Keith Scantlebury

Re - the above , maybe you did have a casual approach to the handling of asbestos Vic; maybe your Dad did take some basic precaution Adam, but that does not make asbestos any safer. There are many who have been exposed to the stuff that have died of Asbestosis related cancers. I know quite a few people who have lived well into their 90's (and one who lived to be 103) who have smoked all their lives (and drank in the case of the 103 year old). Knowing of these people does not make it ok for everybody to smoke, as does knowing that Vic and Adams dad handled asbestos without any ill effects make the stuff safe for everyone to handle. The 103 year old that I mentioned was a man that I knew, who would bike to the village pub every day (about a mile or so). His biggest scrape with a "near death experience" was when he fell off his bike in front of the butchers van and broke his leg,,,,,,,,,, at the age of 98, he had a tab in his hand as well. From then on a neighbour took him to the pub everyday. He said that tab nearly killed him, so he stopped smoking. "Bloody smoking, nearly sent me to an early grave" ( at 98 ?, ) his words not mine !!

I can remember a hardware shop about there, we left the Market Place about '64 / '65 ( I'm not sure if you remember, your Alan will, when we lived behind Johnsons shoe shop) to live at Waverley Avenue. Much of that part of Vulcan place was derelict then and was starting to be demolished. Remember the row of houses below Oranges garage,( now Tyred and Exhausted)

If there was any asbestos in that building a specialist firm should have been used to remove it. They would have used the correct clothing and equipment and the building would have been shrouded to protect the public. I remember bringing several loads of scaffolding up from Bridgend in South Wales to be used in the shrouding of the power station prior to its demolition.

Totally agree Brettly. But as Malcolm says, the return of the pits is hypothetical and it is not worth arguing / falling out over. If they did return, I suspect that many of us will not be around to see them. Who knows?

Another of Foxy's pics

P.M keith, I left you a message

yep

you could be right (have I said that ?)

you could be right

Exactly, but as I have said before "Nostalgia is not what it used to be " is it ?

That letter was written a few weeks ago before the baskets were put up and the raised beds and planters were planted in the Station. However, the planters on the grass at St Johns were short lived. The primroses that were in them were nicked and the scroats who nicked them were trying to sell them door to door, they were only there about 2 days. I spoke to the parish councillor responsible for them and he says that they would now probably be moved somewhere else as he believed in an "abuse it, then lose it" policy. Personally, I agree with him, some people just love spoiling things for others. The grass at the Bank Top ?, apparrently this is a "grow wild area" as we learned on Wednesday night. It is a load of tosh because who would actually want to use those seats in such an area. An e-mail that I sent on Monday was passed on to the head of maintenance and the grass arround the seats (only) was cut on Tuesday. Prior to cutting it, you could hardly see the seats before the grass was cut. Also it was pointed out by a county councillor that it was hard to believe that even a grow wild area would be allowed to impede the footpath and the road. Then, predictably, the weather was blamed. One councillor actually defended having long grass because she believed it "would soak up all the rain".

Vic, you may be on about a different Oliver, as I said there were loads of them, That photo was taken about '67 / '68, so he couldn't been at the power station then. ( Times were hard I suppose, he could have done a night shift then school through the day, !!!! )

His sister, Sandra Oliver was in my class and his brother Keith Oliver was a year or two older. That was a big family, lived on Cornwell Crescent (I think) something like 16 kids. Remember a story that their dad was babysitting one night and a couple of kids whent missing in the street and people were out looking for them, obviously very worried. It turned out that Mr. Oliver had put the kids to bed, including a couple of extra ones by mistake. Dunno if thats true, but it should be, ha ha.

Knew them both when I was there Charlie. I was in the year above this though, ( all photo's would have been destroyed to protect the innocent ). Alison Short lived on Allgood terrace did'nt she ? I would never recognise them now ?

youv've lost me now !!!! bah !!

That lassie sitting in front of Bob Lee and the skinny lass on the same row in the green dress are doing my head in. Their names just wont come.

The motor club once had a bbq down there and had a group using the bandstand.

Darn , could have sworn it was you. Obviously my memory isnot as good as yours. The only one that I definately recognise 100% is my brother (sticking out on the right in the grey jumper). That was your class though, wasn't it ?

You might remember the music box etc. Keith, but can you remember this. Bottom left?

You've been on the Vera Lynn again, haven't ya ? I knew you would ammount to nothing when you were at the Whitley. Everybody knows that, used this way, the sequencer has to be operated manually, HUH!! Be a good boy and put the London Dry back in the cupboard out of reach.

As I told you on fb Col, if free beer is on offer I will polish the was board now, I know Malcolm has already re-clacked his spoons

Might have something to to with a certain e-mail. Cutting arround the seats is a start , but not enough

Not read through it properly yet Adam . Dry stone walling, Blacksmithing and Hedge Laying . 3 cracking trades. To lay a hedge properly is one helluva a skill and if done properly as with dry stone walling, will out last a fence by generations. Good money can be earned by those skilled in both of these trades. The skills of a good blacksmith will always be appreciated (not to be confused with a farrier). Could even make some new gates ..................

Nope,..... that is only a fault with the newer models

(Sucks in loudly between clenched teeth !!) There is no easy way to say this Canny Lass , the foo foo valve is completely fluffed up. De fluff the fluffed up valves by throwing the lap top in a bath of luke warm soapy water. If this does not work, ring your insurance company and tell them the dog did it. Iknow this is right because someone who whent to some of Malcolms free computer lessons told me.