Di.Poppitt
GONE BUT NOT FORGOTTEN
What a cracking photo Dave, the BBQ and the summer chairs and table really do bring a smile don't they.
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Birmingham Christmas of the past
- Thread starter warren
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Di.Poppitt
GONE BUT NOT FORGOTTEN
Yes Lyn all of Fentham Road is still standing. The neighbours we had were all much older than us and they were wonderful, they filled buckets, tubs, saucepans, so that I had water. Nappies were a big problem for a couple of days. We had a corner shop right opposite and the Witton news operated from there. When I was a bit fed up during the time Brian was away, I would pick up the baby and we would go over there for a natter. But that's another story isn't it! Any corner shops out there now?
Di.Poppitt
GONE BUT NOT FORGOTTEN
Love the holly.
hi di...yet another story about the kindness of neighbours in times of trouble not so many corner shops now as we knew them but still a few about...
dave i love your back yard
my daughter lives in grand forks usa must ask if she has had any snow yet...lyn
Lady Penelope
master brummie
Parker has just shared the Christmas he had an identity crisis. It was in the 50's with lots of cowboys on the television. His mom bought him a Lone Ranger outfit and his Nan bought him a wigwam!
oh dear pen...how confused parker must have been lol...spoke to my daughter in grand forks north dakota....they are up to their necks in snow
i think we could be next
adap2it
master brummie
I'd be smiling more if it was summer Di...
adap2it
master brummie
oh dear pen...how confused parker must have been lol...spoke to my daughter in grand forks north dakota....they are up to their necks in snow
North Dakota is indeed snow country and frigid temperatures. Where I live is warm by comparison. Snow looks great on Christmas cards, however, the reality is something else.
Chestnuts roasting on an open fire...not really!
Dave A
The back of our house faced due east. It had been built around 1930 and the tiled roof was laid with just tiles and not sealed with felt. In certain conditions, with an easterly wind and particularly dry, powdery snow, the loft - entirely uninsulated of course - would rapidly collect significant quantities of snow. My father was assiduous in monitoring this and removing the drifts before they melted and started to do any damage.
One year, in the mid 1940s, I recall that there was a bit of a competition in the Readers' Letters section of the Mail as to who had had to remove the most bucketfuls of snow from their loft. My father proudly regarded himself as the winner but I can't remember what his score was - several dozen, I think!
This Christmas, let those of us lucky enough to have one give thanks for a modern house, insulation and central heating......
Chris
One year, in the mid 1940s, I recall that there was a bit of a competition in the Readers' Letters section of the Mail as to who had had to remove the most bucketfuls of snow from their loft. My father proudly regarded himself as the winner but I can't remember what his score was - several dozen, I think!
This Christmas, let those of us lucky enough to have one give thanks for a modern house, insulation and central heating......
Chris
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norfolk brummie
gone but not forgotten
Yesterday, an old friend, a retired Head of Music, said to me that when she sees what is happening in the world today, she feels unhappy about putting up Christmas decorations.
It is difficult not to agree, but my mother taught me differently.
On the night of November 22nd 1940, Hitler's Luftwaffe redesigned our Birmingham home. My father was in the army "somewhere in England". It also killed a little girl that I played with.
For the next six months my mother, my four year old sister, myself, a canary, complete with a buckled cage, and a cat, lived in one room in an old Victorian house that was owned by an auntie.
I seem to remember that we had two single beds, a table and a couple of chairs.
Just before Christmas, which was my eighth, my mother said that we were going back to put up the decorations in our bomb damaged home.
We arrived, and my mother, who was a quiet, but very strong lady, found some old paper trimmings and she put them up. It looked very sad, but it was her gesture, an act of defiance, that she would not be beaten.
I have told my friend to put up her decorations.
Eddie
It is difficult not to agree, but my mother taught me differently.
On the night of November 22nd 1940, Hitler's Luftwaffe redesigned our Birmingham home. My father was in the army "somewhere in England". It also killed a little girl that I played with.
For the next six months my mother, my four year old sister, myself, a canary, complete with a buckled cage, and a cat, lived in one room in an old Victorian house that was owned by an auntie.
