|
|
Joined: Jan 2001
Posts: 13,858
Carpal Tunnel
|
OP
Carpal Tunnel
Joined: Jan 2001
Posts: 13,858 |
Dear slithy: Were you living in Florida when you had harvested ice delivered? Even in MA where I lived, there were some winters when ice did not get thick enough to be worth cutting. I knew one handsome young man who delivered ice. I could readily believe he had more offers of payment in kind than he could accept. Alas that such a lusty livelihood should no longer be available.
I remember how wonderful it was when we got our first electric refrigerator. I didn't have to drink milk that had started to sour.
|
|
|
|
|
Joined: Jan 2002
Posts: 320
enthusiast
|
|
enthusiast
Joined: Jan 2002
Posts: 320 |
No, Dr. Bill, this was in Maine. There was plenty of ice to be had there. I've sometimes wondered if, in those day, ice was shipped to places where it would not be available locally.
|
|
|
|
|
Joined: Mar 2001
Posts: 2,379
Pooh-Bah
|
|
Pooh-Bah
Joined: Mar 2001
Posts: 2,379 |
<<the guy up front had nothing to do with the heat>>
The guy in the back probably dropped out when the guy in the front hit the gas. That is, to give the internal combustion engine gas is equivalent to throwing coal in the firebox of a steam engine. Of course, it's just a guess. There is, incidentally, a wonderful sequence with chauffeur and driver together in the same cabin at the opening of Renoir's "La Bette Humaine."
As to lamplighters, Dr. Bill, the old (converted) gas lamps with attached iron wrungs still stand on the pedestrian crossing of the Brooklyn Bridge.
|
|
|
|
|
Joined: Jan 2002
Posts: 320
enthusiast
|
|
enthusiast
Joined: Jan 2002
Posts: 320 |
From "The Highwayman," by Alfred Noyes:
And dark in the old inn-yard a stable-wicket creaked
Where Tim the ostler listened; his face was white and peaked;
His eyes were hollows of madness, his hair like mouldy hay,
But he loved the landlord's daughter,
The landlord's red-lipped daughter,
Dumb as a dog he listened . . .
|
|
|
|
|
Joined: Aug 2000
Posts: 3,409
Carpal Tunnel
|
|
Carpal Tunnel
Joined: Aug 2000
Posts: 3,409 |
|
|
|
|
|
Joined: Nov 2000
Posts: 819
old hand
|
|
old hand
Joined: Nov 2000
Posts: 819 |
Once again, Geoff, you clearly live in a different world than I do. Blacksmiths, and farriers, are still doing a very good trade in horsey parts of the world.
Around here, farriers, yes, but blacksmiths, no. Oh, sure, there are the ornamental iron shops such as Troy mentioned, but they hardly compare to the old fashioned smiths. Just TRY to get them to make you a set of ice tongs! However, there is a resurgence in glass blowers, some of which are not just artsy-fartsy types, but makers of high tech stuff.
As regards chauffers and stokers, it is common parlance in these parts to refer to the non-steering partner on a tandem bicycle as the stoker.
|
|
|
|
|
Joined: Aug 2000
Posts: 3,409
Carpal Tunnel
|
|
Carpal Tunnel
Joined: Aug 2000
Posts: 3,409 |
|
|
|
|
|
Joined: Mar 2001
Posts: 4,189
Carpal Tunnel
|
|
Carpal Tunnel
Joined: Mar 2001
Posts: 4,189 |
For centuries there was the practice of farmers coming into the towns, villages, and cities to empty urban outhouses of their nightsoil, as it was called, to use as fertilizer for their crops. As this free service wasn't always guaranteed, there were very ambitious men who, for a fee, would provide this service regularly to the aristocratic and wealthy and then turn around and sell it for a small fee as fertilizer to the farmers as well. Don't know what these gentlemen were called, though, except for smelly...or how 'bout septic couriers? 
|
|
|
|
|
Joined: Dec 2000
Posts: 144
member
|
|
member
Joined: Dec 2000
Posts: 144 |
Another one which I imagine must be obsolete except in wine making regions is the 'cooper' - the man who made the barrels.
|
|
|
|
Forums16
Topics13,913
Posts229,317
Members9,182
| |
Most Online3,341
Dec 9th, 2011
|
|
|
0 members (),
688
guests, and
1
robot. |
|
Key:
Admin,
Global Mod,
Mod
|
|
|
|
