George's Notes
There was a time when quite a variety of itinerant “tradesmen” could be seen on our streets, each of whom had his special way of attracting attention – usually a special call or whistle. A familiar figure was the man selling clothes props; another, with his cry of “Tubs to mend”, always has us trailing round after him in the hope of seeing him set up the staves of a dolly- tub and fit the new hoops.“Carampeeets” was the cry from the man who came round in the evening carrying a tray full of crumpets on his head, and there was one enterprising character who offered to whitewash your [outside] toilet for sixpence. One man who certainly earned his money was he who walked round the streets on Saturday afternoon carrying two large baskets of celery which must have weighed thirty or forty pounds when filled. If his claim of their having been grown on Ashton Moss was correct, he certainly earned his money the hard way.
George Mainwaring