I seem to remember that we had two single beds, a table and a couple of chairs.
Just before Christmas, which was my eighth, my mother said that we were going back to put up the decorations in our bomb damaged home.
We arrived, and my mother, who was a quiet, but very strong lady, found some old paper trimmings and she put them up. It looked very sad, but it was her gesture, an act of defiance, that she would not be beaten.
I have told my friend to put up her decorations.
Eddie
norfolk brummie
gone but not forgotten
MY CHRISTMAS MESSAGE. (in story form).
The Story of Rudolph.
A man named Bob May, depressed and broken hearted, stared out of his drafty apartment window into the chilling December night. His four year old daughter, Barbara, sat on his lap quietly sobbing. Bob's wife, Evelyn, was dying of cancer.
Little Barbara could not understand why her Mummy could never come home. Barbara looked up into her fathers eyes, and asked, "Why isn't Mummy like everyone else's Mummy?"
Bobs jaw tightened, and his eyes welled with tears. Her question brought waves of grief, but also of anger. It had been the story of Bobs life. Life had always been different for Bob. He was a small child, and had often been bullied at school. Unable to play games, he was called names that he would rather not remember.
From childhood, Bob was different, and never seemed to fit in. Bob did complete college, married his loving wife, and was grateful for his job as a copy writer at Montgomery Ward during the Great Depression.
Then he was blessed with his little girl, Barbara, but it was all too short lived. Evelyn's fight with cancer stripped them of all their savings. and now Bob and his daughter were forced to live in a two roomed apartment in a Chicago slum.
Evelyn died just days before Christmas, in 1938. Bob struggled to give hope to his daughter, for whom he could not even afford a Christmas present. If he could not buy her a gift, he was determined to make one......a story book!
Bob had created an animal character in his own mind, and told the animals story to his daughter Barbara, to give her comfort and hope. Again, and again, he told the story, each time embellishing the details a little more.
Who was the character? What was the story all about? The story Bob May created was his own autobiography, in fable form.
The name of the character? A little reindeer, with a big shiny nose. Bob finished the book, just in time to give it to his daughter on Christmas Day.
But the story did not end there.
The general manager of Montgomery Ward caught wind of the little story book, and offered Bob a nominal fee for the publishing rights.
Wards went on to print "Rudolph The Red Nosed Reindeer", and distributed it to children that visited the Santa Christmas Grotto, in their stores. By 1946 Wards had printed, and distributed, over six million copies of Rudolph.
A major publishing company wanted to buy the publishing rights from Montgomery Ward, but the C.E.O, in an unprecedented gesture of kindness, returned all rights to Bob May.
The book became a best seller. Many toy and marketing deals followed, and Bob May, now remarried, and with a growing family, became a wealthy man from the story he created to comfort his grieving daughter.
But the story does not end there either.
Bob's brother-in-law, Johnny Marks, made a song adaption to Rudolph. It was turned down by Bing Crosby and Dinah Shore, before being recorded by cowboy star, Gene Autry.
"Rudolph The Red Nosed Reindeer" was released in 1949, and became a phenomenal success, selling more records than any other Christmas song, apart from "White Christmas".
The gift of love that Bob May created for his daughter so long before, kept on returning back to bless him, again and again.
That taught Bob a lesson. Just like his dear friend Rudolph, being so different is not so bad, In fact, being different can be a blessing.
MERRY CHRISTMAS, EVERYONE.
Enjoy life.....It has an expiration date!
Eddie
The Story of Rudolph.
A man named Bob May, depressed and broken hearted, stared out of his drafty apartment window into the chilling December night. His four year old daughter, Barbara, sat on his lap quietly sobbing. Bob's wife, Evelyn, was dying of cancer.
Little Barbara could not understand why her Mummy could never come home. Barbara looked up into her fathers eyes, and asked, "Why isn't Mummy like everyone else's Mummy?"
Bobs jaw tightened, and his eyes welled with tears. Her question brought waves of grief, but also of anger. It had been the story of Bobs life. Life had always been different for Bob. He was a small child, and had often been bullied at school. Unable to play games, he was called names that he would rather not remember.
