Ronald Reagan, and our own political intrigues that coincided with a sharp rise in the unemployment rate. At the end of the year came the tragic killing of former Beatle John Lennon.
1990 was the year that Margaret Thatcher finally left Downing Street and yes, I can remember where I was when I heard the news! For others though it was the World Cup that got all the headlines, with Gazza becoming a household name and football shaking off its negative tag that had arisen thanks to Heysel and Hillsborough.
Quite honestly, 2000 doesn’t seem to stand out in my life at all, other than beginning work at Welholme Galleries, a museum that was allowed to die even though it had an influential Friends’ Group. 2010 though was more historic, in that the Tories got back into power, albeit only due to a controversial coalition with the Liberal Democrats. I was pleased to see Austin Mitchell regain his Great Grimsby seat, though in neighbouring Cleethorpes Shona McIsaac was ousted by former Scartho Councillor, Martin Vickers.
Then of course there was the snow of that December, recently featured in your pages. The centre of Grimsby was even more deserted than during lockdown, though the shops in Scartho appeared to be doing a roaring trade.
Sometimes we would love the impossibility of the past returning, but that winter I’m glad to be well behind us, especially as we’ve already got the Covid pandemic.
Tim Mickleburgh, Grimsby.