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Growing Up In Brum - Roy Blakey Inspired.

maypolebaz said:
well-scraped toast, spread with wonderful dripping. It was not unusual though to find it spread with lard, sprinkled with salt.
My absolute dream was a condensed milk piece. In my army days, Scousers I met called it a "Conny Onnie butty".
Click to expand...

When i was a lad we were so poor we had bread & dripping without the bread. I had to stand outside the corner shop just before closing on Saturday & dash inside & ask if he had any stale bread for the birds. When i was in the butchers with me mam, she would ask the butcher if he had any beef bones for the dog, & i would shout "mam are we getting a dog"? EE i were a daft lad!
 
Our doorsteps were a little smaller and square Roy, I liked a thin piece fried in bacon fat, and then spread with brown sauce, (we were big on brown sauce in our family), then folded in a fatter door step of white bread. Great!!!Paul
 
One for you, Roy. I discovered a new word today; a "Blakey". I was reading an article in the Daily Mail about Tony Blair's press conference yesterday. It Includes, " the audience included a lot of 40-something men in black suits and unbuttoned shirt collars, Blakeys in their heels so that their shoes clicked when they entered the not quite full room". Apparently, a Blakey is either a metal or rubber heel protector and the company has been around for over a hundred years. Did everybody wear heel-protectors as a child so that they were well-heeled and not down-at-heel? A link to the company is given below. Dave.
https://www.blakeys-segs.co.uk/
 
Of course we did, Dave. When Dad resoled our shoes using one of the three-legged lasts, it was obligatory to add Segs as the final touch!

Maurice
 
Those heel protectors were quite common before the throw away age. Some folk fitted then themselves others got the cobbler to do it for them. This was useful particularly when the sole still had good wear left.

Amongst the less affluent classes - and the cheapskates as well - a rubber sole could be glued to a worn sole which was cheaper, I understand, than a new soles being fitted to shoes. I was and is quite interesting to watch a cobbler at work. There are still some around. Locally, to me, Totnes, Paignton and Newton Abbot still have them.
 
THESE CONTRAPTIONS CAUGHT OUR ATTENTION.
Period : 1940's and early 1950's.
Around this period we began to see, here and there, these bicycles with an adapted strap on power assisted two stroke engine unit mounted over the front wheel.
The thought of just sitting there on your old bike and not having to pedal had a certain appeal.
Our problem was mainly that although apparently easy to fit, these power units were a bit costly. A few of the lads got close to considering ' purchasing' but they had to weigh up what they would have to give up in order to buy this little luxury.
When it came to the necessity of major cut- backs on things like Friday and Saturday nights out, Cinema visits and the beer and ciggy's they all without fail decided to carry on ' pushing the pedals ' and thus retain their existing preferable social life style.
During this same period we all looked on with some envy at those brand new B.S.A. 125cc "Bantam " motor cycles that were up for sale. I think that one of these would have been ' yours ' for around £ 50-00 or £ 60-00. Definately out of affordable reach for us.
Not to worry, put on a smile and get on round to the good old Bus stop.
Photo: A two stroke engine fitted above the front bicycle wheel. image.jpg
 
farmerdave, I had a little look round the Internet and came upon an input that referred to ' Blakeys segs '.
It quoted " Some gents like them banged straight into new shoes before first wearing and some like to wait until heels are worn a bit. Either way they'll be grand. SOME GUYS ALSO HAVE THEM JUST FOR THE NOISE ".
Seems to fit in with that shoe ' clicking ' at that Tony Blairs press conference you mentioned Dave.
 
Thought I would one day save up and by a Greaves. In 1954 I worked alongside a lady an she and her husband went everywhere on their Bantam, even to the I.O.M.to see Geoff Duke in the TT Races.
 
I've still got a cardboard sheet of segs in my shoe-polish box! I also have a last which was grandad's used, I still use it sometimes.
I loved making sparks with mine, on the swings in the park!.
rosie.
 
