The auld farts thread

[The White Cockade]

When I first came here ('71) we'd (my now ex-wife and I) would write to my mum and dad and let them know when to be in the call box across the road as we'd be phoning them at that day/time.

Not the greatest example of "poverty" but we didn't have much, including a phone, obviously.

very few of us had phones in those days

it was years later before my Mum and Dad got a fridge

They also never had a car or learned to drive

Like a lot of people of his generation Dad never had a passport or went abroad

Obviously no computers, playstations or mobiles in those days

It was a pretty basic life but the same for most people and we never thought we were "poor"

probably because the generations before had suffered real poverty, slum housing etc

often wonder how today's kids would have fared in those days

instead of hours on the x box it was hours of football, tig or hide and seek

a hell of a lot healthier anyway!

[bairdy]

Catching 'sticklebacks'/ 'beardies# in the 'Water of Leith.' Anybody mentioned playing 'Kick the Can ?

Happy days.

[PsychocAndy]

Has anyone mentioned the Gratton Catalogues that always seemed to open at the Lingerie section?

[J.T.F.Robertson]

very few of us had phones in those days

it was years later before my Mum and Dad got a fridge

They also never had a car or learned to drive

Like a lot of people of his generation Dad never had a passport or went abroad

Obviously no computers, playstations or mobiles in those days

It was a pretty basic life but the same for most people and we never thought we were "poor"

probably because the generations before had suffered real poverty, slum housing etc

often wonder how today's kids would have fared in those days

instead of hours on the x box it was hours of football, tig or hide and seek

a hell of a lot healthier anyway!

Ditto your first 4 points.

As for how today's kids would have fared, if I remember correctly, in those days, I would hear the then equivalent from my elders and it would really dick me off.

It's obviously all relevant. I guess that's why we're on the Auld Farts thread.

[rockjambo]

Born in '48 in "Caley" Crescent. Moved in 55 to Dalry Road until 66. Our picture hoose was the Scotia on Dalry Road proper fleapit, but cheap. Saturday kids films were from the 40's. Remember once going to the Pooles Roxy Saturday kids show when the adult film that week was The Amazing Collosal Man (1957) place was packed and someone started a chant to see that movie instead of the kids one it turned into almost a riot and they did show it. It scared the sh*t out of most of us (except the big kids). When 14 on Saturdays joined the others of my age pretending to be 16 in the huge queues trying to get into the X films at the Pooles Synod Hall. Remember being searched going in not for chibs but for bells whistles and ALARM CLOCKS which caused chaos at the scary bits. The other movies there were the nudie ones AA rating no storyline just promoting the healthy naturist lifestyle

[SwindonJambo]

Has anyone mentioned the Gratton Catalogues that always seemed to open at the Lingerie section?

Only on new ones I would have thought. I thought that was the only section that DIDN'T open ?

[punkrockcroc]

When I was at school we got only got 1 week at the Easter holidays nowadays the kids get 2 weeks then they get about 4 days off in May for bank holidays and before you know it we're into the summer holidays, do kids actually go to school these days?

[¼½¾]

Has anyone mentioned the Gratton Catalogues that always seemed to open at the Lingerie section?

I can just mind before they had photos, and catalogues had artist drawn pictures of people wearing the clothes. Still looked at the Lingerie.

[maggieb]

Only on new ones I would have thought. I thought that was the only section that DIDN'T open ?

 

Oo err

[alwaysthereinspirit]

I always wondered about that too. Fortunately, nowadays we have computers and Google to edumacate us...

 

https://munchies.vice.com/en/articles/these-guys-are-bringing-back-the-onion-selling-french-stereotype

After reading that it's even weirder what they went through just to sell us onions.

[Col1874]

Had a wee laugh at the coal comments like its a thing of the past, I was out delivering coal today.

 

Just for info, you can (and people do) still get coal if you live in Edinburgh, just not the smokey stuff

[The Real Maroonblood]

Had a wee laugh at the coal comments like its a thing of the past, I was out delivering coal today.

Just for info, you can (and people do) still get coal if you live in Edinburgh, just not the smokey stuff

Do you still get doubles and trebles?

[PsychocAndy]

The first foreign word we knew was  soixante-neuf, because it got round obscenity laws.

 

Well the second, we were all told what Pogue Mahone meant at a young age. 

[Col1874]

Do you still get doubles and trebles?

You sure do

[The Real Maroonblood]

Does anyone remember when there was sheep in Holyrood park?

[alwaysthereinspirit]

Does anyone remember when there was sheep in Holyrood park?

Yes. How many world capitals have two extinct volcanoes within their boundaries?

One housing a castle and the other housing sheep. Where did they go at night?

[The Real Maroonblood]

Yes. How many world capitals have two extinct volcanoes within their boundaries?One housing a castle and the other housing sheep. Where did they go at night?

Where did they go is a good question.

[Brandt]

Sliding down the dip (southhouse) on beer trays and nicking apples and Toni the ice cream van

I worked with Tony now and again. 50p i got.

[Col1874]

Where did they go is a good question.

