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The barber local to us in the 70s was called "Jock's" he had half a finger missing on his scissors hand (which us kids would stare at when he cut our fringes) and would rattle his false teeth around his mouth as he cut your hair.
Us kids would sit on a wooden board across the arms of the chair and he'd sharpen his scissors and cutthroat razors on a leather strap hanging up. I remember there being a 5p piece stuck in the grate on the windowsill that I always wanted to get out but never tried. It was always a game to try and make each other laugh if you could see each other in the chair while the other waited on the bench.
My mum used to take us for our haircuts but one day in the late 70s Dad did. Myself and my brother both had shoulder length hair, but he got Jock to give us a short back and sides, it was snowing so it was freezing when we got out, I also got my ear nipped by the scissors which was sore.
My mother would take me to a barber along the road who would regularly smoke while he was cutting hair. If you were good, his wife would give you a sweet when your haircut was finished. Never been asked if I wanted anything for the weekend, but as I was only 9 or 10 it was hardly surprising lol. Short back and sides was the usual cut and he would spray bay rum onto your hair when he had finished. Haven't been to a barber's now for over 20 years. As my cut of choice is the electric clippers all over, my wife is perfectly capable of doing it, and I have done it myself a few times in extremis.
Yes, barbers used to perform surgery, which was seen as being very inferior to doctors who would diagnose ailments and prescribe treatments. That has an echo in today's medical professions, where doctors are known as "doctor" and consultant surgeons are "mister" or " mrs".
Barbers used to do surgery, the red and white pole represent bloodied bandages...yeah, still seen outside many barbers shops today
Now ... my barber in the 60’s was in his sixties and presumably his eyesight was failing because every so often he would ‘nick’ my earlobes with his scissors !!! Ears don’t held bleed a lot !!
Do barber shops really have red and white striped poles outside their shops, and do the barbers really sing when one gets their hair cut?
Furthermore, what is the difference between a barber shop and a hairdressers - probably because barber shops are more catered for men than hairdressers do?
Barbers used to do surgery, the red and white pole represent bloodied bandages...yeah, still seen outside many barbers shops today
Do barber shops really have red and white striped poles outside their shops, and do the barbers really sing when one gets their hair cut?
Furthermore, what is the difference between a barber shop and a hairdressers - probably because barber shops are more catered for men than hairdressers do?
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