It would be interesting to span more recent decades of " Growing up in Brum ".
On this ' thread ' we see many ' posts' roughly covering some of the decades of ' Growing up ' in the 1940 - 1950s, the 1950 - 1960's and the 1960 - 1970's eras.
It would be interesting I think to see some posts referring to more recent decades of ' Growing up in Brum '.
What are the stories that might be told about the kids and the young people that have ' come through ' in more recent times ?
Everyone has a little story, an experience, or a point of view regarding ' Growing up '.
There is always an interest in other folks points of view no matter the time period .
I for one am not overly knowledgeable regarding the later decades of the more modern kids and young people as they have ' Grown up in Brum ' but I certainly would be interested to read their ' era ' stories.
SPELLING ? ------- COMPOSITION ? Not to worry. The story will make it's way through.
 
THIS TIME OF THE YEAR.
A few days whereby the wind would come up would get us kids having a go at constructing our ' kites '. Bits of paper, narrow strips of wood, string, cotton thread and the little blown up paper bag for the kite tail would all go into our kite build. Down to the Park or on a bit of open ground and so long as the wind was strong enough, we would have loads of fun. From the competition point of view " the highest flyer " would become the uncrowned champ, but just to get your kite up and to stay up was enough reward.
Around this time of the year ( the long holiday ) we would, on any of our travel adventures around the parks or country lanes, start to look out for ' Horse Chestnut Trees ' ( Conker Trees ) so that we new where to come back to when the Conkers were due to fall from the trees.
The game of " Conkers " was highly popular with all the kids. Destroying the other kids conker, dangling from his hand on a piece of string was the target. A couple of dodgy ( unfair ) practices to achieve a more harder impact resistant conker were :
Soak your Conker(s) in Vinegar for a period of time.
Bake them in a low heat oven for a while.
Both these methods took a bit of time to produce results and I recall that most of us didn't have the patience to put a few Conkers aside and have to wait for the hardening process to take place. We just wanted to ' thread them ' and get out there and give them a bash.
Didnt matter really, it was all a load of fun.
Photo : The Kite kit. image.jpg


Photo : Ready to give it a ' Bash '. image.jpg
 
" IRRESISTABLE ".
Compelling enticements that the kids found hard to resist.
THE SELF MADE " RAFT ". For some young people that were fortunate to live close to accessible pools and lakes this little project was surely to become a must. Not many more intriguing things than having a go at building your own Raft.
Our little groups effort ( refer to photo 2 ).
Another irresistable for the kids occurred when they spotted " THE STREET AND ALLEYWAY BOLLARDS " on their travels.
Nothing to beat ' Leap Frogging ' backwards and forwards over these. What a bonus it was if there was a long row of these.
The Girls in the group would hitch the bottom of their frocks up and happily join in.
" WET PAINT. PLEASE DO NOT TOUCH ". Here was an irresistable for many kids. Should have left your hands in your pockets and walked on. Say no more.
Photo 1 : A pretty good effort. image.jpg


Photo 2 : A little story of our own attempt. ( Thumbnail ).


Photo 3 : The bollards : Phew! how many more.image.jpg
 

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THE BOYS BRIGADE.
I recall how on Sunday mornings our bunch of young people would occassionally see these Boys Brigade lads going to or coming from their meetings. We would see them dressed up with their White Shoulder sashes, their shiny black belts and wearing their Forage caps. Some would be carrying a Bugle or some musical instrument.
I recall how we loosely viewed them along the lines of " CAN'T IMAGINE WHY THEY WASTE THEIR TIME MUCKING ABOUT LIKE THAT ".
Then one Sunday morning whilst we were ' hanging about ' on the street we heard the sound of a ' Band ' approaching our area and getting closer.
Next thing there they were, marching up our street. THE BOYS BRIGADE. Purposeful,Disciplined and smart.


The ' Grown ups ' started to come out onto the street to view the spectacle.
We stood and watched as the Band led by its Drum Major swinging his long Baton pole, the Drummers, the Buglers and the Marchers passed by in front of us.
I think that, on that Sunday morning,it dawned on our bunch that it was ' us ' that were acting aimlessly and generally mucking about on these Sunday mornings and that compared with these Boys Brigade lads we didn't come out very favourably.
I believe on that day we picked up on another lesson of how it easy it was sometimes to mis-judge other people. Now we had a different slant on those Boys Brigade lads.
TIME TO PULL OUR SOCKS UP.
AND TEN OUT OF TEN FOR THE " BOYS BRIGADE ".
Photo :
 
I remember most Sundays in old Brum either the BB or ACF bands , marching along "The Horse Fair" and through the town. paul
 
Reply to Astoness. Hello Lyn. Reference ' Boys Brigade Photo '. My information ( obtained via " Birmingham Boys brigade, images" ) informs that the photo was taken in Peel Street, Winson Green.
 
