Things in living memory which seem very anachronistic now

[styles]

Has anyone seen any/many new build "pebbledash" houses?

Our house came with a small pebbledash section, and it's even noted on the survey as requiring maintenance.

In my head the maintenance is easy - just rip the bloody thing off and clean the brick work! I don't even think they'll need repointing.

I absolutely hate pebbledash. It is made marginally better with a lick of paint but even then it just looks crap. And I'm also sceptical of the weather defence aspects of it.

 

[Bald Rick]

It is made marginally better with a lick of paint

Having painted more than my fair share of the damn stuff, it needs more than a ‘lick’. It takes about three times the volume of paint compared to a rendered or masonry wall.

 

[ChiefPlanner]

Ah, now that brings back some memories
"Old Man Overseas"

Or "Old man out" - indicating a "visit" would be appropriate !!!!

== Doublepost prevention - post automatically merged: 22 Aug 2026 ==

My grandfather trained as a grocer and later became a commercial traveller for Hartley's jams and other tinned foodstuffs. He'd go into a shop and if the owner was busy might volunteer to scoop sugar from the sack and weigh it into blue paper bags thus gaining his friendship leading to a sale.

I recall those blue bags made up at our local grocers, and cheese and butter both sliced into weighed packs wrapped in greaseproof paper - usually one large piece and smaller ones to get the weight just right!

From 14 years onwards I used to assist in my uncle,s Welsh dairy in London N7 as relief assistant for 2 weeks in the Summer - great fun doing the local milk deliveries then helping serve in the shop where is learned to cut cheese with a wire , slice ham etc and retail skills (told to over measure for some OAP's but charge "under" for some. Used a pair of catchers to bring down tins from higher shelves. (from the shop one could observe passing Deltics and 31's on block ender sets on the suburbans.........

 

[swt_passenger]

Large pebbles, yes. Built near Tring a couple of years back (google maps pic). Watched them do it, poor fellas.

Nice work, ‘knapped flints’ framed by brick, but a completely different technique to pebbledash. Quite common in Hampshire, allegedly the flints were common near the South Downs.

I always thought pebbledash was far more common in Scotland than England, but I’ve no idea if that has continued with new builds up there?

 

[najaB]

I always thought pebbledash was far more common in Scotland than England, but I’ve no idea if that has continued with new builds up there?

The newest pebbledash houses I've seen are the better part of 20 years old.

 

[75A]

Here in Northern Ireland Pebbledash is still very common on rural newbuilds.

 

[styles]

The newest pebbledash houses I've seen are the better part of 20 years old.

My sister-in-law in Scotland (Fife specifically) got a new build house which is currently I think 6 years old. It has pebbledash. The new builds they're putting up even today have pebbledash.

But then it's always been more common in Scotland anyway.

 

[AndyPJG]

I remember my parents and grandparents having ‘gas pokers’ to help start coal fires in the early 60s, they were connected just like a school Bunsen burner, just a rubber hose pushed onto a spigot.

My house (mid-1950s build) used to have 2 gas pokers (one in lounge and other for boiler in kitchen) but these were needed to light the coke not cola fire as it was in a newly designated post war smokeless zone. Takes a bit of heat to get the coke to light. (On bayonet fittings)

 

[najaB]

My sister-in-law in Scotland (Fife specifically) got a new build house which is currently I think 6 years old. It has pebbledash. The new builds they're putting up even today have pebbledash.

I don't recall seeing pebbledash in any of the new estates I've passed recently in and around Dundee.

 

[styles]

I don't recall seeing pebbledash in any of the new estates I've passed recently in and around Dundee.

Maybe it's down to the developers then. But certainly in Fife a lot of them are coming with pebbledash still, even built in 2026.

 

[DelW]

Nice work, ‘knapped flints’ framed by brick, but a completely different technique to pebbledash. Quite common in Hampshire, allegedly the flints were common near the South Downs.

There are bands of flints found in the chalk that forms the South Downs. Presumably equally common in the North Downs and the Chilterns, as they're the same stratum.

 

[3141]

There are bands of flints found in the chalk that forms the South Downs. Presumably equally common in the North Downs and the Chilterns, as they're the same stratum.

Yes, when we lived in the Chilterns estate agents selling both existing homes and new builds made a great thing about "brick and flint" finishes. Sometimes there was a substantial area of flint, but other times is was just a few token square feet.

 

[GusB]

I don't recall seeing pebbledash in any of the new estates I've passed recently in and around Dundee.

Roughcast or harling is very common in Scotland, but it's not what I'd consider to be pebble-dash. Most new houses around here have some kind of roughcast finish, as does mine (built in the 80s).

I always considered pebble-dash to be small rounded stones placed onto the wall, whereas the stuff used here is much smaller and more coarse.

 

[Statto]

Remember back in the day when Inter City & some long distance regional services had those window label stickers showing destination & calling points, they were done away with when trains got fitted with LED destination blinds, here's what i'm on about

 

[Ashley Hill]

they were done away with when trains got fitted with LED destination blinds

Still have them on the Night Riviera!