From childhood, Bob was different, and never seemed to fit in. Bob did complete college, married his loving wife, and was grateful for his job as a copy writer at Montgomery Ward during the Great Depression.
Then he was blessed with his little girl, Barbara, but it was all too short lived. Evelyn's fight with cancer stripped them of all their savings. and now Bob and his daughter were forced to live in a two roomed apartment in a Chicago slum.
Evelyn died just days before Christmas, in 1938. Bob struggled to give hope to his daughter, for whom he could not even afford a Christmas present. If he could not buy her a gift, he was determined to make one......a story book!
Bob had created an animal character in his own mind, and told the animals story to his daughter Barbara, to give her comfort and hope. Again, and again, he told the story, each time embellishing the details a little more.
Who was the character? What was the story all about? The story Bob May created was his own autobiography, in fable form.
The name of the character? A little reindeer, with a big shiny nose. Bob finished the book, just in time to give it to his daughter on Christmas Day.
But the story did not end there.
The general manager of Montgomery Ward caught wind of the little story book, and offered Bob a nominal fee for the publishing rights.
Wards went on to print "Rudolph The Red Nosed Reindeer", and distributed it to children that visited the Santa Christmas Grotto, in their stores. By 1946 Wards had printed, and distributed, over six million copies of Rudolph.
A major publishing company wanted to buy the publishing rights from Montgomery Ward, but the C.E.O, in an unprecedented gesture of kindness, returned all rights to Bob May.
The book became a best seller. Many toy and marketing deals followed, and Bob May, now remarried, and with a growing family, became a wealthy man from the story he created to comfort his grieving daughter.
But the story does not end there either.
Bob's brother-in-law, Johnny Marks, made a song adaption to Rudolph. It was turned down by Bing Crosby and Dinah Shore, before being recorded by cowboy star, Gene Autry.
"Rudolph The Red Nosed Reindeer" was released in 1949, and became a phenomenal success, selling more records than any other Christmas song, apart from "White Christmas".
The gift of love that Bob May created for his daughter so long before, kept on returning back to bless him, again and again.
That taught Bob a lesson. Just like his dear friend Rudolph, being so different is not so bad, In fact, being different can be a blessing.
MERRY CHRISTMAS, EVERYONE.
Enjoy life.....It has an expiration date!
Eddie
sospiri
GONE BUT NOT FORGOTTEN
Eddie,
An amazing story that I hadn't heard before - thank you. From my point of view that helps to offset two bits of not so good things here - the awful howling gales with heavy hail storms, and my immobility due, we think to a dislocated or displaced (is there a difference?) which Jan thinks resulted from replacing an outside light over the front door - and it was only about four steps up a short ladder. That slowly got worse until on Tuesday I spent a whole day in bed, almost unable to move. I had to devise ways of getting out of my bed and out of my computer chair, and of course I couldn't even get in or out of the car, so such a simple thing as a trip to the hospital was out of the question without calling an ambulance.
The good news is that the weather will eventually die out and this incapacity is very slowly starting to improve I think. I don't wish to spend time in hospital when most of the consultants have gone on holiday, but this is going to be a bit of an unusual holiday. Have a nice one everybody!
Maurice
An amazing story that I hadn't heard before - thank you. From my point of view that helps to offset two bits of not so good things here - the awful howling gales with heavy hail storms, and my immobility due, we think to a dislocated or displaced (is there a difference?) which Jan thinks resulted from replacing an outside light over the front door - and it was only about four steps up a short ladder. That slowly got worse until on Tuesday I spent a whole day in bed, almost unable to move. I had to devise ways of getting out of my bed and out of my computer chair, and of course I couldn't even get in or out of the car, so such a simple thing as a trip to the hospital was out of the question without calling an ambulance.
The good news is that the weather will eventually die out and this incapacity is very slowly starting to improve I think. I don't wish to spend time in hospital when most of the consultants have gone on holiday, but this is going to be a bit of an unusual holiday. Have a nice one everybody!
