-
Welcome to this forum . We are a worldwide group with a common interest in Birmingham and its history. While here, please follow a few simple rules. We ask that you respect other members, thank those who have helped you and please keep your contributions on-topic with the thread.
We do hope you enjoy your visit. BHF Admin Team -
HI folks the server that hosts the site completely died including the Hdd's and backups.
Luckily i create an offsite backup once a week! this has now been restored so we have lost a few days posts.
im still fixing things at the moment so bear with me and im still working on all images 90% are fine the others im working on now
we are now using a backup solution
Coalman
- Thread starter kmt123
- Start date
W
Wendy
Guest
That used to be my job too Oisin. We had a coal shed in the garden my Dad built. I had to stand in the house and count the bags as the men carried them up the entry, trouble is I used to get distracted and never counted them properly. I always told our Mom I had
Frothblower
Lubrication In Moderation
I remember it was nearly aways raining when they delivered coal.
"Wet bags less coal" Dad said.
"Wet bags less coal" Dad said.
sylviasayers
master brummie
When I was a child our coalman was called Kings and the slogan was King Coal. We had a cellar and the coalman was watched like a hawk to make sure we had the right amount. One of the tricks was to put an empty sack down by the side of the cellar grating and if you had 10 cwt delivered you should have ten sacks - but with some of the rougues you might only have 9 cwt delivered.
sylviasayers
master brummie
Sorry kmt this isn't the John Tustin who lived in Parliament Street, Aston.
Frothblower
Lubrication In Moderation
Good old days Pom.
hi sylv
another trick apart from the emty sack by the grate ,
and regarding the weight of the coal being wet ,
was to give you half filled bag of slack with the coal
my old man used to go barmy at him on the next deliverey
but he he always swore that the slack being banked up at the
back of the fire would make the fire last longer
and when he litt the fire in the morning
he would use a draw tin ,to draw the fire to get started
with a news paper over it
and it would have been the argus ,or the the b,ham dispatch
as it was called in those days
have a nice day everybody, and i hope its a nice one
i,m off to bretonford , to watch the 1829 confedrate reinactment
behind the old fleece pub and see how my ancestors lived
best wishes astonian ,;;;;;;;;
another trick apart from the emty sack by the grate ,
and regarding the weight of the coal being wet ,
was to give you half filled bag of slack with the coal
my old man used to go barmy at him on the next deliverey
but he he always swore that the slack being banked up at the
back of the fire would make the fire last longer
and when he litt the fire in the morning
he would use a draw tin ,to draw the fire to get started
with a news paper over it
and it would have been the argus ,or the the b,ham dispatch
as it was called in those days
have a nice day everybody, and i hope its a nice one
i,m off to bretonford , to watch the 1829 confedrate reinactment
behind the old fleece pub and see how my ancestors lived
best wishes astonian ,;;;;;;;;
Oisin
gone but not forgotten
Astonian,
I can remember the same rows about slack in our house. It was true about making the fire last longer though. Our fire would be stacked with damp slack at night to keep it smouldering. Then it wouldn't have to be lit in the morning. I also recall the chimney being set on fire at least once when the pages of the Despatch (the Argus was reserved for the khazi) caught light and flew up the chimney.:Aah:
Watch out for stray bullets at that re-enactment and don't get having too many in the Fleece.
I can remember the same rows about slack in our house. It was true about making the fire last longer though. Our fire would be stacked with damp slack at night to keep it smouldering. Then it wouldn't have to be lit in the morning. I also recall the chimney being set on fire at least once when the pages of the Despatch (the Argus was reserved for the khazi
) caught light and flew up the chimney.:Aah:Watch out for stray bullets at that re-enactment and don't get having too many in the Fleece.
Charlie
GONE BUT NOT FORGOTTEN
Oisin,
We also had damp slack on the fire to try and keep it in all night - but I remember once coming home from school and the house was freezing. My auntie was at work and my dad had gone fishing, so I decided to light it as I'd seen dad do, with the Despatch acting as a 'drawer'. It caught fire of course, blackened all the chimney breast and burned my right arm from wrist to elbow! Next day, my teacher at St Mary's Handsworth, couldn't believe I hadn't been to the doctor - the blisters were the size of half-crowns! The Head despatched my off to the docs, my dad thought I was a whimp! I was about ten years old.
We also had damp slack on the fire to try and keep it in all night - but I remember once coming home from school and the house was freezing. My auntie was at work and my dad had gone fishing, so I decided to light it as I'd seen dad do, with the Despatch acting as a 'drawer'. It caught fire of course, blackened all the chimney breast and burned my right arm from wrist to elbow! Next day, my teacher at St Mary's Handsworth, couldn't believe I hadn't been to the doctor - the blisters were the size of half-crowns! The Head despatched my off to the docs, my dad thought I was a whimp! I was about ten years old.
sylviasayers
master brummie
Another thing that caused my father to get angry was the number of "bats" amongst the coal. They were like slate and couldn't be burnt.
Sakura
master brummie
When we got married in 1968 and moved to our house on Wirral Road, Northfield we were thrilled to have an open fire. Our furniture in the living room was two lawn chairs and a large box something had been delivered in for a coffee table (covered with a table cloth). We bought some coke and decided to settle down in front of a warm fire as it was Dec.