 

[styles]

Remember back in the day when Inter City & some long distance regional services had those window label stickers showing destination & calling points, they were done away with when trains got fitted with LED destination blinds, here's what i'm on about

Still get these on trains in some other countries. But then the train number is quite important in countries like India where the idea of running to timetable is about as honoured as following the road traffic rules

 

[GordonT]

Anyone recall the logo badge on Wolseley cars on the top of their radiator grille which lit up when sidelights or headlights were switched on? Quite a nifty marketing device for its time.

 

[Pit_buzzer]

Whilst we're on old cars, the early bmc minis had a very basic pull cord to release the doors from the inside

 

[swt_passenger]

Whilst we're on old cars, the early bmc minis had a very basic pull cord to release the doors from the inside

There was a bit of a knack to use the same cord to close the doors, I think?

Anyone recall the logo badge on Wolseley cars on the top of their radiator grille which lit up when sidelights or headlights were switched on? Quite a nifty marketing device for its time.

My dad had the Wolseley badged 1800 (18/85?) in the early 70s and I think it it might have had the illuminated badge?

 

[DelW]

Whilst we're on old cars, the early bmc minis had a very basic pull cord to release the doors from the inside

And the starter motor was operated by a rubber-covered button on the floor between the driver's seat and the gear lever. That threw a few people who were expecting a conventional switch on the dashboard (this was before the days of steering locks).

 

[Killingworth]

My dad had the Wolseley badged 1800 (18/85?) in the early 70s and I think it it might have had the illuminated badge?

My 1961 Wolseley 1500 had the badge. Can't remember if it still lit up when I had it, I was more bothered about the bits that fell off due to rust!

 

[Bald Rick]

And the starter motor was operated by a rubber-covered button on the floor between the driver's seat and the gear lever. That threw a few people who were expecting a conventional switch on the dashboard (this was before the days of steering locks).

Yep, my dad had a knackered old minivan in the late 70s (late 60s build I think) and that had the foot starter and cord pull doors. And lots of holes in the metalwork. I vividly remember being able to see the A3 through the footwell.

 

[ChiefPlanner]

Signalbox winter coal supplies delivered by rail - loco , and MCO + brakevan as a special (couple of handy blokes with shovels ,quickly done of course)

 

[Statto]

I remember some bakeries (think Sayers were culprits too] would sell standard Cornish Pasty's with a side crimp, then would sell a slightly more expensive Pasty calling it, Traditional Cornish pasty, but with a top crimp instead which is a no no, Cornish pasty should be made with a side crimp, a Pasty with a top crimp is actually called a Devon pasty. I believe you can add carrots to a Devon pasty which is a no no in a Cornish pasty.

Cornish pasty is made with swede (the recipe calls for actual swede not turnip), skirt steak, potato, onion, all finely diced & cooked from raw, you can add Salt & Pepper for seasoning, type of pastry is not defined (most bakeries use shortcrust pastry) but must be golden in colour & firm enough to hold the fillings.

 

[styles]

I remember some bakeries (think Sayers were culprits too] would sell standard Cornish Pasty's with a side crimp, then would sell a slightly more expensive Pasty calling it, Traditional Cornish pasty, but with a top crimp instead which is a no no, Cornish pasty should be made with a side crimp, a Pasty with a top crimp is actually called a Devon pasty. I believe you can add carrots to a Devon pasty which is a no no in a Cornish pasty.

Cornish pasty is made with swede (the recipe calls for actual swede not turnip), skirt steak, potato, onion, all finely diced & cooked from raw, you can add Salt & Pepper for seasoning, type of pastry is not defined (most bakeries use shortcrust pastry) but must be golden in colour & firm enough to hold the fillings.

This is some excellent knowledge. Meanwhile, our politicians can't even recall the railway station they last had a pasty at

I am now craving a Cornish or Devon pasty - I'll take either!

 

[Ken X]

Our Morris has a starter knob you pull to engage the starter. Foxed KwikFit on the Isle of Wight when we had a flat a few years ago.

We popped in and they said "just leave it with us and we'll sort it out for you. "

Dozing in a cafe, the phone rings. "Very sorry but we can't start your car. Turned the key but nothing happens". "Yep" says I, that's about right, turn the key, then pull the knob on the right marked S"

"Aah, that's how it works, all OK now"

 

[Ashley Hill]

Cornish pasty should be made with a side crimp

So miners could hold the pasty by the thick crimped edge with their dirty hands whilst keeping the rest of clean.

 

[D6130]

So miners could hold the pasty by the thick crimped edge with their dirty hands whilst keeping the rest of clean.

So what did Devon miners do then....wear gloves?

 

[Ashley Hill]

So what did Devon miners do then....wear gloves?

From Google:-
The crimped handle: The thick crimped edge served as a handle so miners could hold it with dirty hands and throw the crust away, avoiding contamination (such as arsenic found in the mines).
In Devon we hold it by the Warrens bag!