London 1920, and the jobs you'd not want to do ...

[dogtag]

especially his - the telephone line inspector:

https://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/art...portraits.html

Street sweepers, buskers and sweeps lasted well into the 40s.
Gas fitters' braces were brass (anti spark) but the twist bits were steel.
(from my old tool collection)

[Sandpebble]

Here ya go DT ..... just for you

The Organ Grinders Monkey….

There is a name for the condition I suffer though I can’t remember what it is. I can easily reach back through time to grasp very vivid memories from as young as three years old while being totally oblivious to where I put my keys 15 minutes ago. The memories are more fun than keys any way…..

I remember the very special England of my youth …..mostly English people lived there then and were permitted to believe there was nothing wrong with that. There were donkey rides to be had at the seaside and big portions of fish and chips served in news paper and the hawkers on the London streets provided not just things we wanted….they provided street colour and a taste of British culture.

“ Ave yer Nippers pitcher took wiv a monkey Luv ?“ was what the old fashioned Cockney organ grinder called out to my Mum. I’m sure there are few who can remember actually seeing these guys on the streets cranking out tinny tunes while the monkey passed the tin around for donations and that’s a shame. I remember them ….

“ Please Mummy…I want to hold the monkey …..please .” was my plead and what mother could resist a picture of her “nipper” holding something so adorable ? And so the deal was done and I found myself standing on that crowded London pavement excitedly holding that exotic and rare animal while the camera man readied and the organ grinder ground when……

The little bastard bit me on the left friggin ear causing me to excite not only the monkey, but my Mother with my loud wailing . Mum can quickly turn aggressive and the poor organ grinder very nearly became my first memory of street violence as the crowd stopped to enjoy the ensuing argument.

Many years later on a hike through the jungle on the Malay Peninsula a band of chattering monkeys followed after me in the tree tops and the memory of a three year old child came rushing back to remind me that …….

I’m still very afraid of monkeys

[dogtag]

Those monkeys were probably good pickpockets. I remember them well.
Also the buskers outside the Odeon entertaining the queue.
Cockels at Southend, where when tide went out you had a ten minute walk just to get your feet wet.
I dislike monkeys, but I really like Orangutans (Clide). Chimps will kill ya.

[JohnPeeff]

Sandpebble, don't go to Gibraltar the place is overrun with monkeys !