Most of my growing upto 10 years old happened during the moores murders (Hindleys gran lived in the street behind us) but we were still allowed to grow.
Depends on how you class right. We all grew up able to socialise with a range of people face to face, i suspect most kids these days talk to their mates more by txt than actual talking and i know many struggle with strangers.
Our normal places were old derelict warehouses on the dock road, and in the old unused docks, looking back it was very dangerous.
Derelict schools and churches for me (just before they moved us out to flatten the area), and yes they were dangerous and fun.
Found a big **** off safe in an old cellar when we were kids, we must have spent our entire childhood trying to open the bastard, there was probably nothing in it.
My worst experience was in the corner off license (about 2 weeks after it closed) we went down the dark cellar and i lifted a door off the floor, hundreds of beatles ran all over me from under it