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The auld farts thread


John Findlay

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alwaysthereinspirit

Making a guider out of an old door and some pram wheels. Summer hols that went on for ages apart from the last week which flew by. Being annoyed that the morning kids shows only started when the English schools went on holiday which was a week later than Scotland. I'm sure it meant I missed the end of The Flashing Blade but that might just be my memory being a bit fuzzy. The BBC shutting down about 1pm with only the test card to watch, and it closing down about midnight. Watching the wee white dot disappear when you switched the tv off. Playing football in the park trying to avoid the dogshit. Jubilees made with 1 part Ribena 2 parts American cream soda.

Ben and Sebastion and On White Horses are two shows I remember from Summer holidays.

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In the war years going in the backgreens, and shouting "put out that light" like the air raid wardens and watchinhg the blackout curtains twitch as people checked them.

 

Going to the upstairs flats, and tying the two doors toigether , ringing the bells and watching the tug of war to open the doors.

 

Same scenario, but if there was someone the gang didnae like, send them up to tie the door, but when he had just started to tie the second one, ring the bells, his grief was so satisfying.

 

Climbing the walls to the bulldog a garden in East Newington Place, to get apples, it was pure and unadulterated theft, but the two catholic kids were o.k. they went to the chapel and confessed so they could eat the stolen fruit in all good conscience.

 

Playing cowboys and indians in the Park, all along the radicle road, around Arthurs Seat, and through the bog to where the magazine for the rifle range was, that area was known as the valleys.

 

Watching the home guard and the territorials doing rifle practise and later going up to the butts and picking up the lead.

 

Playing rounders down from the Echo Rock, with a tennis racquet, some of the kids could hit the ball a mile, and score multiple rounders with one swing.

 

Bonfires,

 

Football at the West Meadows, ****** or a hen selection system, game started in the morning and continued non stop for the day.  No one turned away, but constant personnel changes for various reasons.

 

Jumping on our bikes and heading the miles from south ocky to Hillend

 

Sunday morning walk with the parents, all in best clothes, no playing in the street on Sunday. Wee Robert holding his big sisters hand, and Mum and Dad walking behind making sure nothing was done that would break the Sunday rules.

 

Special daytime treat of a Vantas, evening treat of bag of chips with brown sauce and vinegar

 

Movies at the Scabby LaLa, films change monday and Wednesday, sometimes went to the New Palace in the High Street, never sit in the stalls, that wetness from the balcony was not a leaky roof.

 

They were certainly different times, only radio at home, or books from the library, we made our own entertainment, looking back, much of it was criminal, dangerous, but always fun.

 

The street experience and education you gained at least in my case proved more valuable in my chosen career than any University degree, you knew all the kids tricks, motivation, and appropriate action, most of which were not official, but effective.

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Jambo-Jimbo

And the old horse drawn milk carts - it was still doing the rounds in my area in the 70s. Our old milky, Bill, used to allow us get a hurly round the streets.

 

My kids think I make this stuff up.

 

Same as mine, they don't believe that as a child we had no TV or fridges or washing machines, rag & bone men with their horse and cart, same as the milkman, take empty jam jars back and things like that.

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wow,where was the george about chief?

 

1977 queens jubilee,craigentinny community centre had a jubilee procession outside on the street,

bloke on the back of a lorry chucking sweets to us kids

 

wedding `pour outs` at st christophers church,all the coins chucked from the wedding car and us lot diving to the ground

to gather em up

 

porty beach,sunny days,rammed

Portobello open air pool, Sunday afternoon top 40 on radio with Alan Freeman (pop-pickers). The pool was salt water, electric waves and always freezin'

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alwaysthereinspirit

 onion johnny`s

Where the **** where they from? Seriously. Who rides a bike from France to sell onions in Edinburgh schemes.

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Mojos at only half a penny each. 'Going in' for your pals. Going out at 10 in the morning, back in for dinner (lunch? :rofl: ) then back out until your mum shouted you in.

 

Kids these days might have all the technology but I wouldn't swap my childhood for any of it. Fantastic times :verysmug:

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Getting Tablet and Macaroon bars brought to your front door.

 

Oh, and Bon Accord.

