Rag and Bone Man

[fluffymoat4]

Anyone out there remember the rag and bone man???
We used to give him rags and either get dolly pegs or a step-stone (a stone you used to colour your front door step - all the rage then). I used to hate it when my mum used to insist I do the step on wintry days (it was usually done when we were expecting visitors). Loved doing in on summer days though and used to sit for ages admiring all my efforts).

[tony38337]

My Uncle Donald was a rag & bone man, used a hand cart and yes gave out donkey stones and dolly pegs but I used to get other things instead, once I got a golf club for a load of old woolens d'you think that was nepotism?

Tony T

[mo]

HI fluffymoat I remember the rag and bone man I loved the things he give out MY mam use to say to me if you cant be good Iam going to give you away to the rag & bone man and I liked the ider I do remember he was giving out gold fish and in my child's mind I thought he lived in paradise maureen

[fluffymoat4]

Now you've mentioned it - I do remember the goldfish - they never lived very long did they??
I used to think he had a marvellous job! Wonder what he did with all the rags??

[fluffymoat4]

DONKEY STONES! That was the word I was looking for! Thx for that. Yes, you were lucky to get a golf club - definitely nepotism. Mind you, I remember if we saw something on the cart we wanted you could "haggle" for it.

[Lisa]

Hi Mo, I remember to this day the sound the R & B man shouted as he came down the streets. You could hear the horses hooves on the road and the "Whoah" as he came to a halt. I remember once being so desperate for a balloon I ran in the house and grabbed the first thing I could find - my mums new cardigan - and gave it to him just in time for my mum to come running out to reclaim it!!! I remember getting a gold-coloured bracelet that clasped together like a hook-and-eye. It never tarnished and I had it for ages. It was plaited gold. I wish I could see one like it now in 9ct gold - I'd buy it just for the memory. He also sold donkey stones in white and brown. My gran used to make me clean her steps with them and they always made my hands dry. If I didnt do them to her satisfaction, she'd make me do them again. There was no answering back then, if I even pulled my face she would whack me across the head There was no ChildLine then, mores the pity.

[marie fernandes]

;DHi Lisa, oh you brought the memories back of me chasing down the streets after the rag and bone man. Listening for his shout of "BONE" to get back some clothes my little son had taken quickly to catch him and get two baloons. Including my best blouse and cardigan. I did eventually catch up with him and get my clothes back, but had to scramble through all the tat that he had put on top of them. I had a terrace in Rusholme for a time with big steps going up to the front door, and even a fancy coal hole cover at the side of the steps. The coalman used to empty the coal into the cellar. The donkey stones brown and white were always used alternatively on the steps in my street. It was an art form. plenty of water on the steps, soak the stone and draw your lines down the side and along the edge. Lines must be straight and no smudges, if you did go over the lines, you used a cloth to take the smudge off. I think the army would call this "bull". ;D marie

[fluffymoat4]

Is it best to use "link to post" to "post" a reply on the same subject or is it best to use the "reply" button - or doesn't it matter?
Thanks to Lisa and Marie for adding more memories of the rag and bone man. I now remember the balloons and I also remember looking for things to give him even if it was just an old tea towel. LOL. Didn't we also used to get new yellow dusters off him in return for rags or is this a "false" memory I have?

[Lisa]

Rob, Over to you on the LINK TO POST or POST. I dont know that one myself......only been doing this 'job' for a couple of weeks so would like to know myself

[tony38337]

The reason why goldfish usually died was lack of oxygen, there is an equation for the amount of oxygen a goldie needs and it's something like for every inch and a half there should be a square foot of surface area (exposed to the air) which will absorb sufficient oxygen to sustain the fish, thats why you allways see air pumps in aquariums. I have had a pond in my garden for over 30 years with mainly goldies and Koi.

Tony T

[johnnyowen]

i used to hate it when my nan insisted on a donkey stone cos i always wanted a bow and arrow....those goldfish were very special...they were goldfish with only ten minutes to live !!

[BABS]

HI
My mum had a goldfish we won at the fair on the red rec on Hulme Hall Lane,for 9yrs,she would have probably had it longer but she went on her hols and we went and painted and decorated her living room as a surprise for when she came back,
needless to say it died while she was away,I think the paint fumes killed it.
it was about 6ins long when it died it used to feed out of her hand at the top of the water,she was really upset.

