jonab

Probably the alcohol in the Gripe Water which made it so attractive! Drawing ointment - Lion ointment? Used to think it was made from lions (using a similar logic as when thinking that golden syrup was made from lions as there was (is?) a picture of a lion on the label and the phrase "Out of the strong came forth sweetness).

Germolene was the ointment in our house. Boots did a similar thing called Pink Healing Ointment.

My granny always had Gee's Linctus available either as a liquid or as pastilles. She was often to be found taking a swig from the bottle or stuffing several of the pastilles into her mouth. It was several years later before I realised that one of the major ingredients of Gee's Linctus was opium, but then, as she was someone of the Victorian era, opium was quite legally available over the counter.

As I remember him, George Attenborough was ex-military (RAF, from the models on the ceiling?) and seemed to think that I (a 12 or 13 year old) had the same interests/obsessions as he did and droned on constantly about his military days. That's why I thought him odd. Perhaps I was wrong. I didn't go to Attenborough for very long as I was able to get a discount/ free haircut from Pat Griffin on the High Street. He was a sort of relation through marriage - Pat Griffin was the brother of Jack Griffin who was married to my aunt Dorothy who, in turn was the mother of John Griffin who has

I'm told that I speak French with an English accent and that I speak English with a French accent. Listening to myself on recordings, I still detect a slight Hucknall 'twang' in both my French and English but I'm sure that one would have to be Hucknal born and bred (and of my era) to notice it.

Another thing I've remembered about the cobblers is that they had and mechanical model of a cobbler hammering at a shoe in the window. About one foot to eighteen inches high. It use to fascinate me as a youngster.

I think I remember a cobblers on Watnall Rd just down from the Baptist church and George Attenborough's barbers shop (very odd cuss he was!). I can't remember the name of the person who ran it but I do remember the odd construct of the place where you opened the door and you were immediately met with several steps up to the counter where the cobbling actually took place. Timewise, this would be late '50s - early '60s. Not much help, I know but it might jog a few memories.

Have I aged well? Well, it's impossible for me to generalise. Depends which bit(s) are under consideration.. My brain seems to be fully functional - has some episodes of pure inspiration, even now. Other parts not nearly as youthful. My heart is far from having any youthfullness (on six or seven different items of medication to keep it going) and my joints, especially lower limbs and now arms and hands, are increasingly arthritic. I have been unable to walk for a number of years now and I get angry wishing to do all the things my brain tells me that I should do but the

Superb bread & butter pudding. We used to call it stunge (with a hard 'g' as in strange not as in stung). One bowl of that with custard would keep you full for a week.

I well remember sheltering under those Empire canopies (the far, greenhouse roof ones) during a freak hail storm and having one of the glass panels shatter above my head hit by a super size lump of ice. I suffered only a slight cut to my head. How, I don't know. There was broken glass all around me.

I have one of those gadgets, nonna. Doesn't get used very much as any wine doesn't have time to go off. Once opened a bottle of wine here lasts for about half an hour - and it's not me drinking it, honest!

Berni Inns used to sell sherry by the clipper (standard size) or the schooner (generous size). Perhaps a dock is an indication of the size of the glass (pint?). New Year Greetings to all Nottstalgians

I remember that door. Never knew what it was behind it.

As well as Burton's being part of Fine Fare, so was Fortnum & Mason, the Queen's grocers on Piccadilly, London. It was a complicit of Garfield Weston's (overall ower) delusions of grandeur. Weston was the inventor of the Wagon Wheel biscuit and other things. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/W._Garfield_Weston

That figures, Jill. I remember Fred doing business for his wife 'on the side' at Gerard's. All the stuff seemed to me to be for, let's say, the older woman. I can't give any indication as to where the shop may have been as I don't know Bulwell at all well - despite travelling through almost daily when a student living in Hucknall and going through Bulwell on a Trent bus into the city.

Sorry, I should have put some time periods in. I was at Gerard's 1974-78. Fred Radford was in his late 50s or so. He was a small man - less than 5ft, I recall. My use of the word 'haberdashery' might be a bit imprecise. It was a shop which sold clothes, knitting wool and similar.

Somewhat off-topic but the mention of Rowell's in Bulwell reminded me of a Fred Radford who worked for me at Gerard's. Anyway, Fred's wife ran a small haberdashery shop near/on Bulwell market place and I wondered if anyone has any recollection associated with this?

I remember Barnips - small square things wrapped in metallic foil. they were made in Nottingham. The factory was in Radford close to one of the Player's (tobacco) factories.

Do Hall's Mentholyptus still exist? Hard, clear sugar sweets with a powerful menthol and eucalyptus flavour - they certainly cleared your tubes! They used to be sold loose by the quarter (pound) but I seem to remember they changed over to a square shape in paper tubes (a bit like Spangles).

I remember very well chloroform being used in Victory V and in a number of other products - including toothpaste because it had a sweet taste and didn't cause tooth decay as sugar does. Then some spoilsport "scientist" came along and said that chloroform was a carcinogen so governments banned it.

I wouldn't go that far, Beekay. I am now physically disabled and do need a full time carer. Also, I live in a large, rather rambling, old Provence villa which takes quite a bit of looking after. Any money I might have was earned by me. No inheritances, lottery wins or dubious practices - unlike some of the inhabitants of the area

The social structure here is very different to that on your side of the channel - even more so here in Provence and the Mediterranean areas. It is not at all unusual to have domestic staff but things are changing and I fear that soon there will be a number of unemployed people unwilling to take on domestic duties. When I first moved into this property, twenty or so years ago, there were people (figuratively) almost clamouring at the door to be given a job. Nowadays notices requesting domestic staff go unanswered for weeks on end. Philippe and Rosie are both

It occured to me that Nottstaligans may not be aware who the people on my greeting are, so: John - me Thierry - my carer/valet Madame (Rosie) - concierge/housekeeper Philippe - caretaker/gardener/handyman married to Madame Growler - my dog

All good wishes to all Nottstalgians at this special time of the year. From John Thierry Madame (Rosie) Philippe Growler

I am very pleased she is OK. If she's not coming to NS soon, please send her my/our best wishes.