Re: What do you remember???

I remember getting the words Exodus and Oxydol mixed up in a religion lesson at junior school. I guess it would have given those ancient Israelites a clean escape, but the teacher was not amused.

My maiden name was Gibbs, and that was the main, or perhaps only, toothpaste brand in post war Britain, so of course my nickname was toothpaste. (These days it would have to be Steradent)

Re: What do you remember???

I remember the old gas and oil lamps we had, trimming the wick and replacing the mantle was a real pain.

The glass funnels were as scarce as rocking horse dung in wartime so ma would scrounge a milk bottle and pour boiling water into it until it cracked all round hte bottom.

Washday was an old copper boiler with a fire underneath and the huge old hand mangle in the yard. Never did understand how gran could use that thing without catching her rather ample chest in it.

One of the mysteries of the universe.

Re: What do you remember???

Probably a lads pursuit but did anyone get into making Balsa wood and tissue paper planes ?

One in particular sticks in my memory, it was a 64inch wingspan glider called the Chief and produced by Keil Kraft.

We had a great time with that one but even the little Auster rubber band props were great to make.

Makes you kinda sad you grew up really, not that I ever did as my juvenile posts show.

Re: What do you remember???

Wasnt it a lovely time to be young, when you made your own entertainment. I spent a lot of time as a child in my Dads shed making boats with bits of wood and only nails that came out of second hand wood, wasnt allowed new nails, then I used to sail them in the river(River Wyre) for all those from lancashire. Oh yes Grannie had a wash house and she was uo before dawn lighting the fire for the copper, oh and those wet days it still all got washed and hung around the house to dry, Tuesday was ironing day.

Re: What do you remember???

Like you Hammer I spent forever making balsa and tissue models, mainly kits by Kiel Kraft, in fact I must have made the Spitfire four or five times, together with the Hurricane, Lysander and Gannet, and many gliders. Never flew them much though, they always seemed to disintegrate on their maiden collision......

Re: What do you remember???

I was thinking yesterday when looking at the little tent my grandchildren have, we used to use the large wooden clothes horse with blankets draped over it as a tent

...weren't the wicks a pain, you only had to look at them and they broke.

I used to like the gentle 'husssssh' noise the gas lights made with the occasional pop quite comforting in the silence when the radio was off (we had no electricity and the radio had a battery and was used sparingly).

Re: What do you remember???

My brother I used to visit grandma's as children in the 50s, every Sunday afternoon for tea.

The floor was flagged and she made peg rugs to cover it. There was a round pedestal Victorian table in the middle, a chaise lounge on one side, a big Welsh dresser, and her rocking chair stood by the old black-leaded Yorkshire range which always had a fire burning, summer and winter.

We used to like waiting until dusk started to settle and we'd watch poor Emily (my grandma's paid companion) climb up to light the gas mantles.

It was fascinating for us as we had both gas and electricity at home, but no such thing in grandma's house. It was like stepping back in time.

She didn't have a proper sink either, just an old brown slop-stone in the tiny kitchen, and we were never allowed in her front parlour. All fascinating stuff for us as kids, but I'm so glad to be able to remember so far back.

Re: What do you remember???

Thanks Meg, I had quite forgotten that sound.
Also the radio battery, the trusty old accumulator.

We were a bit posh as grandad got us a spare from shifty the spiv - every neighbourhood had them -so we could get one charged up at the shop whilst still tuning in.

Re: What do you remember???

Oh, the front parlor was sancrosanct; never used unless the priest came to call or someone was laid out for the viewing before the funeral!

Re: What do you remember???

Know that only too well.
We flew the big glider once, it was supposed to have tipped up the tailplane after the jetex 50 fuse burnt through the rubber band.
Whatever happened it did not return to our spot on the earth. All that work for nothing.

It may well have gone on to cross the great divide or maybe it is still travelling, who knows.

If the Hadron Collider could be used to find out I would be grateful.