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Jambo-Jimbo

Oh man, the ice cream floats were ace. Had to be american cream soda. Loved the way it foamed up before tucking in.

 

Do folk still ask for a 'Black Man' from the ice cream van!?!

 

Probably not, if they did it would be in the news as some precious little soul would complain about it.

 

 onion johnny`s

 

Any youngsters looking in will be thinking we've all lost it, between Rag & Bone Men, Scullery & Onion Johnny's, they'll be wondering what language we're talking.  

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Going to the Saturday morning matinees at the Embassy picture house on Boswell Parkway.  It was demolished years ago.

 

Playing on a beautiful sandy beach at Royston, near the gasworks.  That has disappeared too.

 

Sitting in the freezing, smelly Anderson air raid shelter in the back green of our flat on Royston Mains Avenue, waiting for the 'All Clear' to sound so that we could go back to bed.

 

Standing in a queue in front of a shop on Crewe Road North, hoping to buy sweeties that had just come off rationing.  They sold out before I got any.

 

Meeting my dad for the first time, as he got off a train at Waverly station, coming home from the war.

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Салатные палочки

Cider lollies.

 

They wee whistle lollies you only seemed to get in chemists.

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John Findlay

Coal best coal was the shout every Thursday round our way. Two bags for the week. Coal bunker was in the lobby right opposite the bathroom. My main would go mental if the bathroom door wasn't closed on coal delivery day as that meant it got covered in stood. Loved the coal fire. Used to lie in front of it like a dog

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Unknown user

Getting Tablet and Macaroon bars brought to your front door.

 

Oh, and Bon Accord.

I can't even begin to describe how gutted I was when I found out what they think macaroons are over here!

 

Bon Accord Cherryade, god I was weaned on that stuff

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Unknown user

Coal best coal was the shout every Thursday round our way. Two bags for the week. Coal bunker was in the lobby right opposite the bathroom. My main would go mental if the bathroom door wasn't closed on coal delivery day as that meant it got covered in stood. Loved the coal fire. Used to lie in front of it like a dog

My old mum still gets hers delivered every second Saturday, a million pounds couldn't persuade her to install central heating

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Carl Fredrickson

In the war years going in the backgreens, and shouting "put out that light" like the air raid wardens and watchinhg the blackout curtains twitch as people checked them.

 

Going to the upstairs flats, and tying the two doors toigether , ringing the bells and watching the tug of war to open the doors.

 

Same scenario, but if there was someone the gang didnae like, send them up to tie the door, but when he had just started to tie the second one, ring the bells, his grief was so satisfying.

 

Climbing the walls to the bulldog a garden in East Newington Place, to get apples, it was pure and unadulterated theft, but the two catholic kids were o.k. they went to the chapel and confessed so they could eat the stolen fruit in all good conscience.

 

Playing cowboys and indians in the Park, all along the radicle road, around Arthurs Seat, and through the bog to where the magazine for the rifle range was, that area was known as the valleys.

 

Watching the home guard and the territorials doing rifle practise and later going up to the butts and picking up the lead.

 

Playing rounders down from the Echo Rock, with a tennis racquet, some of the kids could hit the ball a mile, and score multiple rounders with one swing.

 

Bonfires,

 

Football at the West Meadows, ****** or a hen selection system, game started in the morning and continued non stop for the day.  No one turned away, but constant personnel changes for various reasons.

 

Jumping on our bikes and heading the miles from south ocky to Hillend

 

Sunday morning walk with the parents, all in best clothes, no playing in the street on Sunday. Wee Robert holding his big sisters hand, and Mum and Dad walking behind making sure nothing was done that would break the Sunday rules.

 

Special daytime treat of a Vantas, evening treat of bag of chips with brown sauce and vinegar

 

Movies at the Scabby LaLa, films change monday and Wednesday, sometimes went to the New Palace in the High Street, never sit in the stalls, that wetness from the balcony was not a leaky roof.

 

They were certainly different times, only radio at home, or books from the library, we made our own entertainment, looking back, much of it was criminal, dangerous, but always fun.