The fire soon glowed and we enjoyed our first night in our new home. Suddenly there was a rumbling and our radiators started to make gurgling noises. We let the fire burn out and next morning called a friend in the building trade. The previous owners had drained the boiler but did not cut the pipes and didn't tell us. We were told it was like a bomb when the fire was lit and we were lucky it didn't blow up. That was our first and last fire we had a gas fire fitted. Mo
The fire soon glowed and we enjoyed our first night in our new home. Suddenly there was a rumbling and our radiators started to make gurgling noises. We let the fire burn out and next morning called a friend in the building trade. The previous owners had drained the boiler but did not cut the pipes and didn't tell us. We were told it was like a bomb when the fire was lit and we were lucky it didn't blow up. That was our first and last fire we had a gas fire fitted.
Mo
M
Mossy
Guest
Yes we to had to count the bags of coal being dropped down the cellar in Ladywood,can some one tell me how many cwt where in a sack.
And what about the winter 1962-3 when the coal waggons could not get out due to the deep snow,me and my two brothers had to go and fetch it,there were peole putting it in old prams,pushchairs.we had to use the coal suppliers barrers as we called them,cast iron wheels,two pushing and one picking up the coal that had fell of other peoples trucks.
That was a bad winter people were saying its the worst winter since 1947 the year i was born.
Happy Days Or What i did not do us any harm
Maurice
And what about the winter 1962-3 when the coal waggons could not get out due to the deep snow,me and my two brothers had to go and fetch it,there were peole putting it in old prams,pushchairs.we had to use the coal suppliers barrers as we called them,cast iron wheels,two pushing and one picking up the coal that had fell of other peoples trucks.
That was a bad winter people were saying its the worst winter since 1947 the year i was born.
Happy Days Or What i did not do us any harm
Maurice
O
O.C.
Guest
Mossy 0ne hundredweight of coal went into a sack or bag
M
Mossy
Guest
Thank you both for the replys Sheldon no i cant remember that particular coalman,and Cromwell thank you confirming the weight so 20cwt = 1ton we used to have in the winter 6 bags at a time.
I would also like to know how much a 1cwt of coal cost in the 50s times were hard for people in those days and harder for some others i have heard people used to put old shoes on,never had any old shoes lol only the shoes we had on,and when you had new shoes can you remember that saying dont get skuffing them shoes up the are for Sunday best
Happy Days Moss
I would also like to know how much a 1cwt of coal cost in the 50s times were hard for people in those days and harder for some others i have heard people used to put old shoes on,never had any old shoes lol only the shoes we had on,and when you had new shoes can you remember that saying dont get skuffing them shoes up the are for Sunday best
Happy Days Moss
Last edited by a moderator:
I remember my uncle Paddy Hogan [Stoke St] worked for the Co-Op as a coalman he never made a mess on Moms wallpaper while delivering the coal and Mom had the Co-Op divi to look forward to.We lived in a tiny house up a courtyard in Bell Barn rd .We didn't have a cellar and the coal had to come through the front door, Mom was always grateful for the coal but she was glad it was safely delivered in the coal-hole near the stairs.The most wonderful memories of a coal fire blazing when I arrived home from school [Pigott St and St Thomas's] the best toast with a toasting fork my Dad made at work [Greeners gun smiths Loveday St]
Hi There Mossy.
Now That You Mentioned The Coal Man In Lady Wood
And It Was Fairly Locol To Your House . Can You Remember Where He Came From Or There Name ,?
It Was At The Botton End Of Sheepcote Street And At The Bottom Of King Dwards Rd By Hick Man The Fruit Shop And By Barkers
Street And It Was Oppersite The Public Loo,s A The Bottom Of
Sheepcote St
It Was A Wharf Backing Onto The Cut, [ The Cannal ] I Mean ,
Thats Where The Coal Came From Around Lady Wood
Incidently , If You Went To Icknield St School Instead Of Barford Or Oseler St .
You Would Have Remember The Cwt Weight. Ha, Ha, Only Joking
But To Be Serious What Was The Name Of That Coal Merchants
Doe.s Any-body Else Recall Them Best Wishes Astonian ,;;;
Now That You Mentioned The Coal Man In Lady Wood
And It Was Fairly Locol To Your House . Can You Remember Where He Came From Or There Name ,?
It Was At The Botton End Of Sheepcote Street And At The Bottom Of King Dwards Rd By Hick Man The Fruit Shop And By Barkers
Street And It Was Oppersite The Public Loo,s A The Bottom Of
Sheepcote St
It Was A Wharf Backing Onto The Cut, [ The Cannal ] I Mean ,
Thats Where The Coal Came From Around Lady Wood
Incidently , If You Went To Icknield St School Instead Of Barford Or Oseler St .
You Would Have Remember The Cwt Weight. Ha, Ha, Only Joking
But To Be Serious What Was The Name Of That Coal Merchants
Doe.s Any-body Else Recall Them Best Wishes Astonian ,;;;
B
Beryl M
Guest
Does anybody besides Dave Ed remember Parish's Coal wharf at 35 Cliveland Street? They happened to be my grandparents