 

Probably turned into Scotch Pies

[John mcCartney]

Does anyone remember when there was sheep in Holyrood park?

one of my earliest memories is of my nana chucking hardened sheep poo at me when the family were up there

so yeah,i can remember em

cheers nana

[joondalupjambo]

Watching Boots and Sadles, Wagon Train, Rawhide, Bonanza, The Virginian, Maverick, Gunsmoke and Laramie, to name a few, and sitting on the back of the couch pretending you were riding a horse.  Falling off, hiding behind it and imaginary shooting at the baddies and the injuns when they came on screen.

 

Happy days.

[The Real Maroonblood]

Watching Boots and Sadles, Wagon Train, Rawhide, Bonanza, The Virginian, Maverick, Gunsmoke and Laramie, to name a few, and sitting on the back of the couch pretending you were riding a horse.  Falling off, hiding behind it and imaginary shooting at the baddies and the injuns when they came on screen.

 

Happy days.

I just watched a documentary on Quest channel called "The Cowboy."

They showed scenes from some of these classics.

I would like to add Bronco, Rifleman, Range Rider, The Lone Ranger, Cheyenne and the Cisco Kid.

[132goals1958]

Watching Boots and Sadles, Wagon Train, Rawhide, Bonanza, The Virginian, Maverick, Gunsmoke and Laramie, to name a few, and sitting on the back of the couch pretending you were riding a horse.  Falling off, hiding behind it and imaginary shooting at the baddies and the injuns when they came on screen.

 

Happy days.

Flint McCullough was the Scout and Charlie Wooster the cook. Happy Days.

[132goals1958]

Has anyone mentioned the Gratton Catalogues that always seemed to open at the Lingerie section?

I used to open the Reveille newspaper at that page as well.  

[bairdy]

I just watched a documentary on Quest channel called "The Cowboy."

They showed scenes from some of these classics.

I would like to add Bronco, Rifleman, Range Rider, The Lone Ranger, Cheyenne and the Cisco Kid.

Ah great memories !  The Cisco Kid & Pancho were my favourites.

[The White Cockade]

The dubbed black and white kids programmes in the 70's

White Horses, Belle and Sebastien, Robinson Crusoe etc

Also used to enjoy Casey Jones, Land of the Giants

and Crown Court, Indoor League, Out of Town, Ace of Wands, Zodiac and the Sullivans and loads of others

when having my dinner before going back to school

Zodiac I remember well for Anouska Hempel!

[Tams bird]

Who remembers The singing ringing tree ? Stuff of nightmares.. How they thought that was a programme for children.

[The White Cockade]

Who remembers The singing ringing tree ? Stuff of nightmares.. How they thought that was a programme for children.

yeah scarey stuff

the dwarf scared the hell out of me

[weegranty]

I worked with Tony now and again. 50p i got.

Lived in Southhouse Sq 81-85,very poor upbringing,no trays down the sip for me,only Polly bags.

[weegranty]

Dip that should say.

[Morgan]

Lived in Southhouse Sq 81-85,very poor upbringing,no trays down the sip for me,only Polly bags.

Placky bags?

 

So my wife tells me.

 

I'm far too upper crust. Fairmilehead and all that

[scott herbertson]

Has anyone mentioned the Gratton Catalogues that always seemed to open at the Lingerie section?

The only ones I saw were stuck together at those pages....

[muiry]

Lived in Southhouse Sq 81-85,very poor upbringing,no trays down the sip for me,only Polly bags.

did you nick my bonfire wood

[John Findlay]

did you nick my bonfire wood

Raiders. Bonfire wood had to be protected at all costs. We worked hard going round the doors asking and collecting wood for the bonfire. Scott we all know who stuck the pages in the first place:-)

[muiry]

I worked with Tony now and again. 50p i got.

did you accept empty juice bottles and chase people who were hanging on the back of his van

[muiry]

Lived in Southhouse Sq 81-85,very poor upbringing,no trays down the sip for me,only Polly bags.

wee brother still lives in the square

[Sydney]

Does anyone remember when there was sheep in Holyrood park?

I vaguely remember the sheep.  I was looking them up on the internet and found this:

 

Sheep until 1977

"Hello again. I have had a discussion with Joe Muir, the present warder of Holyrood Park, who is well informed regarding the management of the park

He tells me that the sheep were taken off the park in 1977

There were several reasons for taking the sheep off the park,  including dogs chasing the sheep and road kills.  Several had even been killed after being chased over the Salisbury Crags.

There were as many as 2,000 sheep in the park at their peak.  They were brought in by a contractor and left to graze wherever.

Return of Sheep now Unlikely

Joe Muir tells me that there have been several attempts to bring the sheep back, but costs have been outwith budgets.  Also, new rules covering the welfare of sheep would require them to be brought in each night.

Joe believes that the return of sheep to the park is now unlikely because of the increase in people and traffic now using the park, and the return of Hunter's Bog and other areas to wet land conditions."

Duncan Reid, West Lothian, Scotland:  March 3, 2010

[Maple Leaf]

There used to be a chocolate factory in Edinburgh called Duncan's. At some point in the 1940s there was a fire in the factory, and all the chocolate in process was deemed unfit for consumption.  It was all loaded into lorries and dumped onto the beach at Royston, near the gasworks.

