Compo 10,326 Posted March 9, 2018 Report Share Posted March 9, 2018 The man from the "Pru" calling to collect insurance premiums. 1 Quote Link to post Share on other sites
BilboroughShirley 1,120 Posted March 9, 2018 Report Share Posted March 9, 2018 I am so glad that I do not see the man from the Pru anymore! He came to collect insurance from my mum when I was little. He had a loud voice and I disliked him. I cannot explain why, it was just an instinct. He talked a lot and seemed to think he knew it all. 2 Quote Link to post Share on other sites
loppylugs 8,424 Posted March 9, 2018 Report Share Posted March 9, 2018 4 hours ago, catfan said: You can thank deregulation fo the bus wars Ian, it's a free for all, dog eat dog society nowadays. Actually dogs are much better behaved. They could teach us a thing or two and if we'd listen. 1 Quote Link to post Share on other sites
jonab 1,644 Posted March 10, 2018 Report Share Posted March 10, 2018 Brentford Nylons - they had a big shop on Maid Marian Way, as did Cyril Lord (cheap tufted carpets). The Calor gas showroom was somewhere near there as was GreenShield Stamps. 1 Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Waddo 921 Posted March 10, 2018 Report Share Posted March 10, 2018 Embassy tokens.. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
jonab 1,644 Posted March 10, 2018 Report Share Posted March 10, 2018 37 minutes ago, Waddo said: Embassy tokens.. Traitor! You should have been supporting local businesses and smoking Players, not some ne'er do wells in Bristol! Players had their No 6 tokens showroom on Hartley Road, I think - somewhere near there, anyway. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Waddo 921 Posted March 10, 2018 Report Share Posted March 10, 2018 Never smoked embassy, but my step mother worked for WD and ho in Bristol, later to become one big company, imperial tobacco. Quick edit, I used to go out with a girl that worked for players, Doe's that count? 1 Quote Link to post Share on other sites
jonab 1,644 Posted March 10, 2018 Report Share Posted March 10, 2018 Not sure! I had a holiday job at Players as a student. I was mostly packing JPS into black plastic tubs ready for the Christmas trade. Although there were loads of security checks (especially amongst the student contingent) a lot of tobacco was smuggled out stuffed into people's underpants. This was then sold off (complete with stray pubic hairs) in several local pubs - including the Grosvenor. I didn't smoke myself and I was put off by this and also by the story that elastic bands and, wait for it, condoms were dropped into the hoppers of tobacco waiting to be sliced. Gave them extra flavour, I suppose. There was another Players story that in the pipe tobacco department, they made Players Whisky Flake. This did actually contain whisky which was poured from a watering can on to a heap of tobacco on the floor and mixed in with a pitchfork. Some of the men doing this job would drink part of the whisky then top up the watering can by peeing into it. Don't know how true this last story is but I'm sure there are loads more tales of a similar nature! 1 Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Waddo 921 Posted March 10, 2018 Report Share Posted March 10, 2018 I think like in most situations, what the eye don't see,the heart won't grieve about.. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Cliff Ton 10,435 Posted March 10, 2018 Report Share Posted March 10, 2018 1 hour ago, jonab said: Players had their No 6 tokens showroom on Hartley Road, I think - somewhere near there, anyway. The former Windsor cinema on Hartley road. 2 1 Quote Link to post Share on other sites
jonab 1,644 Posted March 10, 2018 Report Share Posted March 10, 2018 That's the one! Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Compo 10,326 Posted March 10, 2018 Report Share Posted March 10, 2018 4 hours ago, jonab said: Brentford Nylons Eurgh! The sheets made you sweat and then went all slippery when damp. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
philmayfield 6,089 Posted March 10, 2018 Report Share Posted March 10, 2018 3 hours ago, jonab said: Not sure! I had a holiday job at Players as a student. I was mostly packing JPS into black plastic tubs ready for the Christmas trade. Although there were loads of security checks (especially amongst the student contingent) a lot of tobacco was smuggled out stuffed into people's underpants. This was then sold off (complete with stray pubic hairs) in several local pubs - including the Grosvenor. I didn't smoke myself and I was put off by this and also by the story that elastic bands and, wait for it, condoms were dropped into the hoppers of tobacco waiting to be sliced. Gave them extra flavour, I suppose. Perhaps the condoms were dropped in as a protection from the effects of smoking. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Compo 10,326 Posted March 10, 2018 Report Share Posted March 10, 2018 4 hours ago, Waddo said: Embassy tokens.. My brother used to smoke Embassy but I could never afford them. If I felt flush I would get No.6, otherwise it would have to be the cheapest of what was available. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Compo 10,326 Posted March 10, 2018 Report Share Posted March 10, 2018 3 hours ago, jonab said: they made Players Whisky Flake I think I have an old Whiskey Flake tin in the shed soemwhere. If I can find it I will post a picture. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Compo 10,326 Posted March 10, 2018 Report Share Posted March 10, 2018 Aston's of Manchester. A cigar shop: 1 Quote Link to post Share on other sites
