General Chat

Of course, Rita, we tend to forget that plastic bags were not invented in our childhood. All you had were paper sacks or newspaper and both of those would have got soggy with cats meat in them. Perhaps the cats fed themselves1 M.I.L used to ask me to get a fillet of coley, which then had to be cooked and surveyed for bones. It was the cheapest available other than herrings which are too bony.

I noticed 'Bellows Maker' in my research recently. None of those about these days, I reckon.

One or two nasty ones on here - making me heave. Thank gawd for progress (in some respects!)

I remember, as a child, going to the beach with my Nana and I used to go 'shrimping' with my net. Once I'd filled my little bucket up with shrimps, we'd go home and she would cook them for tea. Such happy memories.

How about a Costermonger? another you dont hear of.

CATS MEAT DEALER !!!

Just remembered an occupation I found on an 1881 census, fortunately the widow it pertained to turned out not to be part of my family !!!

Below is an answer I was given by another member:-

Theres some pictures of Cat's Meat Dealers (or Cat's Meat Man, as my Nanny called them!) on http://www.larigan.com/history/moakes_saga.htm And this bit from http://www.brixtonsociety.org.uk/tack.htm - CATS MEAT MAN He could be heard shouting “Me-Me” before he could be seen, followed by a trail of cats of all shapes and sizes, which mewed loudly in anticipation of any small scraps of meat which might fall from his basket. The horse-meat had been cut into little squares which were threaded “washer-fashion” on to scraps of wooden skewers - as I remember, five pieces on a skewer for one penny. (Hence “A penorth of cat’s meat”). The loaded skewers were pushed through the letter-boxes along the street. It was up to the pet-owner to try to get to the door before the cat - or dog! I was told that cat’s meat was “not nice”. When I was left in charge to nip down and collect the meat from the front door mat and give one piece to our cat, Tibby, I ate half the square and gave Tibby half. But I gave the game away the next time I was told that cat’s meat was not nice - I said, “I tried some and it wasn’t nasty”. Then the warning was amended to “cat’s meat is not safe for little girls to eat”.

Purveyors of Horseflesh.

When I was a boy there was a meat market in the town, consisting only of butchers stalls. It was badly lit, and the stench in there was awful. I would be sent there on Saturday mornings to buy meat because it was the cheapest place.
In the corner of the market was a large stall with a big sign that said,

"HORSE FLESH FOR HUMAN CONSUMPTION"

TB or tuberculosis was rife in our town, and TB was also known as Consumption - there was always a long queue at this stall, and I assumed that everyone in the queue had TB.
Having been warned to avoid people suspected of having TB I would give the queue a very wide berth, and keep my mouth shut tight not daring to even breathe for fear of catching TB.
A long time later I realised what the sign meant lol.

Tec.

Rita, I have small radios but the new one I bought, same thing as the one that is defunct, I didnt notice that it now has a slider for on and off rather than a flip switch. I find this very difficult to use unless I hold the radio with one hand and use the slide with the other. The flip switch I could use with one hand full.
Getting you stockings mended cost about a shilling a pair.
Rita and Tecwyn, you beat me to it regarding the shellfish man on Sundays. A pint of shrimps on a sunday tea time was a real treat.
Do they still have stalls at the seaside selling these, and also one selling melon slices?

Janice, i remember the corona man,

The mums on the estate where I lived as a child used to buy a bottle a week especially in the run up to Christmas.
It was a real treat having fizzy pop.

Teresa

A couple of my rellies were Mole catchers,there may be a few left in country areas,but I don't know any. Some others were Lead miners,none of them left,and a tin miner from Cornwall,also redundant as far as I know.

Not many Rabbit catchers today .
Lynda

Rita -

It's interesting that you also knew a Lamplighter. Whenever I've mentioned them I've had some very strange looks lol. The one in our area supplimented his wages by knocking men up for work as he went and earning a few pennies.

You obviously had a posh Iceman, our always had a horse and cart, and I've also often had a bucket of ice from him to put in my mothers meat safe out on the yard as you mention.
I had forgotten about the ice cream man on his tricicle. We also had the shellfish man round every Sunday morning selling shrimps, cockles and mussels etc from a wicker basket carried on his arm.

As for age - well I arrived in the blitz, and have the dubious distinction of having been blown 30 feet up the garden still sitting on a lavatory pan when at 3yrs of age a Doodlebug hit the house next door - which has nothing to do with the subject of this thread but thought I would add it anyway lol.

Tec.

My Great Great Grandfather was a 'Parchment Maker', don't think you find many of those these days?!! His father before him was a 'Fellmonger'! which. I think, was a 'Trader in Skins' Another relation was a 'Journeyman Gard' anyone know what this was? Ironmongers are in short supply these days!

What about the Lamplighters?

The men who came at dusk and again at dawn with a long pole on a bicicle to light or extinguish the gas lamps in the streets.

Also the Iceman that came around the streets with huge blocks of ice covered in sacking on the back of a horse drawn cart. One could buy a bucket of ice for a few pence.
In the days before everyone had refrigerators and freezers.

And yes - I am ancient lol.

Tec.

Hi Julia - Glad to hear you still crochet. I Used to do lots of it - especially shawls & 'Angel tops' when girls were little. Most relaxing hobby. Why is it, that since retiring, don't seem to do so many crafts etc? Still love embroidery though. Can knit - won't knit! Keep up the good work
Paula x

I remember the knife grinder and the telex operator.
We still have a daily doorstep milk delivery, care of the Co-op.

If I'm not blowing my own trumpet, I still crochet, aswell as knit.
What I mean is, they are now a dying art, particularly crochet.
Julia in Derbyshire

PS. Oh I nearly forgot, - a shorthand typist, because I was one, and you hardly see any call for them nowadays in the employment columns.

Hi All - There were hundreds of Lightermen in ports all around the U.K. until an American invented Shipping containers and sealed the fate of the London docks. - How about old style switchboard operators - all plugs & headsets on old PBX exchanges! & who remembers Telex operator? Most missed & Thank goodness, making a welcome return in places - Hospital Matrons!

We used to have the knife grinder visit our street too - fascinated me,as a child, when he turned his bike upside down to drive the grinding wheel! The Co-op dairy always had 'white' (grey) horses to pull their wagons.
Anyone seen a Rag & Bone man lately?

Paula x

I've just come across one that is a clue in my Telegraph crossword today. Wainwright, a wagon maker.
Julia in Derbyshire

There is a milkman here but is very unreliable. Comes twice a week but often leaves people without milk when he decides not to come. Needless to say, I dont use him! Have you tried to get a radio repaired lately?

Dear Jean and all

Hello

Hope you are all okay.

Cobblers. And no, I am not being rude.

Cannot find a shoe repairer any where these days.

And no milkman or milkpersons either.

Take gentle care all
Very best wishes
xx

A more recent one from my childhood - the Corona man ;-)

""I have whitesmiths too, I believe they worked in tin, not silver, so don't think there are similar trades now.""


they were deeply involved in whitemetal for machinery bearings, such as big end bearings on car engines and bigger machines such as the great steam pumping engines......