Watching The Moon Landing On A Rented Telly
Woken at two in the morning to see a grey blur.
Britain stayed up for Apollo 11, most of it in front of a set that had been rented specially for the occasion.
Rental shops did extraordinary business in July 1969. Families who had held out finally got a set, and children were woken up because their parents knew it mattered.
James Burke and Patrick Moore narrated on the BBC through the small hours. What was actually on screen was almost unwatchable, and nobody looked away.
Cost back then
The price of a week's telly rental
Goes for now
Original newspapers from 21 July 1969: £20–£80
