Re: The 'knocker-upper' and lamplighter
 

Only read the Mail on line Eric:D

Re: The 'knocker-upper' and lamplighter
 

How do you keep the monitor clean:confused:

Re: The 'knocker-upper' and lamplighter
 

My grandmother was a "knocker upper"each friday i had to go round the area and collect her knocking up money.that would be about 1950.

Re: The 'knocker-upper' and lamplighter
 

Wt wipes:D or scrunched up copies of the Guardian

Re: The 'knocker-upper' and lamplighter
 

Mi mother was one too, she used to knock on mi bedroom door every morning and shout get up ya lazy sod:D:D

Re: The 'knocker-upper' and lamplighter
 

You would be well advised not to tell any Amnetricans that your granny was a knocker up, as it has a meaning over there simiklar to our term - knocking off, as in. " Ah were knockin' mi mate's wife off"

Re: The 'knocker-upper' and lamplighter
 

Ya and don't go into a shop and ask for a rubber if your after something to rub pencil lines out with either:D

Re: The 'knocker-upper' and lamplighter
 

I remember when the Todmorden Council installed little clocks in the gas lamps to turn them on and off thus saving a few mens wages, there was uproar and suspicion that these "New fangled devices" would explode and wipe out half the street.
I can't recall a "Knocker up" but we did have two mill hooters, one went at 7am to waken workers and the other at 7.30 am to signal the starting of the mill engine. Only two mills in the village so it worked well. The next rude awakening was my ma shouting up the garret steps telling me it was 8.30 and time to get up, all the lane heard her.

Re: The 'knocker-upper' and lamplighter
 

"8.30 and time to get up" - you were obviously still a schoolboy.
I started work before that time, as most people did.

Re: The 'knocker-upper' and lamplighter
 

No Margaret I was attending the Calder College for Further Education and our class started at 9am, I was on day release from work as an apprentice engineer.
I had left Grammar School but got up earlier then to catch the school bus or walk the two miles down the valley. Bus fares were repaid in those days but my ma gave me the money and the school paid it back four times a year, no matter what the family income.
I would buy sweets with the money and walk on some days then give the sweets to my favourite girl friend, Oh happy carefree days behind the bike shed. Bike shed by the way has two meanings, I only knew one and didn't have a cycle.

Re: The 'knocker-upper' and lamplighter
 

In Canada, to "knock someone up" is to impregnate her. And someone who is knocked up or KU'd is pregnant.

Re: The 'knocker-upper' and lamplighter
 

It means the same here but of course we'd never say that-we're British, don't talk about such things don't you know,by gad.
These colonials! Don't let them change you, Eric.
Gremlin, 'garret steps', that's a new one on me. Is that a Yorkshire one?

Re: The 'knocker-upper' and lamplighter
 

gar·ret

(grt)
n.
A room on the top floor of a house, typically under a pitched roof; an attic.= attic.

Re: The 'knocker-upper' and lamplighter
 

nooo, he's alright to say that, my great gran was a 'knocker upper' not a 'knocker offer' ;)

Re: The 'knocker-upper' and lamplighter
 

I were a knocker off Shaz always knocked of at 5pm:D:D