Who remembers the Rag & Bone Men

[Wattsy]

The one I remember was at Shiregreen when i staye at my Nans, shed send me out with a carrier bags of rags. People would also go round collecting the horse manure for their gardens after.

[Salster!]

There was one that used to come round randomly when i was a nipper in Rotherham, (Brecks area), I also seem to recall one around Siregreen a few years back

[mikeG]

I remember them coming round Crosspool in the '50s. A friend of mine claimed that some 'bone men shouted 'Donkeystone for old rags.' Donkeystone, I think being white stuff used to whiten front door steps.

[deelightful3]

yeah used to give the kids balloons when you gave him something and back then i was happy to get one,now kids would just look at him gone out.

[haystack]

i remember the rag and bone man. he used to come up hillsborough. he would give out balloons. i gave him my tiny tears doll cos I wanted a balloon, but when i just was going to put the balloon in my mouth and give it a good blow my grandma snatched it out of my mouth and threw it in the bin telling me it was 'dirty' Does anyone know what happened to my tiny tears?

[coyleys]

We have had this topic before, and here we have a photo ---

 

http://www.ronsandersoncollection.com/display-photograph.asp?id=142&gallery=3

[Don_Kiddick]

There used to be on came down East St in Dinnington.

 

Me n my cousin would trawl the streets for old metal stuff just for a balloon!

[Wattsy]

We have had this topic before, and here we have a photo ---

 

http://www.ronsandersoncollection.com/display-photograph.asp?id=142&gallery=3

 

 

Lovely to see that photo, Proper Steptoe and Son.

[atlex48]

There was one known as "chippie" who used to come round our aea in Attercliffe. His "yard" used to be on Alfred Road and we,as kids would take stuff like rags and scrap metal down there in prams. The actual name of the "business" was "Collins Scrap"

[billsaville]

I was once given a day old chick for some rags by the ragman on parson cross. It lived and thrived and became house trained. My mother called it Helliwell because it followed her around ( A chap called Helliwell used to write a column in the "People" called "follow me around"). Unfortunately it chased the rent man pecking at him. The council gave us notice to quit if we didn't get rid of it. It was discussed at length and we decided to have him for Sunday dinner (We never normally had Chicken, couldn't afford it). I came home from school one day and went to get some coal for the fire and hanging on the back of the door was Helliwell with some newspaper round his head. The milkman had killed him for us. My stepfather plucked him and he was served up for Sunday dinner. It was however a very sparse and vegetarian dinner as no one could bring themselves to eat him. This would be in the late forties.