 

The street experience and education you gained at least in my case proved more valuable in my chosen career than any University degree, you knew all the kids tricks, motivation, and appropriate action, most of which were not official, but effective.

 

Cheers Bob. Always a pleasure to read your posts

 

Black Jacks and Fruit Salad sweets at 2 for half a pence. 

 

Large gatherings in the evenings of folk of all ages to play football. Sometimes 20 or 30 aside. EVERYONE, no matter of age or background got a game. Us youngsters would get to take free kicks and any penalties to ensure we were involved. 

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John Findlay

Going to the Saturday morning matinees at the Embassy picture house on Boswell Parkway. It was demolished years ago.

 

Playing on a beautiful sandy beach at Royston, near the gasworks. That has disappeared too.

 

Sitting in the freezing, smelly Anderson air raid shelter in the back green of our flat on Royston Mains Avenue, waiting for the 'All Clear' to sound so that we could go back to bed.

 

Standing in a queue in front of a shop on Crewe Road North, hoping to buy sweeties that had just come off rationing. They sold out before I got any.

 

Meeting my dad for the first time, as he got off a train at Waverly station, coming home from the war.

I'm a Royston boy too. Royston mains place me. Never mind the Embassy demolished. They've demolished Royston school now and are building houses. Bast Ards. Nothing is sacred anymore

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luckyBatistuta

Mojos at only half a penny each. 'Going in' for your pals. Going out at 10 in the morning, back in for dinner (lunch? :rofl: ) then back out until your mum shouted you in.

Kids these days might have all the technology but I wouldn't swap my childhood for any of it. Fantastic times :verysmug:

 

 

:spoton: never bored

 

 

 

Getting Tablet and Macaroon bars brought to your front door.

Oh, and Bon Accord.

 

Used to get our Bon accord free as my uncle was one of their delivery drivers

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Central Hall, Tollcross, Saturday morning matinee films and cartoons. Rag and Bone man would be Aza Wassy (sp) on Dundee Street. Last horse drawn milk delivery from St Cuthberts was as recent as 1985. Mind they wee electric vehicles the other company used to deliver milk ?

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Jambo-Jimbo

When penny chews were a penny and you got more than one.

A big bag of sweeties for a threepenny bit.

 

Feeling as rich as feck when you got sixpence of your Granny.

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Neilson's Shank

Any youngsters looking in will be confused as feck by this one.

 

The Rag & Bone Man.

A favourite expression of mate to describe something of little or no value "no worth a blaw o the rag man's bugle" only person I know to use it, anyone else heard it?

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Talk-o-the-North

My old mum still gets hers delivered every second Saturday, a million pounds couldn't persuade her to install central heating

Would you like it in the front or the back asked the coal man.....

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luckyBatistuta

Getting Tablet and Macaroon bars brought to your front door.

Oh, and Bon Accord.

 

You couldn't beat the old potato bars

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Jambo-Jimbo

Mojos at only half a penny each. 'Going in' for your pals. Going out at 10 in the morning, back in for dinner (lunch? :rofl: ) then back out until your mum shouted you in.

 

Kids these days might have all the technology but I wouldn't swap my childhood for any of it. Fantastic times :verysmug:

 

Dinner was usually a jam piece which you eat with mucky hands and still playing football as you didn't want your team to be a man down.

Played from morning until it got dark, then you moved to the streets and used the lampposts as the goals, never mattered what the weather was like you still played all day.

 

And I wouldn't change it for the World, wonderful times and memories.

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John Findlay

 

 

:spoton: never bored

 

 

 

 

Used to get our Bon accord free as my uncle was one of their delivery drivers

My first job on leaving school was for Bon Accord. June 1979 out of Dryden Street. Only did it for 3 months as I knew I was joining the Royal Navy in the September.

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My first job on leaving school was for Bon Accord. June 1979 out of Dryden Street. Only did it for 3 months as I knew I was joining the Royal Navy in the September.

Did you bottle it?

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luckyBatistuta

My first job on leaving school was for Bon Accord. June 1979 out of Dryden Street. Only did it for 3 months as I knew I was joining the Royal Navy in the September.

Did you sink a few???

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John Findlay

Did you sink a few???

