The Men In White
 

Just to advise you that the Men in White are hoping to pay a brief visit to Accrington today.

These particular men aren't Bolton Wanderers fans - (although I suppose they might be in their spare time) - they're from the Tripe Marketing Board and they'll hopefully be stocking up local newsagents and any bookshops they can find with copies of my book Forgotten Lancashire.

If you see them, say hello! :)

Re: The Men In White
 

That's all I need another member talking (should I say It) TRIPE.

Good luck with your Advertising campaign!!

Re: The Men In White
 

...and good luck too with finding any bookshops. I reckon they'll have a job in Accy!

Re: The Men In White
 

A big thank you to Accrington for the warm welcome our delegation received today! In particular, thanks to the Abbey Street Friary which I went to for lunch following recommendations elsewhere on this forum. Other members of the TMB delegation ate elsewhere and I think I got the better deal!

They reported back that sales of tripe had indeed gone up in Accrington since all their publicity in East Lancashire last week!

I'm pleased to say that Forgotten Lancashire is now available in WH Smith in Accrington (as well as on Amazon, currently discounted plus with free delivery).

Re: The Men In White
 

Glad your visit was a success.

I did see your book on Amazon, and it's glowing reviews.

Although of the reviews, five of the eight say that they're not from verified purchasers.

Feel free to send me a complimentary copy...and I'm sure I'll find something nice to say about it.

:D

Re: The Men In White
 

It might be useful for the publisher to look at the 'Lancashire Books' website. There are two firms so named, one of them being Darren Woodhead, a Bash lad. He may be a member of this forum - send him a PM.

Re: The Men In White
 

When you say sales have gone up, are there more than one stall selling tripe in Accrington? I get a bit of honeycomb every week and only know of one shop that still sells it.

Re: The Men In White
 

Only place that sells tripe in Accy is on the Peel Street side of the open market.

Re: The Men In White
 

Thats the one I go to, it used to be "Bobs" until he retired. As its the only one I would have thought it would get a mention if the Tripe Marketing Board are in town ?

Re: The Men In White
 

I think the Tripe Marketing Board's a load of old tripe, and is really just a marketing gimmick, to promote this book.

;)

If not Sir Norman Wrassle can sue me.

Re: The Men In White
 

Clever though.

As apparently some of the nationals were taken in too.

Silly season update - what a load of old tripe | Axegrinder

:D

Re: The Men In White
 

It is clever, as I checked out the website, it says its based in Preston, I looked at the you tube link and that looked the real deal. I feel a bit silly now, I'm going to sit under the stairs for an hour

Re: The Men In White
 

Can't say I go for this sort of humour but it's been well done by someone who seems to have a lot of time on his hands - and can't wait for April the first...

Re: The Men In White
 

A very well done piece of promotion for the book and it certainly fooled a few newspapers (including the Evening Telegraph):

Bill Blunt: Tripe In The News

Hats off to you, Derek, I might even buy a copy now! :D

Re: The Men In White
 

Shut up, lots were taken in.

Great advertising campaign.

Probably better than the book.

:D

Re: The Men In White
 

Not probably, certainly, from the few pages one can preview on Amazon.

Re: The Men In White
 

I cant respond , I'm under the stairs

Re: The Men In White
 

You go and buy the book.

I'll go and move into the Editor's office, at the Telegraph.

:D

(Observer's thinking....'Phew, thanks Accy Web'...before going to print with the next edition.)

:D

Re: The Men In White
 

I'll slide the tripe for your supper under the door.

;):D

Re: The Men In White
 

No comment.

Unless I get a free copy to rave about on there.

:rolleyes::D

Re: The Men In White
 

You cant get honeycomb under a door it sloughs all the vinegar out of the holes, I've tried. And as you know honeycomb has to have vinegar in every hole.



I've just noticed Mr Ripley is viewing the thread, be careful what you say.

Re: The Men In White
 

Yes, the men from the TMB told me they could only find one tripe stall in the whole of Accrington, which is a bit of a shame. And yes, it was the one you mention, davemac. But they did say sales were up - and that's verified!

As for my book, well, you can always pop into WHS and have a flick through to see if those reviewers are right. I hope they're not. This is my first local history publication and I don't want it to be a laughing stock - I have my reputation as a local librarian to think of.

garinda - I'm afraid I can't send you a complimentary copy, but if you (or anyone else you know) e-mail Emily French at the TMB she'll send you a sample chapter. (emily at tripemarketingboard.co.uk). Emily runs the TMB Facebook site, I believe.

Re: The Men In White
 

That's Dr Ripley, please...

