Brown St.

[darran]

Hi Eirwen

It was a long time ago! I only remember milk in bottles but I do remember Williams the baker delivering with a horse and cart.
Where in Surrey are you? We are virtually on the Surrey border but in Hants.

Sheila

[JohnPitt]

Hi New to the site. Il ived in Duffryn Street 1939-1947. If my memory is correct I remember going down to Brown street to a house where we could buy toffee apples. Also remember Johns the Book Sellers [near to 93 Duffryn Street] . Think Ronnie Morris lived 3 doors from me. Remember a policeman that always had a bloodshot eye[put the fear of god in me].Anyone else remember any of these things.

Wow copper with a bloodshot eye! nope sorry I must be quite a bit younger than you Eirwen even if you were born in 39. [?]
Johns the Book Sellers yes that name is familiar. we use to buy faggots Faggots & peas now there's a home meal from the valleys. Williams - fish and chip shop the chineese at no 12 used to be Williams fish & chips. By the early fifties, horses were becoming rare, but the exceptions were various rag & bone men, Rossiters wood & coal merchants (Protheroe Street) Can't remember much else only remember milk coming in milk bottles - remember the 1/3 pint bottles at school? big crate every day.
Nice to have you here - keep posting.

[eirwen]

What about the man that used to put the street gas lamps on/off every day with a pole which had a hook on the end. I also used to get a tobbacco tin put a hole in it tie some string to it and fill it up with wet clay. Then we would go to a house near to a bus stop and see if any money had been dropped through the grilL that was in the pavement which allowed light into the basement of the house. If any money was there we would lower the tin down on top of the money and then slowly pull it up hoping the money stuck to the clay. Then off to the chip shop.Funny how one can remember things that happened a long time ago but cannot remember current day things.

[JohnPitt]

What about the man that used to put the street gas lamps on/off every day with a pole which had a hook on the end.

!! Yes I remember the gas lamps and the lighter man. Then, for the Queen's visit, the main roads were given super tall super bright electric discharge lamps sort of yellowy bluish colour then a few years later all Rhondda side streets had the powerful orange 'sodium' lamps.

I also used to get a tobbacco tin put a hole in it tie some string to it and fill it up with wet clay. Then we would go to a house near to a bus stop and see if any money had been dropped through the grilL that was in the pavement which allowed light into the basement of the house. If any money was there we would lower the tin down on top of the money and then slowly pull it up hoping the money stuck to the clay. Then off to the chip shop.Funny how one can remember things that happened a long time ago but cannot remember current day things.

Well that was a clever trick! wished I had thought of it!

[GaryLockyer]

Gas lampman coming around night and morning is still vivid in my memory
John, you mention the Queen's visit.
How about two other events I remember distinctly.
1951 Festival of Britain celebration and 1953 Coronation.
Both of these events marked by STREET PARTIES.
Everyone bringing out their tables and chairs and lining them up down the centre of the street. Street decorations, bunting across the roads, flags of all shapes and sizes.
Festival of Britain 'graffiti' that is most clear is the 'mural' of a Britannia Head over a geometric design that was painted on the Mens Toilet block on the corner of Oakland Tce and the bottom of Graig Tce.
In 1953, the LAST thing to come off rationing occurred.
That was CHOCOLATE. Just in time for the Coronation.
So, that made the street parties even more special. Everyone's mum trying to outdo the neighbour by cooking chocolate cakes of all sizes and description.
Masterchef - eat your heart out.
Going to drool, and post elsewhere now........
Gary

[Becca54]

Right there on the corner next to the builders yard was Ferndale's very own (roller) skating rink! .

When I started on my Family History I talked to my only "Palmer" uncle left alive. Uncle Gilbert told me that his (and my mother's) aunt Alice Palmer was Welsh roller skating champion.

This post reminded me of that fact.