BABS

[Danny]

My Mum told me that during WWII that her and her sisters could'nt get leather to repair their high heels.So they would jump the wall of the r & b man,go into the stable and cut just enough off the reins to repair their shoe's ( 5 of them) This went on for the duration of the war and the poor old r&b man couldn't work out why he was getting more and more closer to the horses head

[Lisa]

Hi Ukcadet. Also reminds me of the time a large sheet of leather fell from a lorry visiting our area(Clayton)(no jokes please about 'fallen from the back of a lorry' - this really did). My dad then went into his shed and all our shoes were soled and heeled (very professionally, I might add)from an iron last that my dad used. The sheet lasted for many months and must have saved us a few bob in repairs. When I moved to London, the prices were so ridiculous to repair shoes that I always brought them home for my dad to do. I can still see the delight on my dad's face when he found the sheet of leather - he must have thought it was Christmas

[lin]

fluffymoat4 said:

Anyone out there remember the rag and bone man???
We used to give him rags and either get dolly pegs or a step-stone (a stone you used to colour your front door step - all the rage then). I used to hate it when my mum used to insist I do the step on wintry days (it was usually done when we were expecting visitors). Loved doing in on summer days though and used to sit for ages admiring all my efforts).

Hi Little Mo,
Yes I remember the Rag and Bone man...do you remember the knocker up man? used to come around and knock your bedroom windows to wake you for work in the mornings....always did wonder who woke him up...lol!

[avros]

Thee Rag and Bone Man was a constant visitor to my parents place. Sad to say he and his horse were most times driven away, Reason being the horse would snack upon my fathers privet hedge. The best thing though was the Gifts you often got from them. .......... The stone was a great thing - not for my mother because she had gone up town living now. But my first wife's mum used to use the stone on the front step and then proceed to shake pepper over it and around the door jambs. This would stop the cats and dogs ........ upon her step. These things I met in 1960 going dating in the ----- area. Not to mention the actual area , but you know the places - two up and two down - rows and rows of them. I do hope we never repeat the same housing again in any area. Take your mind and senses back to those back streets, the old brick war shelters that hung around for ages. That glorious smell of a thousand cats having there own meeting place.

[Casso]

Hr Blackley must have been a bit posh compared to Gorton Joe.
All our area was terraced houses, 2up 2 down, no hot water and an outside karzi. But you're right of course, I doubt they'd dare build those houses ever again .. not unless they were housing refugees from Canada ...

We had a brick-built air raid shelter in our back yard, in fact apart from the wc it just about WAS the back yard. Used for storing coal and providing the local moggies with a crapatorium.

I eventually built a lean-to door to keep 'em out, and surprisingly for me, it worked. I don't know how the poor old coalmen could stand the smell, but it's a fair bet most coal holes smelt the same.

As for the big shelters in the "big" entries, it wasn't just the cats who used 'em as a trysting spot ... it sounds like you did too!
How was Boggart Hole Clough in your youth? Bet there'd be a few tales worth telling about that beauty spot.
Cass

[tony38337]

Hi Lin,

The knocker up was usually the lamplighter, remeber he used to turn on the gas street lamps in the evening then he would go home for a couple of hours then go round turning off the gas at dawn and waking people up for work, he would knock on the window with his pole.

Tony T.

[lin]

tony38337 said:

Hi Lin,

The knocker up was usually the lamplighter, remeber he used to turn on the gas street lamps in the evening then he would go home for a couple of hours then go round turning off the gas at dawn and waking people up for work, he would knock on the window with his pole.

Tony T.

Hi Tony
Yes I do remember that, I used to be awake already waiting for him to knock.

Lin

[Danny]

Here's something for you all to ponder.Who knocked up,the knocker up ?

[OLLY]

hiya casso
was it you who lived gloucester st gorton, I lived there awhile
when I worked at belle vue, I also lived in newton st,17, victoria st, 11, iona st 1,only people I got to know in gloucester st, was the birchenoughs, about 3houses from cross st, I worked in the suburban, when burt smith had it, when they had a group called the tuxedos they played three times a week, cross street was some place to have a mooch about, and wellington st,
cheers olly...

casso said:

Hr Blackley must have been a bit posh compared to Gorton Joe.
All our area was terraced houses, 2up 2 down, no hot water and an outside karzi. But you're right of course, I doubt they'd dare build those houses ever again .. not unless they were housing refugees from Canada ...