Re: The Men In White
 

It's a free country, davemac, so folk can say what they like. It's only a book, after all. Some people find it funny. Others won't like it. A bit like tripe really.

Re: The Men In White
 

Indeed. My PhD in Library Studies was hard won!

Re: The Men In White
 

No were old mates I just call him Dirk

Re: The Men In White
 

:d

Re: The Men In White
 

You are absolutely right, you can say whatever you like.

At what point does it become deception though. I cant respond any more as I am still under the stairs, with a bit of tripe stuck under the door.

Re: The Men In White
 

I totally ignore the reviews on Amazon now, unless it says they're from people who have actually forked out for the book.

I was caught out when I bought what sounded like an interesting story, set in an English prison in the thirties.

After reading the first few pages of the downloaded pap, I wanted to know more about this author, with their non-generic name.

The glaring mistakes were real howlers. All these guys 'sat about in their shorts, shooting the breeze in the prison cafeteria'. Research certainly wasn't her strong point. Thankfully it had only been relatively cheap.

Turns out it's an American lesbian, who's heavily into sci-fi, and all the rave reviews came from people who were also on her list of Facebook friends.

She attempted to get my review taken off.

She failed.

As you say Susie, make your own mind up as to the quality of writing, by reading the available sample.

Forget reviews which aren't from verified prurchasers.

Re: The Men In White
 

I don't think the TMB intends to deceive. They exist to increase sales of tripe by making people laugh (a bit like Marmite). The only deception has probably been me - I was led to believe they would promote my book and instead I have to do most of this myself.

Re: The Men In White
 

Thought Bob might have snaffled that tripe by now, or does the vinegar put him off?

(Derek - Bob is Dave's dog, in case you were wondering!)

Re: The Men In White
 

Derek, just had a shufty at the extracts from your tome on Amazon. Definitely, my sort of humour, so I shall be purchasing a copy forthwith! :D

Re: The Men In White
 

More power to you.

I think it's a great campaign.

I know publishers with massive marketing departments, staffed by supposedly the best in their field, who'd kill for the coverage you've got, at probably a fraction of their budget.

I hope it's a great success.

You deserve it, for all your efforts.

:)

Re: The Men In White
 

Oh good, that's one like (you) and one not (me), glad to be cancelled out! Definitely not my type of humour - but I do applaud the marketing efforts.

Re: The Men In White
 

I know another nutter, besides Wynonie.

So just this minute have bought a copy, as a Christmas present for them.

:D

Re: The Men In White
 

You are very kind and thank you. The budget is actually £0. (And you haven't seen anything yet!)

Wait until you see my next book, The Lost Films of 20th Century Spatchcock, which is due out in November. I particularly enjoyed Alfred Spatchcock's Dirty Rawtenstall Scoundrels and his Wizard of Oswaldtwistle.

Re: The Men In White
 

I hope you enjoy it. I think it's a profound new addition to the cannon of local history of Lancashire. I just wish people would take it more seriously.

Re: The Men In White
 

Doesn't live in Bacup by any chance?

Bacup Lancashire

Re: The Men In White
 

Expect an honest review...about speed of delivery, packaging etc.

As I'm a fairly speedy reader, I might even have a quick shufty whilst I'm wrapping it, and review what's in it.

:D

Re: The Men In White
 

It is definitely a Christmas present type book. A friend told me she was buying one for a mate of hers who hated local history books, just so she could see his face when he opened it. I wish I knew what she meant.

Re: The Men In White
 

Honesty is the best policy. Unless you're trying to sell tripe, in which case you have to bleach it and dress it, otherwise most folk would turn their noses up at it!

Re: The Men In White
 

I've only been to Bacup once.

I felt a little uneasy.

I think it was brought on by being relatively close to both Mad-chester, and Yorkshireville at the same time.

I left before the cast of The League of Gentlemen started dancing down the streets, clutching their hairy nuts.

:golly:

Re: The Men In White
 

Surely, you mean the canon of local history, unless you're planning to use the book as a lethal weapon? You should've asked me to proof it! ;) :D

Re: The Men In White
 

If I'm asked to dress tripe it will be in haute couture, with beautifully tiny pin-truck detailing.

;)

Re: The Men In White
 

As folk may already know, the county boundary has fluctuated throughout history, particularly and most dramatically during the Wars of the Roses when the residents of Leeds or Manchester could find themselves living in Yorkshire one week and Lancashire the next. This has continued down the years due to local government re-organisation. In 1891, the border town of Todmorden had to be moved 50 yards east whilst Barnoldswick moved in the opposite direction as part of the same arrangement. The residents of Barnoldswick refused to budge and existed as an enclave of Yorkshire inside Lancashire until they were forced to surrender after just two weeks when they were cut off by the Lancashire Electricity Board.