HI ROY
Yes very nice picturte and true to form its most definately peel street as i recall many a moments the bandcoming up
peel street on a sunday morning thast was one of my haurnts and my drinking den with alot of my old pals from
from peel street and the neiboreing streets and the old smithy on the corner of peel street andwinson green road
and i could give you the names of that batch of houses you was photographed marching past
meaning the tennants and one years back in time when a certain little lady was murdered andset on fire
in one of those houss i will not state which one because it could be hurtfull for one member of that family
whom we have all heard of but any way i am sure our dennis william member may also recal it
and may i asked you was my oldalbert mosedale with you on that day or was a different year
as albert was a member of that BB BRIGADE BEST WISHES Astonian,,,
 
Astonian. I get the picture that Peel Street and that general area brings back some interesting memories for you.
Iv'e just spotted a ' Post ' that you put on the BHF back in 2007 referring to Peel Street. Interesting Post.
Note : No sorry Astonian, I never came into contact at any time with your friend Albert.
photo : Your 2007 Post. image.jpg
 
THOSE NEWSPAPER COMIC STRIPS.Period : Around the War and Post War years.Here was a little welcome light distraction for both the Grown- ups and kids alike. The Comic Strip section of the daily newspapers became an attraction just simply because it tended to put a little smile on most folks faces. I recall that we kids got a load of fun following the episodes each day.I think that at the time the " Daily Mirror " was a bit of a front runner for their comic strip page.Photo : image.jpg image.jpgAround the same period there was another comic strip character ( Daily Mirror ) that appeared to be very popular." JANE " with her pet Dachshund. This heroine continually had the habit of losing some of her clothes. All in good fun though. Her ' image ' became a " Forces Favourite ".Later ( 1957 ) along came another highly popular comic strip character." ANDY CAPP " and his wife " FLO ".Idle and out of work, loveable good for nothing Andy Capp. Always good for a laugh.Photo : image.jpgI reckon that they all ' Did their bit '.
 
OUR NEW LOOK STREET.
The time for our street ' Tarmac surface renewal ' had arrived in our area. We kids new that we were going to lose our '
Street Playground ' for a few days but what a spectacle it turned out to be.
As work began there was that lovely smell of the fresh Tarmac and the smell of all that steam and smoke.
The frightening size and sound of that great big ' Road Roller ' had us all a bit uneasy for a time but we soon got to love watching it do its stuff.
We would gather and watch the men working at every opportunity.
At the end of the operation we watched as the Grit was spread and the ' Roller ' pressed it all down.
Finally all the workmen and machinery had gone, Job done.
Now we had our brand new ' Street Play ground '.
Had to watch the ' Tripping ' and ' Falling ' now though. This new stuff could give your hands, elbows and knees a right old messing up.
It was just great though to look at our lovely new street.
 
When us lads in the road had bikes usually second hand, we would fix a very stiff piece of cardboard on the front forks going into the wheel spokes ... made a lovely 'clacking' noise as we rode along pretending we were on motor bikes ... simple things amused us in those days ...
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We lived in an unsophisticated world Oldmohawk, and although not so gadget wise as this modern world, it gave a huge scope for invention, and articulation that is somehow missing now. Paul
 
Phil,

The bit of cardboard that we used was almost always someone's discarded fag packet!

Maurice
 
I didn't know where to post this but my old mate, Ken Hawker, alias Ken Lewis, of 60's rock group fame "The Flowerpot Men, The Ivy League, he also sang as a backing on The Who's , and Led zeppelin, recordings, his greatest hit" Lets all go to San Francisco", was his greatest hit in 1967, Born in Birmingham, and lived in Cambridge for some 35 years, suffered with type 1 Diabetes, passed on Sunday August 2nd 2015, aged 74, a great Brummie and a good friend. I must apologise for going off thread, perhaps some kind soul (Lyn), could put this in a separate thread, must be a lot of people who would remember him. Paul
 
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