No oddly enough I did nae like Bon Accord. I preferred Globes. Their Ginger Beer was the best juice going

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I'm a Royston boy too. Royston mains place me. Never mind the Embassy demolished. They've demolished Royston school now and are building houses. Bast Ards. Nothing is sacred anymore

That's a tragedy about Royston School.  That was my first school, and battling Hibs supporters in the playground set the foundation for my lifelong hatred of the *******!

 

And we're in exalted company; Ann Budge also hails from Royston Mains. 

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luckyBatistuta

No oddly enough I did nae like Bon Accord. I preferred Globes. Their Ginger Beer was the best juice going

 

In the Royal Navy :lol:

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Jambof3tornado

Oh man, the ice cream floats were ace. Had to be american cream soda. Loved the way it foamed up before tucking in.

 

Do folk still ask for a 'Black Man' from the ice cream van!?!

Always remember staying at grandparents in gilmerton dykes crescent and getting a blackman from the ice cream van. Always used to check over my shoulder as a chap called Cherry used to stay across the road and he was in fact a black man ( used to work in a kwik fit in edinburgh if I remember rightly).

 

Remember going out ages 12 or 13 on my racer bike for about 8 hours at a time and not giving a crap about cars.

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Forza Cuore

Boni's ice cream van, I would always have raspberry sauce and rainbow drops.

 

The playscheme during school summer holidays.

 

Bob a Job with the Cubs/Scouts! Slave labour that was. Doing an old grannies weekly shop for 5p!

 

Lighting fires up the woods.

 

Playing Kerby.

 

Buying fags for my Dad from the machine in the chippy...he let me keep the 2p that was in the sellophane wrapper.

 

My old man's works kids Christmas party. It was the real Santa giving out the presents.

 

Free gifts on comics... And in Cereal!

 

Happy days indeed!

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John Findlay

That's a tragedy about Royston School. That was my first school, and battling Hibs supporters in the playground set the foundation for my lifelong hatred of the *******!

 

And we're in exalted company; Ann Budge also hails from Royston Mains.

My first school too. My teacher had the same surname as me Findlay and I would call her ma instead of miss. Thank heavens she got married and became a Scott. Mr Goodwin the School janny who the headmaster would allow in the last week of term to show in the gym hall from his projector episodes of hop along Cassidy and Woody Woodpecker cartoons.

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John Findlay

Being lifted over the turnstiles by my dad at Tynie.

My dad did it for me too. Loads of laddies standing outside going upto men and asking; nae demanding. Gies a lift over mister

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J.T.F.Robertson

Always remember staying at grandparents in gilmerton dykes crescent and getting a blackman from the ice cream van. Always used to check over my shoulder as a chap called Cherry used to stay across the road and he was in fact a black man ( used to work in a kwik fit in edinburgh if I remember rightly).

Remember going out ages 12 or 13 on my racer bike for about 8 hours at a time and not giving a crap about cars.

We (my mum, dad, twin brother and wee sister) once went our "holidays" to an aunt and uncle's hoose in Gilmerton Dykes Drive during the Edinburgh Trades. (all the way from the Pleasance) Loved it I did, was like a different world.

 

Anyway;

 

Broken biscuits.

Orange Jubblies.

The occasional theft of rhubarb from the Parky's hoose in Holyrood Park. Premeditated, as we'd have a wee bag of sugar with us prior to perpetration of the act.

Playing football, constantly.

Getting lifted for shoplifting during the school summer holidays. :( The shame.

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John Findlay

It was a rite of passage to shoplift out of Woollies where the apple shop is now. The pix and mix being a favourite. Got caught once and taken to the police box round by the Guildford pub. Begging the polis man not to let my dad ken as I knew I wouldn't be able to sit doon for a week.

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J.T.F.Robertson

It was a rite of passage to shoplift out of Woollies where the apple shop is now. The pix and mix being a favourite. Got caught once and taken to the police box round by the Guildford pub. Begging the polis man not to let my dad ken as I knew I wouldn't be able to sit doon for a week.

Can't remember where we were "apprehended", but we were marched along a portion of Princes Street with our hands clasped on our heads, then into a cop shop somewhere in Rose Street.

