Election day loudspeaker vans.

[colly0410 1,181]

I can remember that on voting day when I lived down 'Medders' (Glapton Road) that loudspeaker vans used to come round to get folks to vote. When the Conservative van came round us kids shouted "up Labour," & when the Labour van came we shouted "up Conservatives," we enjoyed winding them up. If the van stopped we ran like the clappers..

[Commo 1,292]

In the late 40's and early 50's my Gran used to use her house on Curzon Street as committee rooms for the local Conservative candidate and I used to get a ride in the loudspeaker van around the area. If I remember correctly, and I would have been nobbut a bairn at the time, it was a dark blue Morris Series E van, though I could be confusing it with a Dinky toy from the same era !!

[Michael Booth 7,364]

I can also remember those vans, colly0410. There used to be cars that would take people to the Polling Stations, people who couldn't walk far etc. The Labour party used to hand out red streamers which us kids would fasten to a stick of wood and attach them to our bikes. I lived on Grainger Street, off Meadow Lane, and we were far too young to understand politics but we used to have lots of fun at election time.

[Cliff Ton 10,459]

Don't think I ever saw one in real life, but there was a Dinky version.

[Commo 1,292]

Cliff, re #4, that's the one, and election posters used to be pasted onto the side with the name of the candidate.

We used to get streamers and also red or blue favours to pin on your coat, never saw many yellow ones in them days!

As you say MB, re #3, it was all good fun for us kids, though them wi' the red streamers always seemed to rout the blue lot on the street

Happy Days !

[Michael Booth 7,364]

Dinky toys, especially with the box and in good condition like Cliff Tons photo, fetch really good prices today.

[Commo 1,292]

Had the Dinky up until a few months back, but the box was ditched 60 years ago ! Who'd have thought back then it was any use saving boxes ?

[... 1,411]

Labour used to use CO.OP vans

[bilpol47 0]

just deviating slighty but on the same theme can you remember the rag and bone man and his goldfish for your rags ?

[Bilbraborn 1,594]

Any old Rags & Bones?

I remember it well.

[Bubblewrap 3,815]

Once went out with the Labour party speaker van late at night asking people to vote Conservative

[Pixie 162]

I remember the vans! I also remember the ones that would go round the block a few times to tell you if your water supply would be cut off due to works etc, i wondered what had happened to em!

[Bilbraborn 1,594]

They just cut the water off now without bothering to tell you.

[StephenFord 866]

Down here they send you a card through the post. Last one we had was delivered a couple of hours after the water had been turned back on again.