LOSE YOURSELF IN 1961

MOTHER SHOPPERS

The first Mothercare store opened in Kingston-upon-thames in September, albeit initially known as the Mother-and-child Centre. Selim Zilkha and James Goldsmith founded the company following the acquisition of the 50-outlet W J Harris chain and focused initially on pushchairs, baby food, maternity clothing and nursery furniture. It later expanded to include clothing for children up to the age of eight. Part of the firm’s early success was down to its computerised ordering and distribution system from as early as 1964, which made it more efficient than its rivals. At its peak, it had 1302 locations worldwide, with more than 400 of those in the UK. However it went into administration in 2019 and all of the UK stores closed. It still exists, supplying Mothercare-branded products to Boots, and the name can still be found on shops in 36 countries worldwide. Just not in the UK, obviously…

PANDAS AHEAD

The government unveiled plans for new ‘panda’ pedestrian crossings although the first one didn’t come into operation until April 1962 outside London’s Waterloo station. Rather than the zebra style of black and white road stripes, panda crossings had directional triangles and were controlled by amber and red lights mounted on Belisha beacons; there was no green. However the system of pulsating and flashing lights – whose speeds varied depending on the time left for people to cross – proved to be confusing for drivers despite Guildford being chosen as a trial town because of the ‘high standard of intelligence of its inhabitants’. A half-mile queue formed at one in Croydon because drivers couldn’t figure out when to go. Some 45 panda crossings had been opened across the UK before authorities finally admitted that they were too complicated and they began to disappear during 1967. Traffic light-controlled pelican crossings came along two years later.