A trip down memory lane

[Donald the Great]

Re: A trip down memory lane

We lived on what was known as a play street, it was illegal to drive down it unless for access, this was ofcourse to ensure the safety of any kids playing outside. We would play in the street all the time, usually footy but also cricket and games like tag or statues.

How was sunny Spain tex.. good to have you back. Did you get a great tan or sensibly choose to stay out of the sun? Good idea that play street. We didnt need them as most of the back streets were rarely used for traffic. Besides there were so few cars on the roads.. even the main ones in those days.

[Mulletino]

Re: A trip down memory lane

That is very sad. Your mate died young did he?

He was in his thirties, had mental issues and tried to overdose. He changed his mind during this and called for help, he was revived but died a little later from a heart attack.

I looked up those horror cards.. Waddingtons were a UK toy maker of the time. We never had horror cards but I was a mad collector of footy cards at boarding school. I had every St George Dragon for at least a decade plus every other player who had made the Australian Kangaroos. I expect you had every England soccer football player.

I never collected footy cards, but did have the Star Wars, Black Hole and Kojak ones. I collected a couple of football Pannini Sticker Books with my bro, but wasn't into sports much so preferred the movie ones. I do remember us buying these little chewing gum packs from a local shop that had plastic shield shape club badges of football teams in, we had a few of those.

[Mulletino]

Re: A trip down memory lane

double post

[tex]

Re: A trip down memory lane

How was sunny Spain tex.. good to have you back. Did you get a great tan or sensibly choose to stay out of the sun? Good idea that play street. We didnt need them as most of the back streets were rarely used for traffic. Besides there were so few cars on the roads.. even the main ones in those days.

Hi Donald, Ibiza was great with some really nice architecture in the "old town". The weather was hot and sunny and the beer cold and wet...good to be back

[Donald the Great]

Re: A trip down memory lane

that is what I like the most.. my beer cold and wet.

Anyone wanna start a new subject?

[tex]

Re: A trip down memory lane

BONFIRE NIGHT.
So its almost november 5th again (bonfire night) do you / did you ever celebrate bonfire night or guy faulkes night as it is sometimes known?
Although i dont celebrate bonfire night anymore i have fond memories of it as a young kid in Salford, there were few if any organised events in the 60s/70s and we would build our own bonfires on the nearest piece of wasteland or even in the back entry behind the back to back terraced houses that i grew up in. As always in those days there was absolutely no fear of the dangers involved, we would go door to door asking for any unwanted wood such as old floorboards, doors or furniture which were used to build the bonfire, soon as it went dark we would stuff the bonfire with old newspapers and light it, soon as the fire was raging an effigy of guy faulkes was thrown on the blazing fire, we would stand around it roasting potatoes and for some reason black eyed peas?.
Also toffee apples and treacle toffee were traditionally consumed in large quantities...then out came the fireworks!........

[tex]

Re: A trip down memory lane

Fireworks, the highlight of bonfire night for any young kid, its been a long time since i bought fireworks but the ones i remember best were normally bought in a selection box which contained (as we called them) pinwheels,roman candles,air bombs,helicopters, rockets, ripraps and a selection of fountains. Bangers and sparklers were sold seperately and eventually bangers were withdrawn from sale because people (me)would throw them,ripraps were also withdrawn because of there erratic behaviour and helicopters also were withdrawn because they went up at any angle usually into somebodys face

[zabadak]

Re: A trip down memory lane

I remember matches which burned with a red flame and bangers - not seen either for a while, I guess bangers were banned...

[tex]

Re: A trip down memory lane

I remember matches which burned with a red flame and bangers - not seen either for a while, I guess bangers were banned...

The matches were called Bengal matches

[Donald the Great]

Re: A trip down memory lane

BONFIRE NIGHT.
So its almost november 5th again (bonfire night) do you / did you ever celebrate bonfire night or guy faulkes night as it is sometimes known?
Although i dont celebrate bonfire night anymore i have fond memories of it as a young kid in Salford, there were few if any organised events in the 60s/70s and we would build our own bonfires on the nearest piece of wasteland or even in the back entry behind the back to back terraced houses that i grew up in. As always in those days there was absolutely no fear of the dangers involved, we would go door to door asking for any unwanted wood such as old floorboards, doors or furniture which were used to build the bonfire, soon as it went dark we would stuff the bonfire with old newspapers and light it, soon as the fire was raging an effigy of guy faulkes was thrown on the blazing fire, we would stand around it roasting potatoes and for some reason black eyed peas?.
Also toffee apples and treacle toffee were traditionally consumed in large quantities...then out came the fireworks!........

My English friend tells me you still celebrate Guy Fawkes Nite or Bonfire Nite. I can recall Bonfire Nite like it was yesterday. Every kid in my small village/town looked forward to it. A day before the great day we kids collected all old wooden disused or broken items and put them in the designated bonfire reserve. Our dads would visit the local store and stock up on the fireworks. There was great anticipation as the hours counted down to the liting up the huge pile of wooden debris.

" Now stand well back from the flames" Mum would tell us boys. Then our dads lit the first of the skyrockets and we watched them flash into the nite sky and explode into their wonderfull colors. Meanwhile on the ground the Catherine Wheels, Horsetails, Roman Candles and Fountains sprung into wonderful life. The larrikan older boys would lite crackers and throw them at each other while we "angels" would enjoy ourselves with a sparkler. When the the flames were at their greatest one of the dads would toss a large paper mache of Guy Fawkes onto the fire to the accompaniment of much cheering and wooping. Then as the nite wore on the flames would dissipate and the last of the fireworks were lit. " Time to go home now boys" Mum would say. That was Bonfire Nite over for another year.

Why Australia stopped having this annual slice of tradition and nostalgia I do not know. Probably the do gooders lobbied to have it banned as they deemed it a danger. Will have to research it.

[zabadak]

Re: A trip down memory lane

The matches were called Bengal matches

Ooh, are they still available?

[tex]

Re: A trip down memory lane

Ooh, are they still available?

No, again responsible for a lot of burns and eventually banned

[staffslad]

Re: A trip down memory lane

Jumping Jacks were also a favourite when I was growing up, but I don't think they have been sold for many years.

[tex]

Re: A trip down memory lane

Jumping Jacks were also a favourite when I was growing up, but I don't think they have been sold for many years.

These were what we called ripraps are they the same as jumping jacks staffslad?

[tex]

Re: A trip down memory lane

No, again responsible for a lot of burns and eventually banned

On e bay......