More recently, in 1962, Saddleworth became part of Lancashire but the cost of moving the small Pennine villages of Diggle and Dobcross brick by brick and the inconvenience caused was such that subsequent changes have involved moving the boundary rather than the buildings themselves.

The boundary with Cheshire is less controversial and has remained more or less the same for more than 1,000 years. Historically, it marks the line beyond which lived the Poshae, a tribe whose men drove expensive four wheeled chariots. Their women dyed their hair blonde and their bodies orange and wore garments made of fur but no undergarments. Today the boundary separates those who earn less than the national average wage from those who earn at least double. The population of Cheshire has been swelled by the southward migration of wealthy Lancastrians in search of cleaner air and cheaper salt.

Lancashire’s boundary fluctuations can be traced in maps, the most notorious of which is the so-called Filthie Mappe, purportedly drawn up in 1610 by the dyslexic cartographer ,John Seed.

The map caused such offence that Seed was hung, drawn and quartered. It was only later discovered that the map had been drawn up by a trainee on a work experience programme whilst Seed was signed off work with the plague.

Re: The Men In White
 

Ha ha I've only been once too, only recently, to see the nutters. But they came to Accy, when I was at the High School, to dance for us there, have no idea why! Seen them all over the place since then but not on their home turf till recently.

Re: The Men In White
 

Indeed! :D

Re: The Men In White
 

My nutter really is a nutter.

The book will have to go through quite a few security checks, before it gets through to their secured ward.

You have to post really early, like next week, to ensure they get things for Christmas.

Re: The Men In White
 

They do say once you've gone black, there's no going back.




I don't know where though.

Perhaps it's Ramsbottom?

Re: The Men In White
 

Don't think this is quite what you had in mind...

Electric Skateboards - Skate with power - Elektroskate - The most advanced electric skateboards on the planet - Fastest electric skateboard. - PIVOT PIN TRUCKS (Powered by CubeCart)

Couldn't even fit the cannon of local history on there!

Re: The Men In White
 

Have enjoyed this thread immensely, me dad always used to send me fer "Fatty Tripe Off Seam" when i was a nipper. was never my bag at all, but he loved it.:D

Re: The Men In White
 

Oh that is bad.

I think I'll move to Texas, become a lesbian, and get heavily into sci-fi.

:D


My only excuse is that I'm one finger typing, with my non-dominant hand, whilst laid on my side on a sofa, in a darkened room.

Ok, I'll get my passport.

:D

Re: The Men In White
 

I should have just bluffed my way out of that, and said pin-trucking was a now little used industry term for using small rivets, to fashion a frock.

:rolleyes::D

Re: The Men In White
 

Of course, there's a long tradition of making dresses out of tripe in the north west, garinda.

During the war when fabrics were scarce, women would make clothes from tripe
and throughout Lancashire there arose large numbers of tripe dressers (often
back-room businesses) who dressed women in the finest garments made of
tripe.
Probably the first to dress in this way was Lady Ha Ha, wife of the notorious
traitor Lord Ha Ha, who caused a sensation when she wore a magnificent
off the shoulder white dress made from the finest Lancashire tripe at the opening
ceremony of the 1936 Olympic Games in Berlin.

Re: The Men In White
 

Congratulations Derek and also to Bill as well.

I see that Bill happens to own the Tripe marketing boards website here,
TripeMarketingBoard.co.uk - Tripe Marketing Board
As well as promoting it on his blog

Very clever viral marketing campaign.

Re: The Men In White
 

I tried to coax Lady Gaga into wearing a tripe frock, at the MTV awards the other year.

The mad cow wouldn't, and ended up looking really offal.

Re: The Men In White
 

You're as daft as me.

I might like your book after all.

:D

Re: The Men In White
 

'Those doughty folk at The Tripe Marketing Board managed to wheedle their way in to the City Diary on the Times, yesterday...'

Bill Blunt

:rofl38:

Re: The Men In White
 

According to my own research, Boeing Guy, that Bill Blunt chap has been in the pay of the Tripe Marketing Board for at least 5 years...

Anyway, I imagine that there are plenty of industries out there who would kill to have a supposedly imaginary marketing board that could double sales of their product in a single week!

I just wish they'd spend a fraction of their budget on plugging my book.

Re: The Men In White
 

Lady Gaga as a poster girl for tripe? That would be fantastic!

Re: The Men In White
 

Perhaps you should have approached the Chorley Cake Institute.

Apparently they now have a massive marketing budget, ever since they were taken over by a Russian oligarch, who's now based in Hoyle Bottom.

