Floss was a handyman at Ramsgate’s huge funfair called Wonderland. He worked on the Big Dipper. Early every morning he sent two cars round the track loaded with sand bags, watching the reaction of the wooden structure as the car went round, to gauge any weaknesses. Next it was my turn for a free, if… Continue reading Pre WW2, The 30s,Enforced Holodays 2
Month: October 2010
Pre WW2, 1930s, Enforced Holidays, 1
Parents used to make strange decisions, with the best intentions and even self- sacrifice, but with little realisation what they were condemning their children to. Single parenting is not, and never was, easy, conscience has to be weighed against pragmatism, welfare, economic resources and what is possible. My mother decided I should not be kicking… Continue reading Pre WW2, 1930s, Enforced Holidays, 1
Pre WW2, The 30s, Discipline as a concept
I have had to exercise discipline on others, been the recipient of it being implemented in every form, from lines to a leather belt, and I have had to exercise it on myself, often unsuccessfully. Punishment in any form is transient, and in excess is self defeating. Take a simple example of shock treatment –… Continue reading Pre WW2, The 30s, Discipline as a concept
New Slants on the Economy
Some aspects of the economy, recently been brought to my attention, are in themselves are not unlawful, but they have a considerable effect on the viability of production in this country. A friend of mine recently had their house overhauled by a builder, and then asked him to carry out additional work. He said that… Continue reading New Slants on the Economy
Pre WW2, the 30s, The Secondary School
Oxbridge and ex-Public School staff ran our school on Public School lines – as closely as one could for a day school. We had PT every day, vaulting over boxes, doing running somersaults, walking the high beam and everything one can imagine doing in a fully equipped gymnasium, including a shower afterwards. We played seasonal… Continue reading Pre WW2, the 30s, The Secondary School
Politics, then and now
There used to be an apocryphal story concerning the visit of the Queen to the Chelsea Pensioners’ barracks. She had been talking to several of the elderly gentleman in their red coats, and she asked one how he passed his day, he replied,’ Your Majesty, sometimes I sits and thinks, and sometimes I just sits’.… Continue reading Politics, then and now
Pre WW2, The 30s, The Toboggan Run
For the sake of those who have only recently joined, here is a golden Oldie, to the rest, I ask your indulgence. I have said in the intro I was a latchkey child of a one parent family, I was also the baby sitter for a brother whose main aim was to gum red bars… Continue reading Pre WW2, The 30s, The Toboggan Run
Pre WW2,The 30s, Schooling in Britain
Returning to a British school in 1930 seemed totally alien from what I had experienced in Africa. The hours were different, I had to walk over a mile each way to school, morning and afternoon and the classes were bigger. When I arrived we worked with rooms lighted by gaslight in winter afternoons and, worst… Continue reading Pre WW2,The 30s, Schooling in Britain
PreWW2, The 30s, Butcher’s Backslang
In the ’30s, youngsters thought they were being terribly secretive , and of course, clever, by talking a simple ‘back slang’. I haven’t heard it for years, but perhaps I now move in the wrong circles. It was simple enough, you took the last letter or syllable of a word, made it the first, added… Continue reading PreWW2, The 30s, Butcher’s Backslang
Pre WW2 The 30s, Beefdripping
The Very Poor And The Not So Poor I would like to relate the story of me and the beef dripping. Not far from my Grandmother’s house was a Victorian slum building known locally as ‘The buildings’. It was not unlike a poor version of the tower-blocks of the 60’s, though without balconies, bathrooms and… Continue reading Pre WW2 The 30s, Beefdripping