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A PONDER. Why is it that modern children seem to be less into communal fresh air activities than the children of past generations? I wonder if it might hinge on simple ' availability ' to kids of the past. When I think about it children of the past had every opportunity, every day , to get out...

GOT THE PENNIES BUT HADN'T GOT THE COUPONS. Period : 1940 - 1953. I recall as young children we would find ourselves now and again with this predicament. Moms had already used up the sweet coupon allowance for the week. One of the ' substitutes ' that the Moms tried to treat our taste buds to...

Another bit of old fashioned Backyard fun. The chances were that if the kids gathered in one of the Backyards and there happened to be a Broom and a long handled Mop knocking about then there was bound to be a ' Balancing ' competition about to take place. Developing skills ( Showing off ) would...

A PLACE TO COOL DOWN. This latest bit of a heat wave that we've just had brought to mind how as kids we found our own little way to adjust to it. For starters, most hot days we would go about things much the same as usual, street games and generally running about but eventually we would find...

COME AND GONE. Some characters and scenarios that have drifted into the past. ( Period : War and early Post War years ). The ' SPIV ' or the ' WIDE BOY ', the ' THE BOOKIES RUNNER ', the ' RAG- and - Bone man ', the workers ' SICK FUND ' and that ' CO - OP DIVVY NUMBER '. THE SPIV and the WIDE...

LOVELY PEOPLE. ( 1948 ish ). As a group of young men we spotted that a relatively new bus service had been introduced taking passengers between the Kingstanding Circle and Brownhills. Having already explored many of other area's in and around Brum we decided one evening to have a ride out to...

THE BACKYARD HAIRCUT. ( 1930's - 1940's or thereabouts ). The young lads definitely wouldn't welcome this monthly necessity . HAIR CUT SUNDAY. To keep things as cheap as possible Moms and Dads would go about trying to cut their young sons hair themselves. Cart a chair out to the backyard, get...

rosie, that Billy Conolly comedy slot in his show ( Archers theme tune should be the " beat " for our National anthem ). Top funny. Would be interesting to see the result if one of these ' National Referemdums ' were to be held on the subject.

THAT NATURAL TECHNIQUE. Been thinking about some of the people that make up, or have made up ,part of many Brummies everyday experiences and in particular those who come to us by way of our Television or Radio. Local News and local Talk Show announcers come to mind in respect to this. People...

A LITTLE LOOK ROUND THE FACTORY SCRAP HEAP. Creating little things made up from factory scraps was an occasional lunch time activity for young workshop beginners and apprentices. Around the early Post War period I recall the factory youngsters got into making a variety of ' toys ' for their...

Hey Smudger, you didn't happen to be the ' speech writer' for Cassius Clay , at his best, as well did you ?

KEEP YOU SHIRT ON. ( Period 1949 ish ). A name some might recall. CHARLES ATLAS. The story used to run about him that a bully kicked sand into his face at a beach. At this time in his life he was reportedly to be only 97 pounds in weight. Humiliated he began to do numerous exercise routines...

" OVERTURES AND BEGINNERS PLEASE ". What a treat to quietly watch your kids and their friends playing out their little ' Grown Up ' mimicking. Right across all districts and during all periods of history the kids have played their own ' interpretations ' of grown up behaviour in the form of...

SWITCHING TRACKS.( Always good for a smile when I think back). There appeared to be times when our parents used covvenient ' change of rules ' to cover some events. We had stayed out in the rain to finish off one of our street games and gotten a bit wet. Returning home our parents would probably...

A Comparison ( How some of our childrens upbringings have changed overtime ). You might like to click onto this link. https://www.huffingtonpost.com/katie-hurley/secrets-of-highly-happy-children_b_3722259.html There's a deal of truth therein for me.

Eddie, reference your post( # 719 this thread ). Perfect place to post it.

" NO NEED TO SEE THE DOCTOR ". Going back a piece, Moms and Dads attempted to sort out their children's minor illnesses and injuries with some of the old fashioned remedies. MALT EXTRACT : Prevention, to banish winter sniffles. CALAMINE LOTION : For insect bites and stings, rashes and sunburn...

The Tap powered Potato scraper. ( a bit of nostalgia ). I think that probably only the senior age groups would remember this device. Children sometimes happily volunteered to do the peeling potatoes duty when this devise was going to be used. Seemed that stacks of swirling water and potatoes...

THE ' BLAZER ' OUTFIT. ( Middle to late 1950's ). Chrome buttons, breast badge, open white shirt, cravat, matching breast pocket handkerchief, a nice pair of Grey flannel trousers and best shoes polished to perfection. Clothe rationing had gone and from their ' jam jar ' savings young men found...

When the ' Bravado' bit became a mite weak. 1952 ish. I recall four of us young men attending the " Onion Fair " at the Serpentine grounds, Aston, around this period. Prior to our visit some of our other Pals had described a particular new ' awesome ' ride on offer that they had seen at the...