The 'knocker-upper' and lamplighter

Gordon Booth · 25-11-2010, 13:58

I can't believe how times have changed-I saw a picture posted by staggeringman of a lamplighter and suddenly realized I actually REMEMBER seeing one lighting the gas lamps in our street in the early 1940's! Then seeing his long stick made me remember the 'knocker-upper' coming round in the early mornings-he had a similar long pole to knock on the bedroom windows of the mill workers(couldn't afford an alarm clock?). They paid him a little a week, I assume HE was always early clocking on!
Anybody younger than 50 must find it hard to believe how enormously things progressed by the end of the 50's, early 60's.Even in the 50's some people still had 'tipplers' at the bottom of the garden!

cashman · 25-11-2010, 14:08

By tipplers gordon, i assume ya mean the "Long Drop Bogs"? me nan had one still when she died early 60s.

Gordon Booth · 25-11-2010, 14:21

Yes, cashman. An outside loo, flat board to sit on,4 to 6 ft drop to a counterbalanced bucket above the sewer. When full its weight made it 'tipple' into the sewer with a big 'WHOOSH'.No water seal so they smelled.
We once heard a 'meiowing' down my grandfathers. We lowered a long brush and a big ginger tom climbed on-he was lucky his weight hadn't made it 'tipple'! He took some washing as I remember. Don't know why we washed it, it wasn't even Grandads cat!

cashman · 25-11-2010, 14:24

Quote:

Originally Posted by Gordon Booth

Yes, cashman. An outside loo, flat board to sit on,4 to 6 ft drop to a counterbalanced bucket above the sewer. When full its weight made it 'tipple' into the sewer with a big 'WHOOSH'.No water seal so they smelled.
We once heard a 'meiowing' down my grandfathers. We lowered a long brush and a big ginger tom climbed on-he was lucky his weight hadn't made it 'tipple'! He took some washing as I remember. Don't know why we washed it, it wasn't even Grandads cat!

same thing happened to me, came home from school one day n me nan had clothes prop down n next doors cat climbed out, i posted about that a good while ago, cant remember which thread.

Benipete · 25-11-2010, 14:52

Quote:

Originally Posted by Gordon Booth

Yes, cashman. An outside loo, flat board to sit on,4 to 6 ft drop to a counterbalanced bucket above the sewer. When full its weight made it 'tipple' into the sewer with a big 'WHOOSH'.No water seal so they smelled.
We once heard a 'meiowing' down my grandfathers. We lowered a long brush and a big ginger tom climbed on-he was lucky his weight hadn't made it 'tipple'! He took some washing as I remember. Don't know why we washed it, it wasn't even Grandads cat!

'twas the waste water from the kitchen sink that activated the tippler mechanism.

How things have changed.

jaysay · 25-11-2010, 17:57

Quote:

Originally Posted by Benipete

'twas the waste water from the kitchen sink that activated the tippler mechanism.

How things have changed.

Hey I don't know Beni I still have newspaper cut into six inch squares and stuck on a nail in the loo

jaysay · 25-11-2010, 17:59

I can just about remember the lamp lighter, he kept his pole in the council yard behind our gaff in Monarch St

Gordon Booth · 25-11-2010, 18:12

Quote:

Originally Posted by jaysay

Hey I don't know Beni I still have newspaper cut into six inch squares and stuck on a nail in the loo

The Observer used to have a lovely texture! What's it like now?

Barrie Yates · 25-11-2010, 18:15

Lonsdale St in mid '50s and Maden St after that - but we did have proper toilet paper.

jaysay · 25-11-2010, 18:15

Quote:

Originally Posted by Gordon Booth

The Observer used to have a lovely texture! What's it like now?

Don't know Gordon wouldn't wipe my backside with it these days

Gordon Booth · 25-11-2010, 18:21

Even in the 50s my grandparents, although they obviously had electric lighting, still had the 'fantail' gas lights in some rooms. They hardly ever used them but when lit they burned white and gave the rooms a lovely soft light like candlelight.

jaysay · 25-11-2010, 18:36

Quote:

Originally Posted by Gordon Booth

Even in the 50s my grandparents, although they obviously had electric lighting, still had the 'fantail' gas lights in some rooms. They hardly ever used them but when lit they burned white and gave the rooms a lovely soft light like candlelight.

Can't remember having them at home but my Grandmas Sister who live round the corner had them and can remember watching her light them with a taper

Eric · 25-11-2010, 22:40

Quote:

Originally Posted by jaysay

Hey I don't know Beni I still have newspaper cut into six inch squares and stuck on a nail in the loo

Finally found a good use for the "Mail" have we

? Hopefully, the coalition government will be issuing a few white papers for back up

Eric · 25-11-2010, 22:47

Quote:

Originally Posted by Gordon Booth

Even in the 50s my grandparents, although they obviously had electric lighting, still had the 'fantail' gas lights in some rooms. They hardly ever used them but when lit they burned white and gave the rooms a lovely soft light like candlelight.

My gran had them upstairs in her house on Victoria St. up until the mid-fifties ...

And I remember those wonderful cast iron fireplaces, with the warming ovens, and the thingimajig that you put the kettle on .... I think that the world as we knew it really started to head down the tubes when folks tore those wonderful things out and put the dinky little tiled monstrosities in ... or maybe the beginning of the end was the dumping of toasting forks in favour of electric toasters

ossy kid · 26-11-2010, 00:30

We bought an old cottage on White Ash Lane in the late 60s and the only loo was a tippler down the yard. Wish I had taken it out in one piece it would have been quite a conversation piece.