Rag 'n' Bone men

Nor were we. Quite often some of our neighbours in Cannon Park had the same problem, after they had put out plastic sacks: the following day, the sacks were ripped open, and the contents strewn everywhere. I used to blame stray dogs, or foxes. One morning I was up very early and caught the culprits: there were about a dozen birds, crows and magpies, on the lawn, taking turns at pecking the sack open!

We still get the modern version of the rag 'n' bone man about twice a week but they want everything for free, no chance of a balloon or goldfish! When we lived in Dover Street we had the same problem with bin sacks but it was rats from the Lady Mayoresses Club. We ended up in an "Alice's Restaurant " situation with the council. They found an envelope with my name on it and decided we were dumping litter in the back entry and threatened to take me to court. In the end I had to produce photographs of the rats ripping the bags apart before they agreed to drop the case, it took about six months to resolve it

I have a theory that nowadays, the metal thieves have put the rag'n bone men out of business. Dover Street - cor blimey, that takes me back. My parents had an account with Coventry Factors, and I often accompanied them there, when very young. I vaguely remember their old building, and a church type building with a spire next door. Part of Dover St, and the spire, are still there. I parked there recently for a breakfast morning.

Rooting through old topics again and came across this one. I remember them as a child. But now wonder how they got the name of "Rag and Bone" man? I never ever saw any bones on his cart!!

At one time bones were collected ted to make glue ! They were very good at recycling in those days. You only have to look at various products that were collected for different trades, for fulling, tanning etc. I won't go into detail.

i think there was a time when they collected bones. presumably, they had value at some point. bone mills used to be quite common. I think there was one in longford. I assume they still exist. ditto for collecting rags. they would have had value. since the war it's pretty much just been metal that they are interested in. they provide a good service, particularly when you consider recycling is still a relatively recent thing. these guys were recycling metal for many years before it became common practice.

In the early days they really did collect rag and bone but by our day it was really only metal they were after. I did see one with a horse and cart a few times round the Longford area in the 90s. Now they tend to drive vans and you have to beware any metal left unattended. We lost a radiator put outside to be repainted and another time I caught one just about to make off with a square section of copper left out to dry after washing it off. Though on the plus side I've also got rid of a washing machine I wasn't relishing having to dispose of, the same way.

And there was me thinking perhaps they were the early day version of an undertaker's collection service.

You're thinking of Burke and Hare Unpleasantly there is still an underground market for body parts for medical purposes, which pops up in news stories periodically, the most recent just a month ago at Harvard Medical School here. That had an added twist that some of the body parts may have been sold for macabre 'art' and not something as positive as transplant.

Hahaha Just leave it on the doorstep. Collection day Tuesday.

On this, meet Pinky by John Blakemore, 1964, who haunted Hillfields. We know it is Pinky as my 2015 exhibition on Hillfields at FarGo attracted a lady who as a girl fed him jam and bread in the family kitchen, playing a game with her mum who would shoe Pinky out the front door.

I showed my husband this photo and asked him to guess a date. He said mid forties. Amazing that rag and bone men wore a suit and tie to work then. The photo could have been taken on Wellington Street where my grandma and grandad Hastings lived. If I remember right, the rag and bone man who came down Beake Avenue used to give a goldfish as part of the payment for our junk.

Hi Anne, I'm guessing the trades you mention would have only been supplied by slaughter houses?

Only what I have read about over time and I am sure Tony Robinson did some of these jobs on his worst jobs in history programme but it seams that dog waste (being polite) was collected in the streets in olden times for leather making and human urine was collected for washing in the fulling trade. There are a couple of sayings meaning very poor that use the land word for this ! Apparently the rag and bone man would collect bones and they would be used either in chemical or carved. obviously any one doing these jobs would have been the very poorest. (I have tried to explain in polite language !)

"human urine was collected for washing in the fulling trade" Does this mean that a "Wee Rag & Bone" man was not only in Scotland!!