Post by anneb on Aug 18, 2009 23:36:44 GMT -1
How I remember everything you all say. I also remember the van that came round to immunise us, but I thought it was for smallpox. Don't know why the van as the clinic was open when I was a baby 'cos my mum used to take me there for my orange juice and cod liver oil. We used to have a big May Queen on our street. We saved the dressing up clothes from year to year and I remember my dad painting a crown on the train. Two girls used to stand either side of the 'queen' holding a 'garth' and we also had a maypole carried by one or two of the boys. We would very solemnly crown the 'queen' before we set off to everyones house. I also had a black doll which I called Susie - in fact I still have her. No racism even thought of - I adored that doll. I remember Wolstenholmes shops very well as I was friends with Eunice and Christine? so I had the privilege of actually dipping eclairs in the chocolate, and being able to dip my fingers in said chocolate. (no wonder I have a weight problem!) My hubby and I have just retired out of a fish and chip shop and we were never asked for scratchings in all the 29 years we were in there! Although we were only a few miles away from Clayton where I was brought up, they had quite a few different names for things, ie, they called scallops - specials, and what I remember as specials they called fish cakes (2scallops with fish in between). Whilst we were in our shop though the 'powers that be' decided that because we couldn't guantee that there was at least 35% fish we had to start calling them 'deep fried, fish filled, potato sandwiches'. The price list wasn't big enough!! Talking about the old co-op, does anyone remember watching your money go hurtling through the ether as it was sucked into the vacuum and straight into the cash office upstairs. Also your co-op number. I can still remember my mums. Bonfire night was one of my favourites. We used to have an enormous fire on the croft at the end of our street. We'd start logging in July, and all the shops on the front of the road would save boxes and combustibles for us. Even Mr Conlon would save his fish boxes - what a smell when they started to burn. Each of the mums would make something different from Parkin, toffee apples, treacle toffee (could have been Lisa's mum) baked potatoes tata 'ash - ooh the list is endless, but due to the time of the night I'd better shut up and come back to this at a later date. Goodnight for now.
