Search results

'High Tea' meant a proper, full-meal....as oposed to 'afternoon tea' .. but eaten earlier, around five-thirty to six, replacing 'dinner' at seven or eight etc. It was for families with children; a Victorian construct (probably?) and had nothing to do with 'Aristo's'. Regardless of what you call...

I think 'snap' was a word used mostly by miners; as was a 'Dudley' for a water-bottle. Wherever there were mines, the name was commonly used; except that is, in the North-East, where 'bait' was the usual term. I sometimes heard the term 'viands' used in the older industrial parts of the Black...

The 'Black Country Bugle' archives have loads of stuff re' the world famous Chance Bros glass-works.

Re: Help with Atlantic hopping Herbert!! Surprisingly, it was not at all uncommon for the 'more adventurous' to travel back and forth. We were in the midst of Empire and any 'likely lad' could travel just about anywhere in search of fame, fortune and adventure - or, just to get away from...

Why not? The Germans run Europe, and we are now merely a controlled, subject state of Europe. Even the forthcoming elections are largely pointless, as most of our law is now European. We have been bought and sold, so we might aswell enjoy a reasonably well run bus company! However, it does...

Far from being a ''church thing'' it was initially much frowned upon by the 'established church', emanating as it did from the non-conformist sector. Robert Raikes is one of the true heroes of Britain; long may he be remembered!

I have one of me astride one of the old canons; I'll look it out for you.

What lovely pocket-pistols! Although percussion caps, their style harks back to an earlier period. The brace on the right might almost be duelling models, with their longer barrels and added decoration.

In my day you wore something until it went out of fashion; you didn't commit yourself to wearing it for the rest of your life!

I wouldn't mind signing up for some of that.....it sure beats my Icelands: 'Cheesy Beans & sausages' and a cup of tea!

Mary had a little lamb her father shot it dead now Mary takes her lamb to school between two hunks of bread! Mary had a little lamb and with this sheep did Mary sleep the lamb turned out to be a ram and Mary had ..... a little lamb!!

A farmers' version: Mary had a little lamb its tail was freshly dagget and everywhere Mary went it didn't drop a maggot! 'dagging' for those who don't know, is the process of cutting away the dirty/soiled wool from the bum of a sheep....failing to do so results in an infestation of maggots!

Here's another little beauty that used to give me cold sweats; you have to say it slowly, in a steady rhythm and enunciate each word carefully, in a low voice: ''Deep in the garden late at night squirm creatures dark, and filled with hate. Creeping here and slithering there; waiting waiting...

db84124 - thanks! Hi David, I'd forgotten that gruesome wee rhyme! My father used to delight in reciting it to me when I was a toddler. His other favourite being: Hark, hark, the dogs do bark the beggars are coming to town some in rags and some in tags and some in silken gowns Some...

Are the Jews not then deserving of a state of their own then? Especially so as it is their traditional heartland; we musn't forget our Biblical history surely? Whatever the faults of Balfour/Americans/Zionism and the British Mandate, we nevertheless have to accept 'Israel' as a reality...

Mary had a little lamb His feet were black as soot and everywhere that Mary went his sooty foot he put!

Our entire school used to spend the last two periods on a wednesday afternoon in a giant sing-song; albeit a very regimented one. Although disipline was severe, I remember those afternoons with great affection. We sang folk-songs, sea-shanties, hymns and martial songs.....most of which, alas...

I've just remembered: I used some stuff called 'Hint of a Tint' when I was a third-former at school; at the same time I also used a fake-tan cream called (I think?) 'Tantfastic'....well the 'Hint of a Tint' stuff wasn't so bad, but the 'Tanfastic' was lethal! It died my eye-brows a virulent...

Slightly off-topic but, some years ago a mate and I were talking about carbolic soap, and how we hadn't seen any for sale in years. A few weeks later my mate found some carbolic soap in our local farmer's super-market/country store. He'd bought a few bars for both of us - oh the smell...it...

I remember my mother showing my older sisters how to make a hair-lightener by boiling/simmering rhubard root (oxalic acid) and using the resultant liqueur, mixed with camomile, as a hair rinse. Also, massaging raw egg into the scalp and hair (why???) and using beer as a rinse too. One of my...