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The Ice Cream Man

  • Thread starter Thread starter Frantic
  • Start date Start date
I hit the pause button when I read this, my parents never allowed us to buy from the ice cream man. My mother always said the ice cream was not clean? My own children discovered the ice cream man when they were about 3. I think with my mother it was a way to not have to spend the money (at least I hope so).
Ice cream good.
 
Hello, fellow ice cream van fan. Yes it was a very special treat for us..... It was even more exciting looking back waiting, staring through the curtains. Waiting for. Mother to say, yes or no. But when the yes came, man, oh man...... Waiting in the queue, long queue for that first lick, the juices running down your fingers..... Yummy..... Memories
Ice cream good.
 
Hello, fellow ice cream van fan. Yes it was a very special treat for us..... It was even more exciting looking back waiting, staring through the curtains. Waiting for. Mother to say, yes or no. But when the yes came, man, oh man...... Waiting in the queue, long queue for that first lick, the juices running down your fingers..... Yummy..... Memories
Agree waiting for the answer yes or no if you could have one. Hoping they never had never run out of the one you wanted . Loved the wafer oysters.
 
Lombards and Italian ice cream man and Tonibell who did ice cream in a plastic ball. Greensleeves was the tune still get them around by me. I was walking the dog past the local school this week and the ice cream van pulled up and i caught a glimpse of the prices. Iasked if i could pay in instalments. Screwball Zoom Fab 99 Chocolate sauce. Still the same. Memories the sad part was if you missed him as he drove off.
Funny, they were discussing Tonibell ice cream and those plastic balls on Talking Pictures TV the other week. I have no recollection of Tonibell at all, and considering how much of a treat ice cream was I’m surprised.
 

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As a child, who was your local ice cream man? During the ‘70s in Brandwood, Kings Heath I remember a chap called Dougie who sold the usual vanilla flavoured stuff that was squirted from a pump dispenser would do the rounds. I wasn’t a regular customer. Then another chap appeared on the scene, he sold ice cream scooped from the tub in lots of lovely flavours (ohh, rum and raisin…) and played a weird jingle as he went that sounded like a wobble board and didgeridoo. Can’t remember his name, though.
I was prompted to ask this question because while I was in my garden earlier with my 29 year old daughter I heard the familiar sound of an ice cream van in the distance. I realised that buying an ice cream from a van was one of the few experiences we both had as children that would have been virtually identical like here, as it still would be for a child even today. Perhaps some things never change after all?
It's interesting how simple joys like buying ice cream can create such lasting and happy memories. Funny how each area had its own unique vendors. They really added a special charm
 
Looking at that truck, how difficult and unstable it must have been to drive!
No problem in those days . Not so much traffic on the roads and you would be concentrating on eating your 99. No power steering vehicle rolling around the corners oh the joys. Those ice cream men risked their lives to bring joy to us kids .
 
No problem in those days . Not so much traffic on the roads and you would be concentrating on eating your 99. No power steering vehicle rolling around the corners oh the joys. Those ice cream men risked their lives to bring joy to us kids .
They made a lot of money and all cash! I had a friend in the US that paid his way through University selling ice cream at the beach. Not only did he earn quite a well, his tips were very substantial!
 
When i was at university someone i knew said he had worked in one of these an that the way to make money was to add more water to the mix than was inn the recipe (which of course gave a poor quality product). Don't think he was exactly short of money, as he once gave me a cheque and it was a Bank of England cheque, so I presume his family were well off (note. apparently ,the ability to have an account there was stopped in 2015)
 
When i was at university someone i knew said he had worked in one of these an that the way to make money was to add more water to the mix than was inn the recipe (which of course gave a poor quality product). Don't think he was exactly short of money, as he once gave me a cheque and it was a Bank of England cheque, so I presume his family were well off (note. apparently ,the ability to have an account there was stopped in 2015)
I think a lot of that went on Mike as well as short sales.
Interesting note about the Bank of England, did not know you could have an account there. Sounds like they had plenty of £££’s.
 
The company originated when British businessman Dominic Facchino visited the United States and saw the Mister Softee ice cream franchise, selling soft serve ice cream from mobile ice cream vans. Unable to license the brand in the UK, Facchino set up his own Mr. Whippy franchise in Birmingham in 1958 starting with a fleet of six vans.
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The company originated when British businessman Dominic Facchino visited the United States and saw the Mister Softee ice cream franchise, selling soft serve ice cream from mobile ice cream vans. Unable to license the brand in the UK, Facchino set up his own Mr. Whippy franchise in Birmingham in 1958 starting with a fleet of six vans.
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I think the vans look pretty inviting!
 
The company originated when British businessman Dominic Facchino visited the United States and saw the Mister Softee ice cream franchise, selling soft serve ice cream from mobile ice cream vans. Unable to license the brand in the UK, Facchino set up his own Mr. Whippy franchise in Birmingham in 1958 starting with a fleet of six vans.
View attachment 192198
Great picture those are the Mr Whippy ice cream vans i remember. The knack of working machine and getting the ice cream to twirl around into that lovely shape then sticking a flake in it. Lovely jubbly fancy a Jubbly anyone.
 
Two threads have been merged into this one so there may be earlier unseen posts.

Thanks Pete for finding the earlier thread. Short word searches like 'ice' and 'man' don't always come up. Shall add it to the short word search list.
 
As I was reading this thread yesterday I was trying to recall when we last had them come round here. Must have been well before pandemic. . Lo and behold at 5.30 one pulled up at the end of our drive


we have had frank our ice cream man since i moved here 25 years ago and he was here before that..must ask him when he started this round..hes just gone past now

lyn
 
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