Do you know about 'back-knacking'?

[Cathy Yates]

Apparently 'back-knacking' was a popular activity amongst the lads of Walkley in the 1940s and '50s. It involved travelling long distances on the tops of boundary walls and the roofs of outside lavs! I discovered this fascinating piece of information from a new book, 'If Yer Not Ard Ya Shunt A Come' by Margaret Parkin.

The book tells the story of Bernard who was born just months after the devastation of the Sheffield Blitz.There’s little left now of the working class Walkley of the 1940s and 1950s that he fondly remembers – the characters and landmarks he describes so vividly are long gone.

His childhood was often clouded by his father’s cruelty but he also lived through decades when children had freedom today’s youngsters would struggle to believe.

As ‘one o’t’ lads’ young Bernard got up to all kinds of crazy pranks and mischief – an ‘Anderson Shelter sledge’ and classroom high jinks with a stink bomb are just a couple of his favourites.

But it was his drive to explore the world, master new skills and make something of his life, despite his unpromising start, that really sets Bernard’s life apart.

In 1962 he found, in caving, what he had been looking for and it became his passion. The sport, the camaraderie and the thrill of being one of the trio who discovered a whole new series of cave passages at New Oxlow made this a high point of his life.

The book is a good read - very interesting and, sometimes, vey funny.

(You can get it from acmretro or the Star Shop).

[carosio]

I think we used to call it "back whackin" or "back scratchin" when I lived in Walkley. Once got caught and had to give my name and address!

[Cathy Yates]

I wonder how long back-knacking went on for? I'd have had heart-failure if my kids had done it. Were lads still doing it up to the time when Walkley was redeveloped?

[Cookingfat]

the proper title if you from sheffield should read "if dars not ard da shunt come"

[carosio]

Well, obviously lost interest as I went into my teens, but kids probably still at it up to mid sixties.

[sid63]

We used to call it" back-crossing" when i was a lad on the cross.We would start on a gennel then literally cross every back garden as fast as we could,through privets round shed's, greenhouse's the lot,all by the light of the moon (no security lighting then). There would be up to fifteen of us at it,remember once one garden had a black 6 foot high wire fence,everyone of us hit it at the same time(could'nt see it in the dark) result was 8 lads flat on our back's covered in horse manure (served us reight)

[bern351]

@cooking fat: Da may be reight about dialect mate bur if da reads book dall see its is a quote. That is exactly the way it was said ( I know, I was there ) and it became a catch phrase still used to this day in caving circles.

Yes the book is about me, written by my wife Margaret. Available from the Star shop and acmretro.

@cathy: Back knacking was a passtime we thoroughly enjoyed in the dark in winter months. As kids we never even thought about the danger but as a parent I would have had heart failure if I thought my kids were doing it. I presume it carried on until at least the 70's. We didn't have tv's, computers etc in those days so we spent most of our time in the streets and gardens getting up to mishief.

I hope you enjoyed the book.

[nutty-nanny]

I have Just ordered 2 copies of the book... By the way Uncle Bernard, I am Joan's eldest daughter xxx

[bern351]

Well Jean fancy seeing you on here, that's a turn up for the book Hope you enjoy it.

[Arfer Mo]

does anyone know if the winter fuel is

 

still available Arfer Mo