Rear facing seats on BEA aircraft
The main reason for the seats that faced the rear on the BEA (British European Airways) aircraft was that you had a table between the opposing seats. this was for baby carry cots.
There were no bassinets in those days you put the child in their carry cot carried them on to the aircraft & popped them on the table.
If there were no babies travelling these people had a very handy table for their use.