Author Topic: Birmingham Mail Charity Boots  (Read 3983 times)

Tricia Benn

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Re: Birmingham Mail Charity Boots
« Reply #22 on: October 24, 2017, 01:18:04 PM »
I remember getting a letter from school to take home to my mom and I remember mom taking me in to brum town centre and I come away with boots and socks if I remember right it was the first par of new boot I had ever had in the past it was pumps  and I remember mom getting some black boot polish and I would sit each night after school and clean them at the week end they was put away and back to pumps


Thank you for this Roy.  It is lovely to hear personal memories as it helps bring the past to life, doesn't it?  You must have been soooo proud of those boots - I bet you could see your face in them by the time you had finished polishing them! 

Tricia Benn

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Re: Birmingham Mail Charity Boots
« Reply #23 on: October 24, 2017, 01:35:37 PM »
Those youngster look very happy, Phil, despite their family hardships.  It does not look like they had forced smiles.
Now back in the so called swinging sixties (and that is a contentious debate in itself) there was a trend to walk barefoot by some foolish people.  I often wondered how much busier the A&E departments were with self incurred foot injuries.  ;)


I'm sure someone will correct me if I'm wrong but I seem to remember reading,  some time ago, that professional photographers would pay children to pose for them.  I suppose that this was a good thing - otherwise we would have no records/photographs of those times.  I would far rather have social history brought to life in a photograph, albeit posed, than have to rely on my imagination.  And if people couldn't afford good shoes for their children, then they certainly couldn't pay to have their photographs taken.

roy one

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Re: Birmingham Mail Charity Boots
« Reply #24 on: October 24, 2017, 01:39:27 PM »
hi t/b yes I was proud of my boots  now the postman who lived in our yard showed me how to bone them and how to make them shine  and I did I must have had the best boots in b/heath mom got me some black shoe polish and an old vest  yes I was a happy lad but like all things before to long I got big feet and they did not fit any more but they went to a good home  by this time I had found ways to make a few bob for mom and me so I got me some new shoes
each day is a blessing and I bless each day when it comes

Tricia Benn

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Re: Birmingham Mail Charity Boots
« Reply #25 on: October 24, 2017, 01:54:09 PM »
hi t/b yes I was proud of my boots  now the postman who lived in our yard showed me how to bone them and how to make them shine  and I did I must have had the best boots in b/heath mom got me some black shoe polish and an old vest  yes I was a happy lad but like all things before to long I got big feet and they did not fit any more but they went to a good home  by this time I had found ways to make a few bob for mom and me so I got me some new shoes


I can remember the pride my father took in polishing our shoes and showing my sister and me how to do it "properly".  I guess that stemmed back to his Mail Boots like you. Better days, eh Roy?  We were brought up with good standards, together with respect for others - such a pity these things seem to be forgotten these days.  And now I'm sounding like a grumpy old woman!!!  ;D

frederick

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Re: Birmingham Mail Charity Boots
« Reply #26 on: October 24, 2017, 02:02:16 PM »
I remember when we were hop picking 1950. My cousin Graham Webb about 6 years old had those boots and he was wearing then without socks and his one heel the skin was rubbed off and caused an infection which went up the back of his leg. So he was taken to Hospital to have it treated.
Failure to Prepare is to Prepare to Fail

roy one

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Re: Birmingham Mail Charity Boots
« Reply #27 on: October 24, 2017, 02:02:53 PM »
hi  yes there was a firm in brum town centre that would come to your home and take a photo of you are your kids  and you could have in black and white or you could have it in colour black and white would cost you 4 bob down(that's 20 pence) and a shilling aweek until it was paid for now the colour photo that was two shillings aweek (10 pence)  the colour photo was took in black and white but a colour artist would paint in the colours   now I have got one of me when I was 18 months old in colour and the colour is still good I keep it in a big book to stop the light getting at it
each day is a blessing and I bless each day when it comes

frederick

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Re: Birmingham Mail Charity Boots
« Reply #28 on: October 24, 2017, 05:18:47 PM »
Roy,
I have one also. It was a school photo that was in black and white I would be 10-11 the colours of my hair, eyes, jumper,shirt and tie are written on the back.

Because I had two parents and me being an only child I didn't get any of those boots, but a few of my friend had them.

Failure to Prepare is to Prepare to Fail

Tricia Benn

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Re: Birmingham Mail Charity Boots
« Reply #29 on: October 24, 2017, 06:48:49 PM »
hi  yes there was a firm in brum town centre that would come to your home and take a photo of you are your kids  and you could have in black and white or you could have it in colour black and white would cost you 4 bob down(that's 20 pence) and a shilling aweek until it was paid for now the colour photo that was two shillings aweek (10 pence)  the colour photo was took in black and white but a colour artist would paint in the colours   now I have got one of me when I was 18 months old in colour and the colour is still good I keep it in a big book to stop the light getting at it


That was a lot of money in those days.  But I think that the photographs I was talking about were taken by professional photographers who were trying to record life as it was then, rather than taking a photograph by request and being paid to do so.  What a pity you have your photograph hidden away Roy.  Why not get a copy made (Boots the Chemist photographic department will do them) and then you could at least have the copy on display.

Tricia Benn

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Re: Birmingham Mail Charity Boots
« Reply #30 on: October 24, 2017, 06:54:38 PM »
I remember when we were hop picking 1950. My cousin Graham Webb about 6 years old had those boots and he was wearing then without socks and his one heel the skin was rubbed off and caused an infection which went up the back of his leg. So he was taken to Hospital to have it treated.


That must have been so painful for the little lad!  It's easy to understand why they gave socks with the boots.  I expect there were many others who had similar problems too - the boots looked far too sturdy for such little feet.


 

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