philmayfield 6,089 Posted March 10, 2018 Report Share Posted March 10, 2018 It was said, by Kipling I think, “a woman is just a woman but a good cigar is a smoke”. I wouldn’t know - never had a cigar! 1 Quote Link to post Share on other sites
BilboroughShirley 1,120 Posted March 10, 2018 Report Share Posted March 10, 2018 Does anyone remember/know of electricity meters taking pennies (old pennies) before the days of feeding them with shillings? Yesterday someone I know was talking about putting pennies in the meter (he is much older than me!) and I had never heard of this before. Nobody in the group laughed so I think he was serious. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Jill Sparrow 10,269 Posted March 10, 2018 Report Share Posted March 10, 2018 I don't remember it personally but I recall both my parents speaking of pennies in the meter. My father lived in Chapel Street, Beeston, during the late 20s, early 30s. Their cottage was the first in the area to have electricity installed and the meter was fed with pennies. Dad was born in 1924. Likewise mum, born 1926, spoke of pennies in the meter. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
NewBasfordlad 3,599 Posted March 10, 2018 Report Share Posted March 10, 2018 Much later than that Jill, I remember well both the gasman and the electricity man coming to empty the meters both fed with old pennies. He would count them out on the table separate the rebate money and then roll the rest into stiff cardboard rolls, these then went in a heavy leather shoulder bag. This would be the early/mid 1950s, the reason I remember so well is that during school holidays I would be there to hopefully get a spare penny from the rebate for chews. 2 Quote Link to post Share on other sites
loppylugs 8,424 Posted March 10, 2018 Report Share Posted March 10, 2018 Yes, I remember penny meters in the early fifties. Gas and electric. Like NBL I remember the men coming to empty the meters and rolling the pennies in paper rolls. Sometimes the meters would get so full my mother would fear we wouldn't get any more in and the lights would go off. I suppose that is why they changed to shilling meters. I always remember at the pictures if the film broke down all the locals would be yelling, "purrapenny in." Happy old days. 2 Quote Link to post Share on other sites
NewBasfordlad 3,599 Posted March 10, 2018 Report Share Posted March 10, 2018 That should read stiff paper not cardboard you are right Loppy. If I remember correctly they were 5 bob rolls so 4 to the quid. Back then I could get 4 chews for a penny from Ma Taylors corner shop 3 doors away. What I didn't realise until I joined EMGAS was how easy it was to regulate the amount of gas you got for your penny, you just pulled the slot mechanism from the meter and turned it to the required amount and pushed it back in and the meter man would know you worked for the company because you needed keys and say now't. Lets just say mam was a happy bunny Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Brew 5,380 Posted March 10, 2018 Report Share Posted March 10, 2018 I remember penny meters too and the collection of foreign coins that also worked. Meterman never said anything, just reduced the rebate by the required amount. i also remember the number of people I caught fiddling their electric meter - every one thought they were the first to think of it and we had never seen it done before... Quote Link to post Share on other sites
mary1947 2,071 Posted March 11, 2018 Report Share Posted March 11, 2018 What a great Photo' you don't see leather football boots with those hard studs on, or the leather footballs, the footballers to-day don't know what their missing. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
mary1947 2,071 Posted March 11, 2018 Report Share Posted March 11, 2018 On 08/03/2018 at 3:35 PM, jonab said: Stockings, suspender belts, corsets, girdles. Remember Playtex Girdles? Great big wrap around rubber sheets or body size rubber tubes? Or those dreadful pink reinforced satin jobbies fitted with whalebones/flattened springs? Not that us men/children were supposed to see them, of course. How could women bear to wear such torture garments? There was the occasional man that wore a corset as well but they were for supposed "medical" reasons. You are beginning to make me wonder how you know so much about the ladies garments. (just joking) Quote Link to post Share on other sites
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