Re: The Men In White
 

Rick Stein did feature the Accy tripe stall in his Food Heroes series.

Amazing to think how popular it used to be, in the 1920's there were 18 Tripe dressers in Accrington alone -not counting others in Clayton, Ossy and all the surrounding area.

(Info from the list at the end of this publication which a certain Bob Dobson had a hand in: https://prospectbooks.co.uk/samples/Tripe.pdf)

Something I could never stomach personally but my Grandad's generation loved it -it was a mainstay during WW2 particularly...

I suppose we're all a bit spoilt these days.

Re: The Men In White
 

Perhaps you can collaborate with me on Vol II of Forgotten Lancashire, garinda?

In the Blunt archives I found an awful lot of material about the Wigan School of Home Economics, so I was able to devote a chapter in my book to it. And I came across Chorley Co-operative Cattle Products, but nothing on the Chorley Cake Institute (although Sydney and Beatrice Website were reputedly killed by agents of the NKVD Cake Division operating from Chorley).

Re: The Men In White
 

Naughty -mentioning Chorley cakes! Would love one with my mid-morning tea!

Plenty of squashed flies around too after the recent plagues in a certain area of Lankyshire no wonder they're booming at an international level!;):D

Re: The Men In White
 

Sadly she's a bit ga-ga, and wouldn't hear of it.

I could call Kylie.

See if I could coax her into getting her trotters in to a pair of leaf tripe hot pants.

:rolleyes:

Re: The Men In White
 

And still very popular in Italy too, mobertol... Accademia della Trippa | Tripe Academy | Siti ufficialmente riconosciuti

Anyway, I could discuss this for hours, but the dogs need their walk!

Re: The Men In White
 

I have it from a friend that cow-heel pie is "to die for" -never had the courage to try it myself...

Re: The Men In White
 

My men eat it with relish -I refuse to cook it!

They cook it in a substantial minestone-type stew with large white beans in.

A speciality in the Cremona area is actually the same thing made with chicken's tripe!:eek::D

Re: The Men In White
 

I heard that Ms Gaga prefers to sing as mother nature made her. That of course is marketing tripe of another kind!:rolleyes::D

Re: The Men In White
 

You only went once:eek:you should be so lucky I used to work there:eek:

Re: The Men In White
 

Very popular in Peru too!

Cau Cau - Peruvian Tripe & Potatoes

Mrs H often asks me to bring some tripe home on my trips to Accrington. She then cooks it up to the above recipe, which I refuse to even countenance, preferring my tripe cold with black pepper and vinegar! ;)

Re: The Men In White
 

You've never heard of, or been to the Chorley Cake Institute?

Red brick building? Southport Road?

No?

Suprising. You being a man of letters and all, and we're told, historian.

It was founded in 1891, to give local unemployed bobbin carriers the chance to better themselves, if they didn't have the academic qualifications to get into that decidedly more prestigious place of further education, the Wigan Pie Polytechnic.

Re: The Men In White
 

Well its a long time since I read every post on a thread (maybe because Mancie and Kes haven't posted in it) and its pure trip:But having said that I have to say I love the stuff myself, but it has to be raw as it comes, just with salt and vinegar, preferably with chips but on its own sat on a bench in the town centre munching away, happen as well I can't get into the town centre anymore wouldn't have anywhere to eat it:D

Re: The Men In White
 

Derek, seeing the Tripe Marketing Board are a Ltd Company called LEB and have been trading since 3/3/12, based in Manchester, would you like me to post the Directors names and ages?
I find the comments regarding the Tripe Marketing board, well Tripe.

As I said earlier, a rather clever viral marketing campaign?

Re: The Men In White
 

In fact everything about you, the YouTube, comments on other forums (leyland), your blog, tmb all are very recent.
Very clever. Sold many books yet?

Re: The Men In White
 

Doubt if he would mind B.G. All publicity is good.;)

Re: The Men In White
 

I really hope so Cashy, the guys really done a great job with it.
But it is time to recognise he's been rumbled

Re: The Men In White
 

Yes, foolishly she turned her back on tripe.

She ended up going to the awards draped in her old beef curtains.

If you asked me she looked awful.

A real dog's dinner.

Re: The Men In White
 

Well one to me last night, and Wynonie makes it at least two.

As said earlier, I know people who are paid a fortune, who'd kill for a fraction of the press coverage this campaign has received.

Brilliant.

Though being the nosey sort, and knowing more than my fair share of nobs, a quick search on the supposed Chairman of the Tripe Marketing Board, the unheard of Sir Norman Wrassle, soon paid out dividends.

