Mobile and Home Deliveries

We had the McLanaghan brothers when in Prince of Wales Road for greengrocery, Harold Green for milk. Cannot remember who for bread - may have been Suttons.

I believe Kingy lived at the top of Middlemarch Road by the Rec. Could be a false memory, though. I remember his horse and cart, but by the 60s he had become motorised.

Could well be the same brothers, they had a small lockup opposite the Butts College long before area was re-developed. Many traders had their regulars to service, but nearly always could be heard shouting their trade as they went along the street, it did not take long to catch up with a horse and cart going at walking pace.

No more free goldfish, then? Or was that just from the rag ‘n' bone man?

Don’t remember seeing the rag and bone men but I think they were around. Knife sharpener though. Talking of catching the horse and cart, some people used to wait until it had gone and shovel up the s**t to put on the their rhubarb. We preferred custard on ours. I know if mum was going down the shops and Kingy was in the street she would wait until he had gone because she thought he was expensive. I can remember when we used to get some fruit wrapped in tissue with pictures on which I collected (unless it was needed in another department and hung on the nail!).

Dream, I well remember the rag and bone man when his horse and cart came down Wyver Crescent. No goldfish but a toy windmill on a stick with some shiny material for the 'sails' and the distinctive cry for his wares "Any old rag and bone oh”, which sounded to me like "N ee ol rag'n bone O", all jumbled together!

What about the Betterware brush man and the Encyclopedia salesman? I still have my 12 vol. Arthur Mee's Children's Encyclopedia. I don't know what my parents paid for it or how they afforded it but it was a great investment for me and later on, my sister and brother.

Not so much a delivery, but more of a demonstration. Was anyone ever subjected to a vacuum cleaner man knocking on their door offering to sweep your carpet and then buy his sweeper on the never never?

'Any old iron', or was that just the song? I recall gypsies used to make regular visits down Batsford Road in Coundon. The neighbours used to warn each other they were coming down the street.

You got cursed if you didn't buy their pegs!

Hi all, hi Anne. I'm have some glug glug in my Morrison's order, but not a Coventry brew. They do have Byatt beers in store sometimes, but will make do with Abbott & Timothy Taylor with my grocery delivery on Wednesday. It's beer at home means Morrison's! Where have I heard that before. Oooooow, nice!

I think Dad had Davenports. I preferred the Corona pop man myself. Loved their Orange and Dandelion and Burdock but fizzy pop was a treat. If we were thirsty it was “there is plenty of water in the tap”. I used to be sent to the outdoor by Crampers Field on a Saturday for Mum and Dad’s treat of a nourishing stout and either a grapefruit or a Babycham. No restrictions then on kids fetching booze! PS. Philip, ditched the sticks completely now round the house, just use one outside. Should be doing more walking but it is too hot!

Hi Anne, Does anyone else feel some Brills coming on!

Do you remember the Alpine pop delivered to the door ?

Yes, now you mention it I do remember Alpine pop as well, but can’t remember if Corona and Alpine came round at the same time.