Membership Level: Full Posts: 7776 Status: Offline
Times Past
Especially for my new mate Thomas - my Dad was laid up some time in the Thirties after badly hurting his back and was off work so long that we ran totally out of money.
My mother sent my big brother to the Vicar of the Church we went to asking for some help from the Parish funds. The Vicar made him stand outside while he went into the Vicarage and wrote out a note. He gave our kid strict instructions as to where to take the note - it was the local Co-op and was for a bit of flour and yeast so that mother could bake some bread.
Nothing else. No butter or even a bit of jam. That was after we had gone to church every week for years along with our older sister, each one taking a penny for the collection plates. Pennies which could have gone a fair way back then.
My brother never got over that and it still lingers in his mind. When we grew older and both joined the choir we saw for ourselves the way in which all the notes on the massive plates - passed round every Sunday - disappeared into the pockets of the Vicar and his Curate. The Church, which was very ’High Church’ was referred to as a ’Rich one’ because many of the congregation were business men and/or women and the plates were a fair source of income. Supposedly for the Parish but.........!
Another year at Christmas my mother had paid all her bills as was the custom then - no living on the slate for her - and had only sixpence left which she used to purchase three large oranges of the type known as Jaffa’s. One each for a Christmas present that year and nothing else.
Happy days? Yes - we had each other but that first instance helped to influence my feelings towards the Church and religion in general.
Membership Level: Full Posts: 1188 Status: Offline
Quoting: thomas fleming Syd did you have a "fire-can" about 10" high with wire in a loop about 12" long ,holes in the sides of the can filled with anything that burnt. You would whirl it round and round over your head till it glowed to get a good flame .
A firecan 10" high, Thomas? It would have been bigger than me! The tin of choice was a 2lb syrup tin with small holes punched in the sides and bottom and a wire sling. Whirls and swings became an art form, a bit like a present day yo-yo, more lethal perhaps! How did we survive? Cheers, Syd.
Membership Level: Full Posts: 2605 Status: Offline
Quoting: John Richards Continuing this slight deviation from the thread, I would ask this question. Could your body be re-charged so that you were young again and in your physical prime, would you want to be living in the world of your youth, or in the present time?
I think it would be nice to be starting back in the old days, but with the knowledge and experience I have now.
I’ve yet to reach my physical prime...but I’m working on it!
Membership Level: Full Posts: 8145 Status: Offline
Quoting: Terry Carey Especially for my new mate Thomas - my Dad was laid up some time in the Thirties after badly hurting his back and was off work so long that we ran totally out of money.
My mother sent my big brother to the Vicar of the Church we went to asking for some help from the Parish funds. The Vicar made him stand outside while he went into the Vicarage and wrote out a note. He gave our kid strict instructions as to where to take the note - it was the local Co-op and was for a bit of flour and yeast so that mother could bake some bread.
Nothing else. No butter or even a bit of jam. That was after we had gone to church every week for years along with our older sister, each one taking a penny for the collection plates. Pennies which could have gone a fair way back then.
My brother never got over that and it still lingers in his mind. When we grew older and both joined the choir we saw for ourselves the way in which all the notes on the massive plates - passed round every Sunday - disappeared into the pockets of the Vicar and his Curate. The Church, which was very ’High Church’ was referred to as a ’Rich one’ because many of the congregation were business men and/or women and the plates were a fair source of income. Supposedly for the Parish but.........!
Another year at Christmas my mother had paid all her bills as was the custom then - no living on the slate for her - and had only sixpence left which she used to purchase three large oranges of the type known as Jaffa’s. One each for a Christmas present that year and nothing else.
Happy days? Yes - we had each other but that first instance helped to influence my feelings towards the Church and religion in general.
"Nothing else No Butter not even a bit (??) of Jam"
A story of the times Terry. So basically a couple of slices of Jam and Bread and you might have been the Archbishop of Westminster.
Membership Level: Full Posts: 1265 Status: Offline
Quoting: Syd Jones A firecan 10" high, Thomas? It would have been bigger than me! The tin of choice was a 2lb syrup tin with small holes punched in the sides and bottom and a wire sling. Whirls and swings became an art form, a bit like a present day yo-yo, more lethal perhaps! How did we survive? Cheers, Syd.
Syd , Didn’t you get your supply of milk powder or ,powdered eggs in tins, these became our cans to light up or even used with attached string to walk on as stilts. Don’t forget the enermy could have mined the roads you’ve got to be careful when your young.Essential was your see-back-ascope used to spot the enemy sneaking up behind you.