The auld man gave us the belt across our bare erses. I still remember when it was my turn, beforehand, he sprinkled pepper on it and even now I recall thinking, "I should ask him if he's gonnie eat it". (thought better of that)

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maroongoals

penny daintys, a 3p lucky bag and flash gordon on a saturday at the picture house near the palace cant remember the name!!

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Jambo-Jimbo

It was a rite of passage to shoplift out of Woollies where the apple shop is now. The pix and mix being a favourite. Got caught once and taken to the police box round by the Guildford pub. Begging the polis man not to let my dad ken as I knew I wouldn't be able to sit doon for a week.

 

Being caught plundering for Strawberries out of a garden by the polis and giving the choice of a cuff round the lug hole from him or be taken back to my mum & dad, needless to say I took the cuff round the lug hole from the polis.  If I had mentioned to my mum or dad that a polis man had hit me the other lug hole would have been stinging for days as well, not for nicking Strawberries but for getting caught.

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My dad did it for me too. Loads of laddies standing outside going upto men and asking; nae demanding. Gies a lift over mister

 

I remember one wee fellow asking me for a lift-over. Me, early twenties, (never saw Hearts until 18 years old) hadn't a clue what he was talking about :lol:

 

So if you were that wee chap - sorry. I was genuinely perplexed by the request.

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John Findlay

I remember one wee fellow asking me for a lift-over. Me, early twenties, (never saw Hearts until 18 years old) hadn't a clue what he was talking about :lol:

 

So if you were that wee chap - sorry. I was genuinely perplexed by the request.

Wisnae me. I'm 10 months older than you

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John mcCartney

shitting yourself in primary school class

getting the web for the first time,fakn ouch btw

eating your sardine toasties for your piece at the primary class visit to the zoo in the monkey house

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Dagger Is Back

GSTQ at the pictures. Got a skelp from my old man for not standing up.

 

1974 wee brother shouts down 'We've got a fridge' What's a Fridge I shouted. It makes ice lollies he says. Sorted

 

Bottles of milk getting delivered and freezing in the winter

 

Ice on the insides of your windows

 

Iron bath filled up from the kettle and having a bath in the front room

 

Coal cupboard

 

Old man bringing back out first VCR. Sure he got a hernia carrying it

 

Woolworths at the East End

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Forza Cuore

The straws in woolworths cafe were made of paper. Would always end up unusable.

 

Got my first football boots from the Store on Bread Street, Adidas Montevideo. Sold with a tin of dubbin (sp)

 

McDonald's Cycle shop on Morrison Street. Got a Raleigh Strika from there for my 6th or 7th birthday.

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broken biscuits, chipped fruit, yesterdays buns all at knockdown prices and nae used by dates. green shield stamps for buying a new fitba, eating the paper bag as well as the boiling sweety of choice. banana splits on saturdays. never quite got white horses, i'd last about 5 mins before grabbing a baw and heading oot. kick the can, great game. the climbing frames in the gym when the teachers would set up an obstical course, wouldn't be allowed now with the legislators. jaggy nettles and doc leaves, no to many kids know about them these days. a fit o cane, nail hammered inside one end, the other end split and a bit corn flake box for a flight, along with "a length of string" who remembers what a length was, knot at the end rapped round and then fired at anything you fancied, dangerous as fruk lol. they reddy/pink sweety laces, i seen summit similar a few years ago and had to try it for auld times sake, absolutely disgusting, ate bags o the things tae

 

and the fit up the erse from a polis mans steel tae capped boots, probably bobs, just like the belt , you got used to it

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Bel and Sebastian

Whirleybirds

Daktari

Champion, The Wonder Horse

Casey Jones

White Horses

Robinson Crusoe (that bit where he realises the footprint is his own....)

The Flashing Blade

The Banana Splits ("Siiiize of an elephant!")

 

Scones and pancakes at your aunties watching Glenn Michael's Cavalcade

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Forza Cuore

Mind my Mum having all her pals round for a "Tupperware Party".

 

We were banished to our bedrooms playing Kerplunk whilst they got maracas on Babycham listening to Top of The Pops Albums.

 

Pity Esther Rantzen hadn't invented Childline yet.

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