Maurice
this video is so funny folks,,,THE GRINCH
https://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/ar...ia-makes-shoppers-laugh-hilarious-antics.html
https://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/ar...ia-makes-shoppers-laugh-hilarious-antics.html
farmerdave
master brummie
Hi Maurice. Hope you return to full mobility very soon. Best wishes. Dave
Bob Davis
Bob Davis
Keep fighting it Maurice, you are only a youngster, remember just keep saying you feel like an 18 year old, not in front of the other half of course best wishes for a swift recoveryEddie,
An amazing story that I hadn't heard before - thank you. From my point of view that helps to offset two bits of not so good things here - the awful howling gales with heavy hail storms, and my immobility due, we think to a dislocated or displaced (is there a difference?) which Jan thinks resulted from replacing an outside light over the front door - and it was only about four steps up a short ladder. That slowly got worse until on Tuesday I spent a whole day in bed, almost unable to move. I had to devise ways of getting out of my bed and out of my computer chair, and of course I couldn't even get in or out of the car, so such a simple thing as a trip to the hospital was out of the question without calling an ambulance.
The good news is that the weather will eventually die out and this incapacity is very slowly starting to improve I think. I don't wish to spend time in hospital when most of the consultants have gone on holiday, but this is going to be a bit of an unusual holiday. Have a nice one everybody!
Maurice
Bob
Eddie,
An amazing story that I hadn't heard before - thank you. From my point of view that helps to offset two bits of not so good things here - the awful howling gales with heavy hail storms, and my immobility due, we think to a dislocated or displaced (is there a difference?) which Jan thinks resulted from replacing an outside light over the front door - and it was only about four steps up a short ladder. That slowly got worse until on Tuesday I spent a whole day in bed, almost unable to move. I had to devise ways of getting out of my bed and out of my computer chair, and of course I couldn't even get in or out of the car, so such a simple thing as a trip to the hospital was out of the question without calling an ambulance.
The good news is that the weather will eventually die out and this incapacity is very slowly starting to improve I think. I don't wish to spend time in hospital when most of the consultants have gone on holiday, but this is going to be a bit of an unusual holiday. Have a nice one everybody!
Maurice
take things easy maurice...
lyn
sospiri
GONE BUT NOT FORGOTTEN
Lyn, Dave & Bob,
Much better today and I can now get out of bed and a chair reasonably easily. Obviously if I twist in the wrong direction, it lets be know it's still around, but much better than I expected. Many thanks for all your good wishes and I hope you all have an enjoyable time over the Christmas/New Year period. I wish you all a Happy, Peaceful & Successful 2017.
Maurice
Much better today and I can now get out of bed and a chair reasonably easily. Obviously if I twist in the wrong direction, it lets be know it's still around, but much better than I expected. Many thanks for all your good wishes and I hope you all have an enjoyable time over the Christmas/New Year period. I wish you all a Happy, Peaceful & Successful 2017.
Maurice
I’m almost 74, so thinking back to my childhood and even in my teens, we always put up Christmas paper chains across the living room at one time we made them, and later we went posh, and brought them. The centre ceiling light seem to be the focal point to start or maybe to finish, but four corners of the ceiling had paper chains fixed to them ending at the light.
We also had what I thought was a magical Christmas tree, but looking back it was more than a bit well worn.
On the end of the branches were holders for small candles which was were lit it seemed only once. The joy of putting out the light, and seeing the candles glow, and the babbles shining.
However, what a fire hazard it all was, open fire, 100 watt bulb, candles lit on a flammable tree. Yet we survived.
Yet this year nearly started a fire using the wrong extension lead in the house.
We also had what I thought was a magical Christmas tree, but looking back it was more than a bit well worn.
On the end of the branches were holders for small candles which was were lit it seemed only once. The joy of putting out the light, and seeing the candles glow, and the babbles shining.
However, what a fire hazard it all was, open fire, 100 watt bulb, candles lit on a flammable tree. Yet we survived.
Yet this year nearly started a fire using the wrong extension lead in the house.
Richard Dye
master brummie
Diane, just think how many of us had those same paper chains and candles!!! How much of the wax from the candles fell on the floor or carpet?
