Wednesday, January 31, 2018

BRIGG BLOG POPS OUT WITH THE CAMERA AND HAPPY MEMORIES RESULT


Happy memories of growing up in Brigg during the  1960s and early 1970s came flooding back as we took this picture.
Children with a bit of spare pocket money who had worked up a thirst playing football or cricket in the street or on the grassy area near South View Avenue would visit the shop at the Recreation Ground, attached to the groundsman's detached house.
They rang the bell to summon assistance from the groundsman or a member of his family and then requested a bottle of White's pop, costing just a few (old) pence.
The small family factory where they made the pop was off Elwes Street.
After it closed and the area had been redeveloped, the housing development was called The Bottlings - a nice link with the past.
The street sign on the right of our picture could do with a visit from the repair gang. It is listing to starboard. Or is it port?
Hopefully, someone in authority will make a note and add the sign to North Lincolnshire Council's 'for attention' list of small jobs.
The little shop at the Rec - not to be confused with The Little Shop on Wrawby Street - also sold sweets, crisps and ice cream.
The groundsman's house and the shop were demolished in the 1970s.
Originally, the house was occupied by the family running the farm which was bought by Brigg Urban District Council to form the Recreation Ground. It opened to sportsmen and women (and pupils from Glebe Road School) in the early 1950s.
The land purchase raised a few eyebrows at the time among ratepayers but proved to be a very welcome  and shrewed investment by the council, which deserves credit for looking to the future.
North Lincolnshire Council, the current owner, has now refurbished the Rec with top-notch changing rooms, new tennis courts and an impressive floodlit all-weather 'Blue Astro' pitch.
The cricket ground has also been revamped and Brigg Town Cricket Club will be using it for Lincolnshire County Cricket League games from May this year, having used out-of-town facilities of late, notably at Hibaldstow, Brocklesby Park and even Keelby.
In memory of White's, why not 'pop' down for a look at the 'new Rec', if you've yet to do so.

Older Brigg Blog followers will also remember LAWS soft drinks, based near the Spring's jam factory.  The company sent a van round housing estates in Brigg - and beyond.
We really looked forward to early evening visits by 'Cyril the pop man' when we lived in the Woodbine Avenue prefabs during the 1960s and later after moving to Central Square.
Cyril, with satchel to hold the money slung over one shoulder, took away the previous week's empty bottles and left the  new supply - a couple of bottles, in our case.
"Make it last!" was the instruction we received once he had returned to his lorry. Easier said than done, even in the era before 'global warming' came to the fore.
Today there's a very welcome move to get more soft drinks sold in bottles that can be recycled. We are happy to raise a glass to that initiative.


 






 

1 comment:

P.c. said...

Port is left side and designated by a red light. I was once in a harbour cafe where they had a framed picture entitled 'the captain left his red port on the table' Remember that and you can work starboard out.