The Foster family from Rushkington in Lincolnshire show us how they manage to transport a family of ten people around the place in a world before minivans or minibuses. Taking eight children camping is no problem for this family on their bicycle built for four which has a trailer in tow for the two youngest children. They also have a tandem with a sidecar that carries three more children while one of the daughters gets to ride a bike on her own.
The family started cycling in 1951 and started off with just their tandem. Ten years on and they have 14 bikes in total. Matching clothes are the order of the day with the older girls all splendid in blue shorts and white blouses. The younger children are also in matching pink outfits.
What was life like in Britain in 1961?
The average married couple, has a television set and a vacuum cleaner, possibly a washing machine and refrigerator, has a small bet occasionally, and does its own house decorating.
The man of the house works from 42 to 46 hours per week, not counting overtime, and in many cases his wife works, too. One third of the married women have paid jobs, and half the women working for pay are married.
Fewer than 5 per cent of housewives employ paid help and fewer than 1 per cent have a resident servant. There were only 178,000 resident domestic servants in England and Wales in 1951 compared with 706,800 in the early 1930s.
At least a quarter of the adult population play or watch sport, and three out of four bet occasionally for small stakes on football “pools” and racing. The cinema remains the most popular form of entertainment outside the home – there are still 3,500, plus 500 theatres – and to young men, women, and older children a visit to the cinema is still a social occasion. Probably at least half of them go as often as once a week.
There are a lot more cars on the Fosters road these days!
Take a look and the video of this bike mad family. WARNING CONTAINS LOTS OF BICYCLE PUNS
