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Kingstanding

  • Thread starter Thread starter margaret
  • Start date Start date
daimlerman said:
Does anyone remember "The rooftop singer" during the 1960s..He was often seen around Kingstanding repairing chimneys. A big, stout chap, wore brown overalls and a flat cap and glasses.
Us lads aged about 12 would see him on our way to King's Rise school. We would egg him on to sing..He had a wonderful loud voice, operatic in style. He usually obliged. I often wonder what happened to him. I hope he didn't fall off a roof.
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Remember him very well the opera singer .His roofing mate was a small guy who lived on college road with a lot of gnomes in his front garden
 
daimlerman said:
My mom would point out the the gnomes when we were on the 5 or 5A bus. Thanks for letting me know about Kenny Ross.

Other characters I.remember was Sid, the road sweeper. He always wore a scarf or a gag around his mouth. He lived on King's Road. I used to talk to him. He gave me an old push bike which I managed to get going. Another road sweeper was a bloke us kids nicknamed "BELCHER". He wore a black berret and would throw his head back and belch every few yards.

During school holidays we would follow the big green road drain cleaner. Two old boys would lift the grids and suck up all sorts of stuff. Balls, toys, dolls, they would throw them to us for more games.

One more character I remember was a strange chap. We called him "Earnie Strider" due to his huge strides when he walked. The older kids would shout his name and he would come after us. I was terrified of him so kept quiet. I think he worked as a cellar man at The Hare and Hounds pub and would "stride" along Cranbourne and Firbeck roads.
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Was talking to my hubby the other week about the road sweeper. Do you know why he wore the gag. My mom's elderly neighbour back in the 80s told her that he was jilted on his wedding day and took to wearing that. Not sure if it was just idle gossip. which it probably was.
 
Apparently, he was in Montys 8th army during WW2 and had a bad time. Maybe it was something to do with that bad experience.
However, He gave me an old pushbike and I went to his house on King's Road to collect it. He wasn't wearing his gag there. So, he probably wore it at work to keep the road dust out.
 
SamJ said:
Was talking to my hubby the other week about the road sweeper. Do you know why he wore the gag. My mom's elderly neighbour back in the 80s told her that he was jilted on his wedding day and took to wearing that. Not sure if it was just idle gossip. which it probably was.
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I love this, so well described, almost as if I was there. I can visualize these characters, excellent piece, thanks. Funny how us kids had these characters in our lives. I lived in Calshot Road, and behind our house was a field, then beyond that they were building Cramlington Avenue, and all the builders were busy every day getting the houses up; but on a weekend, it was OUR play area. But there was always The OLD BOWLER to keep an eye out for, he carried a stick and was always on the look out for us......The Old Bowler, because he always wore a bowler hat. Thanks.
 
Talking about characters, before the influx of W Indians when all locals were white we had two coloured gents an Indian GP and a door to door salesman a Sikh I think, he wore a turban, he sold silk neckties out of a suitcase, the lads used to call him Sidi Ali ben Woolworth.
 
daimlerman said:
Hi Eric,
Another regular I remember from Cranbourne Road, was an old fella selling Periwinkles from a cart on Sunday mornings. He'd shout "Periwinkles, Periwinkles" as he passed by. I think they were sixpence a bag. We had to pick them out of the tiny shells with a safety pin. Others I remember were the Ice-cream men. Walls, Midland Counties, Tonybell, and Mr Whippy.
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daimlerman said:
Hi Eric,
Another regular I remember from Cranbourne Road, was an old fella selling Periwinkles from a cart on Sunday mornings. He'd shout "Periwinkles, Periwinkles" as he passed by. I think they were sixpence a bag. We had to pick them out of the tiny shells with a safety pin.
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I remember them, I suspect the modern day kids would turn their noses up at such 'delicacies'
 
Eric Gibson said:
Talking about characters, before the influx of W Indians when all locals were white we had two coloured gents an Indian GP and a door to door salesman a Sikh I think, he wore a turban, he sold silk neckties out of a suitcase, the lads used to call him Sidi Ali ben Woolworth.
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We lived in Perry Barr and I remember there was a Sikh gentleman who came round door to door selling small items.
My Mom didn't want anything but he gave her a lucky bead which she kept and I have now :)
 
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