Esso Blue ?

[Guest]

Pianoman: do you remember Roy Smith- played in the Bell- early seventies-big Gibson guitar?

[The Pianoman 1,534]

No sorry.

[Mess 617]

In the 50's and 60's paraffin stoves were the heaters of choice, at least in our street and home. As we were all leaving the house for school or work the coal fire was not made up until the evening, so the paraffin was lit first thing to get some warmth into into the house. I can even now recall the delight of waking up to the fragrance of that awful stove.

From the 70's on Mum and Dad invested in technology and dumped the stove in favour of a calor gas portable heater, such luxury!

When I were a lad in the 50s and lived near to the Beechdale Estate there was a hardware store on Ambergate Road that used to have a paraffin stove going in winter. I used to love the smell. Always think of it when I see The Two Ronnies fork handles sketch.

Open All Hours reminds me of the corner shop on Russell Rd/Laurie Avenue where I lived in the 60s.

[benjamin1945 16,158]

I knew of Harry Brown (Basford??) and I know of Bob Hudson but I have met neither. My old Gaffer Bob Taylor looked after Harry Brown's piano and I remember an occasion when I went with him to do something to an upright that he had. We were there a few days but I never met him.

If we have met it would be post 1970's. It's your name that rings a bell more than anything.

Iknew Harry Brown,and yes Malcolm he lived in Basford in the 80s he had a flat at the bottom of Alpine st,and was the regular Pianist' at the Masons Arms,very nice bloke.

[The Pianoman 1,534]

Yes thats the man. His flat was in the big 3 storey Georgian looking house right at the lowest point of Alpine St on the left going towards St Leo's, with The White Swan (Mucky Duck?) behind you. Definitely mid 70's tho'.

[benjamin1945 16,158]

Another 'pianist' of the same era was a 'Jewish' chap called Dennis,think he lived 'Sherwood Rise' do you recall him ? he played in the Basford area as well.

[DJ360 6,729]

Useter be a little lock up hardware store between the two main rows of shops on Andover Rd. Bloke sold all sorts, from nails and bike bits to paint, records, cheap ornaments etc.That always smelled of paraffiin too, because he sold it.

Best hardware shop ever though and just like Fork 'andles, is in Skelmersdale. It's called Garner's. I went in about 30 years ago for a 12 mm allen key. Wasn't a common size and I'd have been happy just that they had one...

"Black, chromium plated, or zinc plated Sir?"

''Black will be fine.."

"Long, standard, or 'cranked' Sir?"

"Err .. long please.. it's for a sump plug on a car..."

" With or without grip handle sir?"

"Err, with please.. could be handy..."

" Rubberised, or knurled steel Sir?"

In the end I settled for long and black, to keep costs down. Used it once and lost it. But at least I know where to get another....

Col

[benjamin1945 16,158]

The one on Andover road was 'Conduits' .......Jim.

[The Pianoman 1,534]

#56. No doesn't ring any bells

[colly0410 1,181]

I went in Bransons hardware shop on Watnall Road hucknall t'other day & the paraffin heater smell hit me as soon as I walked in. They had a modern paraffin heater on demonstration that had a fan in it to circulate the warm smelly air around, they also sold plastic cans of paraffin, but I forgot to note the price. I could still smell it on my clothes when I got in the car..

[DJBrenton 738]

When I ran our allotment shop I used to stock 25lt drums of paraffin for the guys who heated their greenhouses. I remember one of the guys bought a stupidly large and expensive greenhouse heater from us but never used it in case it got nicked. It's probably still 'as new' to this day but boy was he proud to own it.

[LizzieM 9,507]

Where Trevor?

[banjo48 928]

Dad used to have one of those tall upright paraffin heaters in his shed, then years later mum bought one of those latest and greatest heaters with the fuel tank in a lift up lid at the back, I think from memory it was called a Paul Warmer, or something similar.

When dad built our house at Mapperley he didn't have the extra money for central heating at first, so it was open fires and the portable paraffin heater which was used extensively.

Mentioning it here I can smell that smell in my head now !

When I cleared mums house in 2005 the old heater and fuel can was still in the basement, it went in the skip(s) with just about everything else. Mum was a bit of a hoarder and hated throwing anything out, maybe that's where I get it from Mnnn !