where have they gone

[ValuerJim 277]

The neighborhood bobby.

[annswabey 599]

Corona man

Nit nurse

[philmayfield 6,130]

We used to have a baker that delivered daily. A van with ironmongery and hardware came once a week. The railway station had magnificent displays of flowers in Summer. There was a coal fire in the waiting room in winter. After 11pm you had to ring a bell at the railway crossing for the gates to opened and a grumpy person in a nightshirt would come down and open them. The vicar used to visit regularly and drink your whiskey. There was a village policeman who did the rounds on a bike. The milkman never asked for money, you used to have to chase him to pay him. The pub closed at 10.30pm on the dot and kept Sunday hours. We had a village shop. The school used to be closed on polling day. The farmers used to drive normal sized tractors that didn't wreck the verges. The church choir used to come to the door and sing carols. People used to acknowledge you. There was an annual fete on the vicarage lawns. You could get a same day appointment at the doctors. The doctor would make home visits. I used to drive a 1947 MG TC sports. I used to be a Young Conservative. I used to be young!

[FLY2 10,108]

Oh for a time machine Phil.

[philmayfield 6,130]

One can only dream!

[MargieH 7,600]

Phil, do you live in a village, now? You said people don't acknowledge you these days ..... in our village, when I walk up to the local shop, it takes a long time because there are so many people I stop to chat to, and the ones I don't know very well usually smile. I agree with you about the tractors churning up the verges though - they are massive beasts - although with the large fields these days I suppose they're necessary.

We can get a same day appointment with the doctor if it is deemed urgent because we are triaged, but otherwise you'll have to wait up to 3 weeks, by which time you'll either be better or dead!

FLY I'd like a time machine but only if I could take my family with me and/or I could guarantee it would bring me back again when I wanted!

[philmayfield 6,130]

Yes Margaret, still live a rustic life in the middle of a field. People don't talk to me because I'm a grumpy old git. When my wife walks up to the box to collect the morning paper she takes ages because she chats to everyone!

[Guest]

Country life suits me,the village is a mile down the road; I think it is the peace and quiet that is the key- and the privacy, you can blast John Mayall/have a smelly bonfire/and a good row!!...all unnoticed.

[FLY2 10,108]

That certainly takes me back to a previous life!

[Guest]

Though I tell a white lie Fly...until last year ( recession) there was a bonfire helicopter.. €2000 fine!

[FLY2 10,108]

I was once burning a load of leylandii one Saturday afternoon when I lived at Saxondale. It suddenly flared up , but I'd got the hose pipe ready just in case. At that moment, a bus passed and lo and behold within ten minutes, the local fire engine came blasting down the road. By then it had all burnt away and I just looked an smiled as the engine turned round and went back to Bingham.

It seems that some nosey do gooder had rang them in panic.

[LizzieM 9,507]

Same happened to us when living in the countryside FLY.

[FLY2 10,108]

Eyes, even in the countryside, some nosey beggar has got their beady eye on you.

I'd still return there like a shot given the chance though.

[alisoncc 379]

Haven't seen the man from the Prudential for a long time. And we used to get a man selling rabbits off a barrow. Mind you that was in the fifties when rationing was still in place. The rabbits had been gutted but still had their skins on. The man selling them would skin them for you if you wanted.

We also used to get rabbits from the guy next door who kept a couple of ferrets. He would go off early with them down by Fareham Brook where he reckoned there were warrens all the way along. He would come back with at least a dozen, and sling a couple over the backyard fence for us.Still very partial to a nice rabbit pie.

Alison

[Djb4 1]

I remember as a youngster a Co-op butchers van used to come round Clifton. As for the grocers lad on a bike, I did that too for the Maypole that used to be on Varney Road.

David

[philmayfield 6,130]

The man from the Pru. I think our parents used to pay a few coppers a week for a policy so that you could be "put away decently" I honestly don't care how they put me away as I won't be watching.

[MargieH 7,600]

Djb4, when I read the word Maypole, I thought of the maypole dancing at primary school - was there one at Arno Vale, Phil? I remember my own daughter dancing round the maypole at her primary school about 40 years ago

[philmayfield 6,130]

Margaret - we've just got a village maypole. The children were dancing around it last Monday in the pouring rain. My wife went to watch but I stayed indoors. I remember maypole dancing at Arno Vale. The country dancing was quite good fun in a boisterous sort of way. Stripping the willow and all that! I also enjoyed the singing with Mr Turner at the piano. The Ash Grove, British Grenadiers, Kitty of Colleraine etc. It's all flooding back!

[MargieH 7,600]

I remember the patriotic songs we had to sing at primary school - as well as those you've mentioned there was one called 'Hearts of Oak' I think, which had the phrase 'we'll fight and we'll conquer again and again.' I can still remember the words to 'The British Grenadiers' as well!

Those songs belong in this thread I think as I am pretty sure they don't still get sung in schools nowadays.

In country dancing, the boys were on one side of the hall and the girls on the other, and the boys had to walk over and choose a girl to be their partner. That was horrible as the girl was supposed to just accept whichever boy came over to her. Some of the really pretty girls often had several boys rushing over to them (and I wasn't one of those!!!)

I expect there's no time for country dancing in schools nowadays - too busy practising for SATS etc

[benjamin1945 16,158]

I'd have rushed for you Margie................and more than likely got turned down...............lol.

[MargieH 7,600]

Ah thanks, Benjamin - you're very kind...

[philmayfield 6,130]

I remember the patriotic songs we had to sing at primary school - as well as those you've mentioned there was one called 'Hearts of Oak' I think, which had the phrase 'we'll fight and we'll conquer again and again.' I can still remember the words to 'The British Grenadiers' as well!

Those songs belong in this thread I think as I am pretty sure they don't still get sung in schools nowadays.

In country dancing, the boys were on one side of the hall and the girls on the other, and the boys had to walk over and choose a girl to be their partner. That was horrible as the girl was supposed to just accept whichever boy came over to her. Some of the really pretty girls often had several boys rushing over to them (and I wasn't one of those!!!)

I expect there's no time for country dancing in schools nowadays - too busy practising for SATS etc

A pretty dark haired girl as I remember.

[MargieH 7,600]

Thank you, Phil, (but memory does play tricks sometimes)

[philmayfield 6,130]

OK - you were a blonde - but still pretty!

[Michael Booth 7,364]

Welcome to Nottstalgia, Djb4. I look forward to reading your posts and sharing your memories.