Forums Forums Wirral History : Chasing the Past Wirral History Was it really better ?

I'll tell you something, the bloody plaster used to stick on better. Had minor surgery and had butterfly stitches and a plaster put on the wound, told to leave it on for 48 hours and then take it off "gently". Woke up in the morning and the lot had fell off and the sheets were covered in blood. Bring back the old Elastoplast which you had to get off with a chisel I say.

Remember the little rubbery bulbs of lighter fluid? That was good for getting the remains of Elastoplast off.

They remind me of the best lighter I ever had, cotton wool and wick, petrol fueled, it was also for lighting pipes and if held at a certain angle it became a flame thrower.

I bought a Zippo pipe lighter a couple of years back. Utterly reliable. That smell of Ronsonol Lighter Fluid. Those rubbery capsules of lighter fluid made great flame throwers. Pin hole in one end and press the capsule hard over a lit candle !!! (So I'm told!)

Pyromania - a grand hobby !

Thanks Pinz. Nice to be back.
Sorry about the spelling of flies(flys, as I put) a bit misleading.
So far as doing a 'Captain Oats', well conditions are a little better now but I think I'll take your advice and stick it out with the Primus.Ha Ha!
Christmas caught up with me and it brought to mind how our parents did our shopping about 2 days before.
All the shops would be lit after closing time and it was pleasant to go window shopping at any time of the year. None of the sinister looking metal blinds pulled down making a shopping area look like a God forsaken hole. Although we didn't have shopping malls then,only High Street shops.

Some of those old petrol lighters used to take your eyebrows off or singe the nostril hairs. Pretty dangerous. I take it we all used to smoke then? Sobrani Black Russian, Passing Cloud real 60'scigs. My sister smoked those,thought she was meant for a life of grandeur. She didn't do too badly and wore enormous hats as part of the role! A bit like Gigi.

Children finished school now I wonder if they still take their plate and spoon to the Christmas party.

Ah, yes; and Sobranie Imperial Russian, twice as long, but half of it was just a cardboard tube. Passing Clouds I remember, and Three Castles, also Sobranie Balkan Mixture for my pipe.

No mine just take a paper plate with there favourite food. I remember we had to take a plate and a spoon with your name stuck on with sellotape

Re: Geekus and workhouses.

Apparently in the 1860's Liverpool Workhouse was the largest in Europe so Birkenhead may have been due to overspill. William Rathbone was responsible for putting in a proper nursing system as he was so appalled by the conditions which existed within.

Times are hard now for many but thankfully I don't think we would ever return to the workhouse. Times certainly weren't better then. Unbelievable suffering, poor souls.

Even though the workhouses seemed and were horrific, they were the first source of social welfare which many were thankful of.Will they come back, hopefully not, but with homelessness on the increase they just might in a different form.

Bert, I think you could be right.

O my god. All the doom and gloom. Come on your cups are still have full, not half empty.

Our cups are half full but I'm sure there are many with half empty this CHristmas.

I'm sure Cameron is already drawing up the plans...

I don't mind if my glass is half full or half empty, just as long as it's a whiskey

From your little picture it looks like you've had a few already! What are you trying to catch?