In seconds, actually.

:D

Re: The Men In White
 

Yes -it's a wonder the press don't do a bit more digging before they print their articles, garinda. And as for being rumbled, Boeing Guy, I'm afraid a gentleman in Germany got there before you and there's not a lot to rumble.

The Tripe Marketing Board is doing a fantastic job promoting tripe. I am sure there are many industries who would love to have a so-called imaginary marketing board that could double sales in a week! :)

Re: The Men In White
 

Well I smelled a rat right from the first posts on Thurs/Fri. But it's still a good campaign.

Re: The Men In White
 

Rats are good too ... nicely roasted, dressed with elephant garlic and white wine:theband: But I still prefer tripe, with ganja and a Bomber or six;)

Re: The Men In White
 

Don't know about rats but I've got a squirrel in the freezer - any decent recipes?

Re: The Men In White
 

I don't know ! I could eat her on a butty, well her frock really

Re: The Men In White
 

Am obviously one of those born with wool over the eyes like Davemac, Sue!

Wish you well with your book, Derek - have a few of ,(possibly), an ex-colleague of yours, Benita Moore who was a friend of my parents.

You obviously have a particular sense of humour -look forward to seeing it. x

Re: The Men In White
 

You might be the nutter I bought it for.

:rolleyes:

(I knew Benita too...more to talk about. I have some funny, not for a public forum tales we can share.)

;)

Re: The Men In White
 

Wool?

Smelling rats?

Pah!

I pride myself on being the first person on here to actually post...

'Look!'

'A rat, wearing a wooly bonnet that's too big for it, carrying a Tripe Marketing Board clip-board.'

:D

Re: The Men In White
 

Matto!:D

Used to be UCP Tripe -United Cow Products...with the red shield as a guarantee...I am well genned up for various reasons -you may well see at a future date (I Hope!)xx

More likely a lady carrying a platter of tripe and cow-heels:

Re: The Men In White
 

I studied to be a librarian at UMIST for a year with Benita back in the early 60's - there was never a dull moment!

Re: The Men In White
 

Same family susie, just that rats get a bad press, they'll have to employ the Tripe Marketing Board to do their publicity:D

Re: The Men In White
 

I can imagine -she was one on her own and a lovely lady...:)

Sent me one of her books signed and a video she and Gordon made of Accrington, during my early years in Italy, so I could "see" home sometimes and not get too homesick!

Haven't watched it for a while -i must get it out again -some great shots of the old outdoor market and all sorts of places.

Re: The Men In White
 

I was just thinking and I believe my mum said Benita grew up or at least lived for a while very near where you are now living...though I may be wrong -look forward to the tales!

Re: The Men In White
 

I remember the woman who won the first Masterchef series having her own programme after it, she cooked squirrel for a restaurant full of people and only revealed what it was afterwards -it went down very well until they were told what it was!

Can't remember how she cooked it though -it was fairly elaborate...

Re: The Men In White
 

Yes, quite near.

As in, in it.

:D

Her niece is my acupuncturist, and tells a great tale, whilst using me as a pin cushion.

:D

Re: The Men In White
 

Well there's now one more review of the book...from a verified purchaser.

Honestly?

I loved it.

Very funny.

Provoked genuine laughs, out loud.

I'll be buying more as presents, as this copy's staying put, in this nut's house.

Having read it, I'm more than flattered about your p.m.'d offer to pay me, if I'll contribute to the next book that's in the pipe-line. It'll be my pleasure.

Nutters need to stick together.

As the hymn of the Knott End Nut Turner & Polishers' Association, similarly implies.

Dislike recommending things.

As one man's sweetbread, is another man's poison.

Though if you're sometimes a bit of a giddy-kipper, you might very well appreciate, and find this book hilarious.

I did.

:D

Re: The Men In White
 

Thank you for your kind comments, garinda. It makes all the effort of the last six months worthwhile to find someone with a similar sense of humour. All we need to do now is find a few hundred more similar folk, and we'll be happy.

Re: The Men In White
 

Not kindness, just honesty.

It really tickled me.

I'd have preferred to dislike it.

Easier laughs to be had, when you're being scathing.

;):D

Re: The Men In White
 

I live in hope then -having seen your critque;):D

Re: The Men In White
 

Already decided you'll like it.

Don't put in on your list this Christmas.

;)

Just realised, although I've had two hampers of goodies from Italy, I don't actually have your address.

If 'The nutty English blond bird, c/o Castelverde, Italy' isn't accurate enough, please p.m. your post code.

:D

Re: The Men In White
 

As the only civilised person in this godforsaken place it would probably arrive!:rolleyes::D