I don't think we ever put working candles on a tree, we always used strings of lights. I'm pretty certain that at least on had ceramic sleeves covering the metal screw sockets and unlike the later plastic ones they could slip down and expose the metalwork. As these light strings were fed straight from the mains potentially any contact with the circuit could have been fatal.
We had a small fir tree next to our front garden gate and dad would put lights on it using a standard internal light set. By the time we moved away he needed two sets as the tree had grown.
Maybe people were more cautious around electricity as no-one every received a shock from our installations.
In those days it was quite common to plug things like electric irons into light sockets, you could get adaptors complete with a cord-operated switch so two things could be plugged in at once but didn't have to be both on.
(I walked past a victorian terraced house the other evening and the hall light was on. I could clearly see that it still had the original two-fuse distribution board, must be at least 80 years old!).
We had a small fir tree next to our front garden gate and dad would put lights on it using a standard internal light set. By the time we moved away he needed two sets as the tree had grown.
Maybe people were more cautious around electricity as no-one every received a shock from our installations.
In those days it was quite common to plug things like electric irons into light sockets, you could get adaptors complete with a cord-operated switch so two things could be plugged in at once but didn't have to be both on.
(I walked past a victorian terraced house the other evening and the hall light was on. I could clearly see that it still had the original two-fuse distribution board, must be at least 80 years old!).
mw0njm.
A Brummie Dude
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A Sparks
master brummie
Yes definitely!
I remember Dad checking out the whole string to find out which one it was
pjmburns
master brummie
I remember that. Dad, an electrician, was very fussy about the lights. They were tested in the box, then carefully draped on the tree, plugged in and...... usually one had worked loose and they didn't come on. So they all had to be checked again. As you said - one out meant all out.
If I remember correctly the bulbs were small but the shades relatively large. I assume to stop the hot bulbs setting fire to the tree.
We had metal candle holders which clipped on to the branches but I can't remember them ever being used.
If I remember correctly the bulbs were small but the shades relatively large. I assume to stop the hot bulbs setting fire to the tree.
We had metal candle holders which clipped on to the branches but I can't remember them ever being used.
oldMohawk
gone but not forgotten
When you've been on the forum a long time (since 2007 for me) and with Christmas coming every year there is a tendency to repeat previous comments and if you are good at searching you will find mine. They always bring back happy memories so here I go again ...
Our artificial Christmas tree was bought in 1968 from Henry's store in Union St Birmingham. The few branches on it were rather sparse but my son liked it in 1972.
In the 1940's my late wife's parents bought an artificial Christmas tree and every year decorated it with a fairy on top, glass baubles, tinsel, and fairy lights until the late 1980s when Christmases in their house ended and the tree disappeared in the house clearance. The somewhat worn and fragile decorations and old lights were then used on our Christmas trees for a further fifteen years. The 1940s lights did burn out one year and had to be hurriedly replaced. The old decorations have spent some years in a cardboard box in my loft. I look at them occasionally and think maybe I should throw them out but with memories of Christmases past I've kept them and perhaps some day in the future they might decorate another tree.
In my own childhood our Christmas trees had flickering real candles dripping wax but were lovely to look as chestnuts roasting on our open fire occasionally exploded. We didn't think about health and safety back then ...
Our artificial Christmas tree was bought in 1968 from Henry's store in Union St Birmingham. The few branches on it were rather sparse but my son liked it in 1972.
In the 1940's my late wife's parents bought an artificial Christmas tree and every year decorated it with a fairy on top, glass baubles, tinsel, and fairy lights until the late 1980s when Christmases in their house ended and the tree disappeared in the house clearance. The somewhat worn and fragile decorations and old lights were then used on our Christmas trees for a further fifteen years. The 1940s lights did burn out one year and had to be hurriedly replaced. The old decorations have spent some years in a cardboard box in my loft. I look at them occasionally and think maybe I should throw them out but with memories of Christmases past I've kept them and perhaps some day in the future they might decorate another tree.
In my own childhood our Christmas trees had flickering real candles dripping wax but were lovely to look as chestnuts roasting on our open fire occasionally exploded. We didn't think about health and safety back then ...
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