Bilbraborn 1,594 Posted March 11, 2014 Report Share Posted March 11, 2014 At least you didn't get a criminal record. It annoys me to see so many apple trees in peoples gardens never cleared and the apples just rot where they hang. Why don't they give them to the poor or food banks or something if they don't want them? 1 Quote Link to post Share on other sites
carni 10,094 Posted March 11, 2014 Report Share Posted March 11, 2014 TGC, Did that escapade take the pleasure out of scrumping, or did you manage to dare do it again. OUCH 1 Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Michael Booth 7,364 Posted March 11, 2014 Report Share Posted March 11, 2014 Whether it's true or false, Gerry, it's certainly entertaining.... Quote Link to post Share on other sites
MELTONSTILTON 452 Posted March 11, 2014 Report Share Posted March 11, 2014 TGC, you are starting to sound more and more like Victor Meldrew :) 1 Quote Link to post Share on other sites
TGC 216 Posted March 12, 2014 Author Report Share Posted March 12, 2014 TGC, Did that escapade take the pleasure out of scrumping, or did you manage to dare do it again. OUCH Bein; the brave, bold confident lad I was... no I didn't go scrumpin' agen! Although I did go exploring the bomb sites and found misssen trapped in an air-raid shelter later - but that story is in another chapter. Tsk! TTFN Quote Link to post Share on other sites
TGC 216 Posted March 12, 2014 Author Report Share Posted March 12, 2014 Whether it's true or false, Gerry, it's certainly entertaining.... The truth is stranger than fiction Michael. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
TGC 216 Posted March 12, 2014 Author Report Share Posted March 12, 2014 TGC, you are starting to sound more and more like Victor Meldrew :) I reckon whoever wrote 'One Foot in the Grave' must have hacked into me diaries before writing it? Hehehe! Cheers 1 Quote Link to post Share on other sites
TGC 216 Posted March 12, 2014 Author Report Share Posted March 12, 2014 The True Tale of Woe: A story of one Nottingham man's (Using the term loosely) utter failure, depression, frustration, and poverty, starting in August 1947 Chapter Nine: ‘Billy Smarts Circus the escaped Effalent!’ George’s horse stables, were underneath the railway viaduct that supported Arkwright St Station, was at the end of our terrace of houses. This is no bull, records at the Evening Post will prove this, Georges Stables were also used for storing animals in advance of the Billy Smarts Circus coming to town. Under the arches, was where the big cats were quartered, and the actual stables were used to my knowledge over the years to pen, elephants, rhinos, horses, snakes, and zebras. One night, as I lay in bed that fateful night, I was aroused by an indescribable noise, as I struggled to find the matches to light the candle, Dad came rushing into the room, and dragged me out, nearly knocking me out as he bashed my head against doorframe, rushed downstairs, squashed me under the sink and shouted "Stay under there until I tell yer to move!" He disappeared, and I knew something was amiss (I've always been sensitive to these things you know). But curiosity got the better of me, and I sneaked back upstairs, and stuck my head out of the window in an effort to find out what all the commotion was… and found my head about 3ft away from an elephants head that was coming towards me! Within about 15 seconds I was back under the sink! I can still remember the smell of that elephant! Anyway, it transpires that the elephant was a young one that was missing his mater, so he bashed down the stable doors, walked up and down our terrace, then up Brookfield place, on the way head butting in Mrs Wing's front door, then overturning a blokes Morgan sports car on Derwent Street, then bending a lamppost, then walked up to the Willoughby Street bridge and lifted a man up and put him on the bridge (severely injuring him in the process), turned back into Derwent Street, and charged into mothers illegal bookies house front window, wedging himself firmly in that position! Whaling noises, and crumbling bricks indicated he was not happy being stuck where he was. The police fetched Mr Widdowson a man who lived on Kirkewhite Street to the scene. Mr Widdowson had worked with elephants during the war in India. Apparently he had been used before to help the police with escaped elephants, but I can only recall this one such event personally. Mr Widdowson took a quick look at it, and he said "Shoot it, it's African" So he went with the marksmen, down the alley to the back of the house, and they broke in and he told them where to shoot it for optimum results. Then the occupants of the house appeared from upstairs, totally oblivious of what had happened until the gun shots awoke them! It seems that a neighbour saw me at the window earlier, so I got a further taste of the belt buckle and leather for disobeying daddy again by leaving the relative safety of the sink! Ah well...! More to Follow... Quote Link to post Share on other sites
fch782c 144 Posted March 12, 2014 Report Share Posted March 12, 2014 Dont leave us in suspence TGC. What became of the elephant? Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Commo 1,292 Posted March 12, 2014 Report Share Posted March 12, 2014 I reckon we can assume from the tale that the outcome was not favourable for the unfortunate animal. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Michael Booth 7,364 Posted March 12, 2014 Report Share Posted March 12, 2014 The way that the human race treats animals on our beautiful planet Earth is despicable. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
FLY2 10,108 Posted March 12, 2014 Report Share Posted March 12, 2014 Animal cruelty, that REALLY pisse5 me off. Sorry, wrong topic. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Commo 1,292 Posted March 12, 2014 Report Share Posted March 12, 2014 I thought being "dragged up" in St Anns was bad, but if Gerry is anything to go by it was bleddy worse in The Medders, amazing how we all look back on it with such affection, perhaps because we knew nothing different at the time. I sympathised with Joy James' account of her childhood in St Anns, burrit wernt a patch on poor owd Gerry !! Quote Link to post Share on other sites
