Syd - Too true, I remember Sgt Smith who was the local bobby around Fulwell - and his lead lined gloves. He had the art of creeping silently up on us kids and wacking us round the ear with them when we'd been doing something that was seen as "wrong", annoying old Mrs X, chalking on walls etc. We were thankful that if we got a good wack then he wouldn't tell our dads, cos if he didn't get a good one in, it would be a word in dads ear then it was a damn good thrashing for taking up his time!!
Syd, you were young once. And then the earth cooled....... The world's gone mad mate. "Human rights" are fine, but there's no corresponding "human responsibilities". Until we even up the score a bit and make people responsible for what they do our problems will remain.
Rokerlad, yes I remember Sgt Smith, he once got whipped when on point duty at the Blue Bell, a mod with a tank aerial went round the corner and his aerial whiplsahed onto his face!! I also remember his downfall - he got out numbered by some visiting football fans and got picked up and chucked through the window of Trembath's Fish & Chip shop on Sea Road -he lost a bit of kudos after that!
.....Difficult one Syd.....But I know what you mean.....I think the best thing you can do is tell the story....loads of communities today dont have story tellers , dont tell stories.....and dont listen properly......
Aye! had the balaclava and my older brothers hand me down top coat. I hated that balaclava, but was shown how to roll it up to wear it as a hat, by an on leave squaddie who lived next door. Got an old photo of me, I must have been about 7 years old, top coat sleeves half way up my arms jumper 2 sizes too big with the sleeves hanging over my hands. Toes out of my shoes. Pretty sure I must have been 9 before I got bought clothes that were actually MINE! But I don't ever remember being sad. I was born down Hendon, there were still loads of bombsites to play on in the 60s. Horse drawn ice cream wagon, I'm sure the smell of horses piss is what is missing from modern ice cream. Taking a bowl and a tanner to him to get ice cream with monkeys blood. (Have you any broken wafers me Mam said?) French onion seller on his bike who used to swear at us in French.
Trembath's - God that's a name I haven't heard in yonks! My mum always thought they were "greasy chips" and she always sent me to Stephenson's (I think that's right) in Lee St on the corner of Atkinson Rd - remember??
How is it we all ate fish and chips, loads of pudding and custard, lots of 99's but never got fat until we learnt about healthy eating?
Syd I remember those days too mate, I came from a large family of thirteen with only my father working. We had little in the way of clothing and generally walked around all day naked. On my 13th birthday my father bought me a cap so I could look out of the window. As I got older I knew I was an unwanted baby when I saw that my bath toys were a toaster and a radio. I think when I look back my upbringing it must have affected me somehow as I always seem to put my foot in it no matter where I go. Take last Friday for example I was telling that old joke down the pub "What do you do when an epileptic has a fit in the bath" Throw your washing in! Well we were all laughing when I get this tap on the shoulder and this bloke says "You insensitive bastard my brother was epileptic and he died in the bath" What could I say? apart from sorry! "mate I said I'm so sorry" "did he have a fit? He said "No he choked on a sock"
MackemsRule......the comment on the ice cream........fantastic......Its amazing....The memories....Waiting for your cornet and the ice cream man trying to chat up one of the women going for the sympathy vote because he still suffered from shellshock from the war....and your trying to work out whats going on......Whats shell shock? Where the hell did that come from!!!!!!!
I remember the chippy. What about the two barbers - Renwicks and the other was Gullivers - there was another my dad went to, he used to singe the his hair with a match - that was near Atkinson road. And all the butchers on Sea Road, look at it now, two left.
Here's a canny one for you lot. This happened about 6 years ago my son will have been 10.. He turned up with his mates pushing a pram one of his mates Mams wanted dumping. I told them to make a bogie out of it. Cue blank stares and lots of head scratching. Long story short with modern electric tools I had with their help knocked up a very good bogie in half an hour and they loved it! A week later there were 3 or 4 bogies flying about. Still haven't seen one since then mind.
You really are bringing back memories now marra! Short back and sides if you were lucky, and you prayed that old man Gulliver wouldn't nick your ear with the scissors again. Every time I went there I came out clutching a bit of bloody paper tissue against my head! Pickiens and Kidd was one of the butchers if my (failing) memory serves right, and there was Godfrey's, and do you remember the old bomb site before they built the NatWest on it?
Hairdressers??? Bloody toffs you lot! Bowl on your head and scissors hacking chunks out. (same bowl we got the ice cream in. )
I'm very grateful for that as I remember the very first day we started senior school, one lad turned up with an absolute stunner of a puddin bowl special his dad did the night before. that was the day he was nicknamed Butch (after the dog in Tom n Jerry) and he kept it all through the years. Even now if I bump into an old mate, he's still referred to as Butch!! He hates TnJ to THIS day!!
Goodnight lads....you dont know what youve done tonight...... Pickens and Kidd .....Trembaths........Nessun Dorma....no sleep for me tonight ......The last time I laughed like this I nearly passed me tabs round.......
It amazes me, that my Mam managed to keep us so clean. Tin bath in the kitchen every night for me my brother and sister. Still didn't stop us getting visited by Nitty Nora and her lethal steel nit comb. Then having our heads dosed in chemicals the Americans would have been scared to use in Vietnam!
If you are who I think you are (and your crack about passing tabs roond gave it away) you still owe me a leggie from 1969 ya B******!! Wey Hey, 100 posts, do I get to be a senior member now?
[/QUOTE] Horse drawn ice cream wagon, I'm sure the smell of horses piss is what is missing from modern ice cream. Taking a bowl and a tanner to him to get ice cream with monkeys blood. (Have you any broken wafers me Mam said?) [/QUOTE] You`re wasted sonna you should be writing for some Cookery Programme....as a consultant....