 

The local kids, I was one of them, found this huge mound of disgusting chocolate and we all went daft.  Chocolate was rationed at the time, so this bonanza was like manna from heaven.  Most of it was burned and tasted awful, but there were lots of good bits, and we all crawled through the mound on hands and knees searching for the edible stuff.  It was more exciting than Christmas.

 

Next day we went back hoping for another wonderful day, but the tide had come in and the mound of chocolate had vanished! 

 

And I haven't eaten chocolate in years.  I can't stand the stuff.

[martoon]

There used to be a chocolate factory in Edinburgh called Duncan's. At some point in the 1940s there was a fire in the factory, and all the chocolate in process was deemed unfit for consumption.  It was all loaded into lorries and dumped onto the beach at Royston, near the gasworks.

 

The local kids, I was one of them, found this huge mound of disgusting chocolate and we all went daft.  Chocolate was rationed at the time, so this bonanza was like manna from heaven.  Most of it was burned and tasted awful, but there were lots of good bits, and we all crawled through the mound on hands and knees searching for the edible stuff.  It was more exciting than Christmas.

 

Next day we went back hoping for another wonderful day, but the tide had come in and the mound of chocolate had vanished! 

 

And I haven't eaten chocolate in years.  I can't stand the stuff.

 

My mum worked at Duncan's in the early '70's. Iirc, there was a fire then too. Certainly recall her coming home with fire/smoke damaged chocolate. It was a bit discoloured but tasted fine. ?

[The Real Maroonblood]

I vaguely remember the sheep.  I was looking them up on the internet and found this:

 

Sheep until 1977

"Hello again. I have had a discussion with Joe Muir, the present warder of Holyrood Park, who is well informed regarding the management of the park

He tells me that the sheep were taken off the park in 1977

There were several reasons for taking the sheep off the park,  including dogs chasing the sheep and road kills.  Several had even been killed after being chased over the Salisbury Crags.

There were as many as 2,000 sheep in the park at their peak.  They were brought in by a contractor and left to graze wherever.

Return of Sheep now Unlikely

Joe Muir tells me that there have been several attempts to bring the sheep back, but costs have been outwith budgets.  Also, new rules covering the welfare of sheep would require them to be brought in each night.

Joe believes that the return of sheep to the park is now unlikely because of the increase in people and traffic now using the park, and the return of Hunter's Bog and other areas to wet land conditions."

Duncan Reid, West Lothian, Scotland:  March 3, 2010

Thanks for that piece.

[joondalupjambo]

My mum worked at Duncan's in the early '70's. Iirc, there was a fire then too. Certainly recall her coming home with fire/smoke damaged chocolate. It was a bit discoloured but tasted fine. ?

 

So did my mother in law, a Francis Dinse, and around the same time as you mention.  My wife told me the same story years ago and I thought it was a hoot.  Who would eat fire damaged chocolate, and now I know    Would your Mum recognise the name?

[weegranty]

wee brother still lives in the square

I heard the school got bulldozed,anything there in its place now?

And no I didn't steal any bonfire wood,wasn't brave enough.

[John Findlay]

Am I correct in saying Duncan's was off Bonington Road?

[Tazio]

Am I correct in saying Duncan's was off Bonington Road?

Between Broughton Road and Powderhall.

[Stuart Lyon]

OS Map from 1944 showing Duncan's Chocolate Factory

 

[Sydney]

Between Broughton Road and Powderhall.

 

I remember the sweets factory when I was at Broughton Primary - would have been Rowntrees by then?

[PsychocAndy]

I remember the sweets factory when I was at Broughton Primary - would have been Rowntrees by then?

 

My mate's dad worked there and brought a bag of misshaped chocolate from their "new" chocolate bar they were releasing later on that year.

So we were one of the first kids to try out the" Yorkie" .

I like them now, the peanut one is fabulous, but wasn't too keen on it at first. 

[PsychocAndy]

For someone who is an even older old fart than me

 

Is it true that Rowntree bought Duncan's just for the Walnut Whip?

The Nestle done the same to Rowntree? 

[Brandt]

did you accept empty juice bottles and chase people who were hanging on the back of his van

It was worse when they rocked the van. My sister stayed other side of the square on the Medway. Where Tony would park.

[Carl Fredrickson]

For someone who is an even older old fart than me

 

Is it true that Rowntree bought Duncan's just for the Walnut Whip?

The Nestle done the same to Rowntree? 

 

I had heard that about Rowntrees too but I think it was a myth. A wee bit of internet research shows that Rowntree were looking to produce confectionery to the masses at a cheaper price and lower quality (cost) than what they previously had. To do this, they bought over firms throughout Britain to help them achieve this. It may be that the firms they bought had a top selling product that Rowantree would benefit from selling but this would appear to be secondary to their greater plan.

 

I mind my mum and sister worked at the Rowantree Mackintosh factory at Powderhall when I was wee. Thursday nights were great as it was payday and my mum would always bring some goodies home.