TGC 216 Posted March 13, 2014 Author Report Share Posted March 13, 2014 Dont leave us in suspence TGC. What became of the elephant? I reckon we can assume from the tale that the outcome was not favourable for the unfortunate animal. The poor thing was shot by the police, with the guidance of a chap from the circus. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
FLY2 10,108 Posted March 13, 2014 Report Share Posted March 13, 2014 Barstewards ! I've never liked circus's. I do remember Billy Smarts, Chipperfields and Bertram Mills coming to the forest. Oh and Roberts Brothers in later years. Dad took me to one and he misjudged his footing as we were taking our seats and he badly scraped his leg on the foot boarding. I laughed, but it looked bad when we got home. Sorry dad. 1 Quote Link to post Share on other sites
TGC 216 Posted March 13, 2014 Author Report Share Posted March 13, 2014 The True Tale of Woe: A story of one Nottingham man's (Using the term loosely) utter failure, depression, frustration, and poverty, starting in August 1947 Chapter Ten: ‘The part-time Jobs’ Nearby where we lived (did I say lived?) there was a hardware store on Kirkwhite Street, Heason's was the name. Daddy very kindly got me a Saturday job with them, to help supplement my double paper round, and Grove light lighting jobs funds. I think I got paid 2/3d for a full nine hour day (11p). But it didn't last too long. Among my duties, was burning the weeks rubbish in the back yard, and delivering small items bought in the shop to customers on an 'errand boy’s bike' . On about the fourth weekend, I set fire to the shed, then the bike ended up under a trolleybus on Arkwright Street, when I came off on the icy road, and the table lamp that was in the basket got broke, well crushed under the trolleybus wheels actually! I was not injured in either incident, not that anyone asked. Mr Heason was very good about it, and let me work for another two Saturdays and kept my wages in payment for the lamp, and damage repairs to the bike before sacking me. Daddy was not pleased, and sent me immediately to the Grove cinema, to apply for the job as gas-lamp lighter, and snuffer in the evenings and weekend. Amazingly they took me on straight away, and paid well too, about 7/6d a week, And! - I got to see the pictures, even the X-rated for free! He did force me into taking an evening paper round though, but that soon ended when he realised I would not be home in time to assure I lit the fire and get his dinner ready in time. Later, a chap bought out Georges old stables, and started a business in firewood supplies. Naturally, I joined them with Dad's help, and set about being taught where and how to swipe wood from, back at base sorting it out, how to use the chopping machine (they would not let me have a go on the band-saw), then the bundling machine (a vice into which you put the sticks, pressed a pedal, then twisted a wire around them, released the pedal and then threw the bundle into a massive trolley - and then wheel the trolley over to the bagging area [use 56lb potato sacks] and count twenty bundles into each bag). I even helped with the deliveries to the shops, on an old shop bike, somehow they managed to get four bags onto it, as well as me. I was enjoying doing this job, but dear mater returned, and I was to return to the nubbing, hair-net card filling and so on. Tsk! More to Follow... Quote Link to post Share on other sites
TGC 216 Posted March 14, 2014 Author Report Share Posted March 14, 2014 I had a dream last night abart me gettin' made redundant all over again... 'orrible it were! Woke up feelin' even more depressed than usual - but oh so glad it wont 'appenin' agen in reality! Poor twit! Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Raybo 28 Posted November 15, 2014 Report Share Posted November 15, 2014 At least you didn't get a criminal record. It annoys me to see so many apple trees in peoples gardens never cleared and the apples just rot where they hang. Why don't they give them to the poor or food banks or something if they don't want them? Youre joking Bilbraborn, have you ever wondered why you often see perfectly good apples in the gutter?, the kids throw them out of their lunch boxes now cos they would rather go to the cob shop or Greggs for a load of crap rather than eat an apple. 1 Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Bubblewrap 3,815 Posted November 15, 2014 Report Share Posted November 15, 2014 Apples? The old lady who's garden backs on to my allotment has three apple trees. I give her some veg off my plot in exchange this year about six buckets full Quote Link to post Share on other sites
NewBasfordlad 3,599 Posted November 15, 2014 Report Share Posted November 15, 2014 As anyone heard anything about/from TGC seems ages since he posted. 2 Quote Link to post Share on other sites
... 1,411 Posted November 15, 2014 Report Share Posted November 15, 2014 I miss his posts and recognise the memories of his childhood,he seems like a really nice bloke,post again tgc. 1 Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Bubblewrap 3,815 Posted November 15, 2014 Report Share Posted November 15, 2014 Wasn't he made redundant some time ago ? Quote Link to post Share on other sites
carni 10,094 Posted November 15, 2014 Report Share Posted November 15, 2014 I heard again from Gerry. He is still undergoing some treatment, and has read this thread "Heartwarming to read I've been missed" He is not taking too much on at the moment, but will be back. I found this post, hope it helps. It can be found on topic Any Body seen TGC 2 Quote Link to post Share on other sites
mick2me 3,033 Posted November 16, 2014 Report Share Posted November 16, 2014 http://tgc6266gmail.blogspot.co.uk/ No blog from Gerald Chambers since November 2013? Although did he not move to another site? Quote Link to post Share on other sites
mick2me 3,033 Posted November 16, 2014 Report Share Posted November 16, 2014 Yes he's gone on to Wordpress, last blog yesterday https://tgc6266.wordpress.com/ 1 Quote Link to post Share on other sites
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