Red Raggle

[valentine]

My Mum remembers "red raggle" but I can't find out what it is or was. I think it is something in the line of a donkey stone but red. Does anyone out there remember it?

[catherine]

Hi Valentine, it may be a similar idea to a donkey stone,I remember my mother-in-law used to paint her front steps red, then she kept them polished with a red polish, but I think the name on the tin was Cardinal, some of our friends may know more. Cath

[valentine]

Thanks Cath. Mum says Cardinal was similar and her mum used it and red raggle to polish the hall tiles (not a glossy polish). She has no idea where the name "Red Raggle" came from.

[OLLY]

HIYA VALENTINE AND ALL..........I WAS TOLD THE WORDS WAS NOT RED RAGGLE......BUT "RED RADDLE".....HAVE LOOKED UP ON INTERNET AND IT IS CORRECT.........

JUST AMAZES ME THE THINGS PEOPLE USED IN THEM OLDEN DAYS

DID THEY REARLY RUB THEM ON STEPS AND FLAGS OUTSIDE THE DOORS...??.......SOUNDS LIKE PAGAN STUFF TO ME.........

PERHAPS MOST OF THE LADIES USED THEM........

[Tigger]

Hi,

Not sure about the 'red raggle or raddle'... but I'm 100% positive that the Cardinal you are referring to was was 'Cardinal Red Floor and Tile Paint'. The paint was a lot thicker that normal 'household' paint... the reason being it was meant for untreated and rough concreted floors and either tiles or concreted doorsteps. Before pure 'Lino' there was a floor covering called 'Oilcloth' which people put in their hallways and or in kitchens, though hard wearing it could never be polished. When vinyl and similar plastics began to be widespread, they replaced canvas as the base material for oilcloth. Plastics do not need to be treated in order to be waterproof, and can also be made brighter and stronger than canvas. Most vinyl oilcloth still has a fabric backing of some form or another, but it is much easier to care for than traditional oilcloth. But in those 'early' days, 'Lino' was quite expensive and hence the application of good ol' Cardinal Red over the Oilcloth/Lino. Not only to brighten it up but by applying on a regular basis it built up to what can only be describes as a second layer on 'lino'. With a coating of floor wax polish (after it had dried out completly) it buffed up to quite a good shine..

[valentine]

Thanks everyone. Just checked with my aunt who confirms it was raddle not raggle. She still uses it! It can be bought in a bottle or tin and is a type of paint which can be polished. Mystery solved - my Nana used it indoors (my aunt uses it for her porch tiles). I think the donkey stones were more for outside.
Mum's house in Hulme had oilcloth on the floor downstairs and nothing but bare boards upstairs. It was when they were moved to Wythenshawe in 1950 that they had tiles indoors to polish.
Thanks again - Manmates to the rescue!

[lin]

HI VALENTINE...YES I REMEMBER, MY GRAN USING THAT ON HER DOORSTEPS ALL THE TIME..THEY USED TO WORK HARD IN THOSE DAYS DIDN'T THEY?

[valentine]

Hi Lin.
Yes they certainly did work hard in those days. My mum used to clean door steps, hallways, cellar steps, yards and front paths when she was a twelve year-old in Hulme.

[lin]

HI VALENTINE...EVEN WE WORKED HARDER THAN A LOT DO TODAY...WHEN I THINK OF WASHING OUT NAPPIES BY HAND AND NOW THEY PAY A FORTUNE TO HAVE DISPOSABLE ONES..THEY SAY ITS A THROW AWAY WORLD, IT CERTAINLY IS...NO MORE CLEANING OUT THE OLD FIRE GRATES..MAKING HOME MADE FOOD, ITS ALL PKT NOW..I CAN'T BE DOING WITH THAT.