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Birmingham Christmas of the past

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Over here the postbox has to be on the property perimeter, be of a certain size, and the slot has to be between specific heights. Our name has to be on the front of the box. Flap opens outwards so no fingers have to go into the box. Makes it easy for the postie, who has a box master key for larger items, and a loud horn on her van if necessary. On the other hand, our road name covers a long way, in two directions at right angles, and no house numbers (or names). Luckily the postie knows where everyone lives. Andrew.
 
Vivienne14 said:
In either 1973 or 74 I was a student and did two weeks as a casual postie on the Christmas post. Lots of students did it in those days, it was fairly good casual pay and was welcome cash before Christmas. My round was in Kingstanding.

It wasn’t until I did this that I really found out what hard work was. Kingstanding is hilly, and trudging up and down roads like Tresham Road (which we called Tresham Hill for good reason) was the worst part. At first I wore shoes with heels (! never wore flats), after one day on the job the plimsoles came out, despite the cold and icy weather conditions. The hills were challenging and it was at this point that I realised my knees were not that strong, even though I was young.

Once you’d found the house the next challenge was to negotiate the letter box. The worst ones were those on a tight spring, almost impossible to open, and often with a barking dog on the other side. My hands were in bad shape after two weeks, badly bruised and raw from prising open the different models of letter box.

I only did one round of deliveries per day, but I think there was a second delivery. The regular postman, I seem to remember, sorted all the mail for us beforehand and packed it into a canvas bag. He also added a few smaller parcels. This meant we casuals didn’t have to be at the sorting office very early but the poor regular postman had already done a day’s work by the time we’d arrive. Then off we’d go into the bitterly cold weather.

This was probably the most challenging physical job I’ve ever had to do; over any terrain, negotiating all kinds of obstacles while carrying a heavy bag in all weathers and in pain from my knees and hands. Respect to all you posties out there ! Viv.
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I enjoyed doing the Christmas post as a student in the early 70's, getting in early to do the sorting first, elastic bands on groups by street and then out to deliver. I was young and fit and enjoyed every minute. The strange thing was I got to resent those houses where lots of letters, cards and small parcels went to, not because it made my load heavier but because I felt sorry for those which didn't get many cards. Some of the small parcels from different countries used to have an interesting smell, I seem to recall.
 
Vivienne14 said:
View attachment 164586
Source: British Newspaper Archive

This Birmingham Post 1970s comparison of Christmas food costs got me thinking. Look how little prices changed over one year and yet it’s entitied “A Dearer Christmas”. It's also striking that some items on this list would have been unimaginable 20 years before.

Isn’t an “oven ready” turkey the same as a fresh turkey ? The listing of some items like mince pies, Christmas Cake and Christmas puddings suggests to me a general move away from making your own. I know my mum bought at this time rather than made them at home. I expect they were competitive in price too compared with buying all the ingredients to make your own.

I like that the journalist included a tin of Alka Selzer on the list ! A clear indicator that most people could expect to suffer the effects of over indulgence. Remember those little tins where you inserted the spoon handle and twist to open ?

Viv.
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I had a chuckle at the alka selzer on the list. I noticed this list went press on my 19th Birthday.
 
Even back in the 1950s, Uncle Holly was working on his marketing strategy well ahead of Christmas. This was Uncle H’s message delivered in late October 1956. Viv.

Source: British Newspaper Archive
562A4FD8-AF90-4633-8F76-35FDE6776804.jpeg
 
Hershey have licensed the brand in the US. Cadburys did try selling them all year round, but now they restrict to, I think officially , january to easter . No idea whether the US ones are really the same. Often products licensed to other companies just use the name and produce a substandard version either through cost cutting or plain indifference. Look at the difference you get in the product at KFC in ther different licensed restaurants
 
Janet Hunt said:
Sat here in work looking at the same cutting in a frame. I work at The Lewis building (main reception) it is now a multi occupier office block. Never got to see Santa here myself, I was from a large family and we could not afford Lewis's ,we saw Santa at the Co-operative on the High Street, good old days. Iremember
Brummie a long time ago said:
In the early 50’s, myself and my lovely wife were both taken to see Father Christmas at Lewis’s. We are one day apart in age, and we were thinking the other day that we could have been next to each other in the queue on the stairs. If we had known, we could have got the marriage arrangements started early. Andrew.
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Vivienne14 said:
Even back in the 1950s, Uncle Holly was working on his marketing strategy well ahead of Christmas. This was Uncle H’s message delivered in late October 1956. Viv.

Source: British Newspaper Archive
View attachment 165237
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I remember Uncle Holly and could you get an Uncle Holly badge. Rember queing up flights and flights of stairs for six floors in Lewis's . Then the journey through Santa's Grotto with the moving figures telling a story. Then the CO-OP with the ride in the Rocket Ship Magical times . Thanks for the Uncle Holly memories .Brum was Tops.
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mikejee said:
Hershey have licensed the brand in the US. Cadburys did try selling them all year round, but now they restrict to, I think officially , january to easter . No idea whether the US ones are really the same. Often products licensed to other companies just use the name and produce a substandard version either through cost cutting or plain indifference. Look at the difference you get in the product at KFC in ther different licensed restaurants
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www.bbc.co.uk

Why are Creme Eggs for Easter only?

Cadbury's explain why they do not sell Creme Eggs all year round.
www.bbc.co.uk
 
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Janet Hunt said:
Sat here in work looking at the same cutting in a frame. I work at The Lewis building (main reception) it is now a multi occupier office block. Never got to see Santa here myself, I was from a large family and we could not afford Lewis's ,we saw Santa at the Co-operative on the High Street, good old days.
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Janet - I expect the old Lewis’s building has retained few of its original internal features, but if you know of any, please let us know. We also have a Lewis’s thread below. Viv.

Lewis's Department Store

I used to love the sound the gates made on the lifts. Just can not get that any more with the newer versions. I used to look through the gates and see the counter-weight going up when the lift was going down and when in the lift hearing operators announce the floors and departments. ... :)
birminghamhistory.co.uk birminghamhistory.co.uk
 
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