We had a brick-built air raid shelter in our back yard, in fact apart from the wc it just about WAS the back yard. Used for storing coal and providing the local moggies with a crapatorium.

I eventually built a lean-to door to keep 'em out, and surprisingly for me, it worked. I don't know how the poor old coalmen could stand the smell, but it's a fair bet most coal holes smelt the same.

As for the big shelters in the "big" entries, it wasn't just the cats who used 'em as a trysting spot ... it sounds like you did too!
How was Boggart Hole Clough in your youth? Bet there'd be a few tales worth telling about that beauty spot.
Cass

[Casso]

Hiya Olly, yep that was me, 53 Gloucester St to be prezact.
We were the fourth house from Dempsey's corner shop. Dolly and Irene Barlow lived in the first, and if you ever went to the Olympia Dolly would have taken your money, and Irene would have probably shown you to your seat.

I know the Birchenough name Olly, but can't recall 'em, and I rarely drank in the Sub, which probably stemmed from it being too close to home when I was underage.

Certainly all our shopping was done in and around Cross St when I was a kid, and I still remember lugging our batteries to and from the electricians, which was up by Gore St.

Think we've gone off the Rag & Bone subject a bit mate, but I do recall one of 'em who substituted a bugle call for his voice. The sound of the bugle would have had kids in the next two streets rooting round for goodies to take to his cart.
Cass

[handy]

What memories you have brought back. Our very first house that we bought was in Gorton in 1959 that was 18 Whalley Street I loved it there as you could leave your doors open in them days. Talking of Whalley St on the Manchester on line when you bring up the Streets our house is showing in 1964 and that is our car outside the front door.

I also remember my mam making me donkey stone not only our steps in the back ally but all the old peoples as well to say my hands were red raw would be an understatment. Can you just imagine if you asked the kids of to-day to do that.
Love Pat x

[OLLY]

hello handy
It was a good area round cross street end of gorton
wasnt it, all the shops, jerinas butchers at the bottom
cafe on the other side, do you remember that dentist
half way up "parks", he was known as the butcher, he
made a mess of mine anyway, then there was "jax" the
hairdresser round the corner on hyde rd, facing what used to be the olympia picture house, did you ever see any pictures
at a place on the left inside knutsford rd, washing machines are sold there now, I know the seats were forms,
as I said I lived in gloucester st, gorton, one day at dinner
time the wife brought someone she worked with home
It was none other than m*ra hindley they both worked at a place down louisa street, to finish, can you tell me how to get
on that pictures site you mentioned, manchester online, I tried
but didnt manage it, probably me.thanks.
olly...

[joetaylor]

Hi Olly
What time is your flight on Monday?
JOE T

[OLLY]

[ftp][/ftp]hiya joe
I think its 16:40, I know they have altered one time..
FCA 2186,
now, a dont want you to start, any big send offs
no red carpet stuff, just because Ive been on t. v.
olly... ;D

[joetaylor]

Hi Olly
When we go in November our flight is 12. 05 get to the hotel about 5pm, its been the same time for the last 4 years, Only thing is we have a 4.10am pick 2 weeks after, The nice thing about that is we are back home by 1.30.
JOE T

[Danny]

Hi Olly . I want to ask you about Hindley.When you met her was it before she'd met Brady and without knowing what we all know about her now,did you get any bad feelings about her at the time.When Lesley Ann was missing we had posters up on the wall in the pub we had in Ancoats and I can vividly remember my mum standing me in front of it telling me not to go out alone or I might get taken.I was only 4 at the time.

[OLLY]

hiya danny g`day
re: hindley, she only came that once, never forget, she
sat on an old record of mine and broke it.
think about 1960 it was, queer thing is, when all the horrible things came out about what they had done, It turned out that I lived about 300 yds from them at hattersley.
cheers olly..
whether she was knockin about with brady, a dont know,
quite possible,

[handy]

Hello Olly,

Good to here from you. No I gave you the wrong name what you need to bring up to get the streets of your area.

First Google

Manchester City Council then Libraries, Archives and local Studies.

You should then look for Picture Your Street and there it gives a list of all the streets that people have chosen to be put on the list. I wrote a topic on Whalley St and it got published also one on John Heywood St that also got published. Just click on the streets that you may want to read about.
Good Luck
Pat

Not certain if this link will take you too it but have a look.


www.manchester.gov.uk/libraries/lsuimage/streetview/past.htm