My bedroom, circa 1974

These were pictures I took to finish the roll, like the one of the gas cylinder and bananas. But they now provide a window into the way things were.

T: A turntable for playing vinyl records.

A: A self-constructed amplifier, hence the incomplete mess.

C: My pride and joy, a cassette deck, possibly a Sony or Panasonic one, with Dolby, which was a big deal because this reduced the noise in quiet passages, and improved the frequency response.

S: All this sat on top of a metal cabinet with swing doors where I stored other stuff. I don't remember exactly what, possibly vinyl records, electronics components and camera equipment. My clothes were probably in the wardrobe at the right of the photo.

P: The case of the tripod with which I probably took this photo.

To the left of the cabinet was my workbench, which was a writing desk.

P: A homemade power board with various types of sockets. You can see one power cable going to the digital clock.

D: Digital LED clock. In those days, single chip digital clocks were recent and it was a big deal to have one of these clocks instead of the old analog dial clocks or flip display clocks. You can see lots of transistors and resistors on this board driving the 4 LED digits. The main board holding the clock chip is behind. There is a more detailed picture in this post.

I: Writing implements. As expected I had lots of pens and pencils, and there is another clutch of them on the right. The pill tubes probably held electronics components. I don't remember what the spray can contained. Maybe it was a tin of lacquer. The can with a spout I recognise, it was a can of sewing machine oil, which was useful as a light lubricating oil, not just for sewing machines.

B: Notebooks and books. I also see a copy of Mathematics in the Modern World, which was a selection of readings from Scientific American. I was presented with this as a school prize. I may still have it.

V: This was a vacuum fluorescent tube digital clock in a nice wooden case, unlike my rough product, and was made by the company I worked for as a young technician for during holidays. It was probably on loan as I have no recollection of retaining it in my collection.

I don't remember what was behind the sliding perspex doors that last two are above. Possibly Japanese electronics trade magazines addressed to my brother.

Now my bookshelf, which was made of Dexion slotted angle iron strips, with wooden planks as shelves. It was a bookshelf construction technique I learnt from my dad.

G: A badminton racquet is visible, also a Monopoly set. The box with Japanese writing was an electronics beginners kit, a present from my brother studying in Japan. I have described it here. I don't remember what happened to it. I suspect I gave it away when my knowledge exceeded the limits of the kit.

M: These are probably hobby electronics magazines, all British. I see one Wireless World. The right half is probably Scientific American issues.

B: These were probably Readers Digest issues, and some general reading. Note the drinking bird toy.

T: Probably textbooks. I see a copy of Advanced Level Physics, which was my textbook in sixth form. At right is a blue cardboard box which used to hold darkroom photographic paper. At that point I had stopped doing darkroom work, instead taking slides and getting colour prints from photo shops so it contained old photos. I may still have this box.

Below the rack you see a capsule which is a National vacuum cleaner. I also recognise a duffel bag.