Wednesday, November 09, 2005

Remember,
(Firework night reprise)...

I used to love firework night when I was a kid. The ‘club man’ dressed in gabardine mac’ and pulled down trilby would knock on the door of our house a few weeks before the big day armed with his ‘Bommy suitcase’. Forget leaflets with photos. In the suitcase was the real thing, packs of fireworks made by what we considered to be the most dangerous manufacturer of all time – ‘Brocks Fireworks’.

The smallest box was the cheapest – priced at a frugal price of one shiny English shilling. Within that box was the odd ‘Golden Rain’, a triangular ‘Mount Etna', a token Roman Candle and a few hand held fireworks that were strictly for the wussy Walters of this world. Next was a 2/6 box (12.5p) – as before with a couple of rockets, a few Catherine wheels and some Bangers. The boxes went all the way up to the gargantuan 1 quid box. Absolutely massive; the stuff of pyrotechnic dreams.

A quid box of fireworks was way out of our league. They were intended for the posh kids whose parents drove Hillman Hunters or Rover saloons, poured themselves a gee and tee when they got home from work and got the Radio Times every week.

My Mum always settled on a 5 bob box (25p) – real class, but not too ostentatious. The 5 bob box had everything, - Roman Candles, Bangers, Catherine Wheels, Versuvius’s, Air-Bombs and……. ’Rip-raps’. What a superb firework rip-raps were! Dangerous, unpredictable and full of street cred. Even lighting them was a bit of a challenge, because they bounced about a lot, in a rip-rappy sort of way. They looked like a snake folded back and forth, back and forth. The more you paid, the longer they were. And the longer they were, the more bangs and jumps you got.

Young rapscallions would throw them at people’s feet. Each time they banged, they would bounce – and a long one would bounce perhaps 20 times. What fun, what joy. They used to drop into chaps turn-ups or ladies knee length boots. Third degree burns were all so innocent then….. Eventually, like all instruments of torture, they were banned……

Also within the box would be a packet of ‘Bengal Matches’. Now these were really, really dangerous. They were like a big match with a black head, which was about an inch long. When you struck the match they would burn so brightly it would light up a star system. Napalm on a little stick they were. They burned in different colours – and all at the heat of the inner core of the Sun. They got banned as well.

Once the deal was done – and we’d agreed to pay the clubman a shilling a week for 5 weeks plus sixpence deposit, the fireworks were ours – all 5 bobs worth of them.

As a special after sales treat, the clubman would give us a box of indoor fireworks. These were deemed to be not as dangerous as the outdoor versions, but you still lit them with matches. Smoke still spewed from little ‘Mount Etna’s’. Kids still got burnt, houses still got burnt down. They got banned as well.

Come to think of it, so did the Bangers…….

10 comments:

The Crafty Cruiser said...

Great post Alfie. Me and my mates used to like fighting with roman candles which we aimed at one another. I used to like those Aeroplanes. We put a lad under a skip once and set fireworks off on top of him. Good harmless fun.

Anonymous said...

Excellent stuff - really brought the memories flooding back!

I remember those folded fireworks, but I don't recall the name 'Rip-raps'. I think we knew them as 'Jumping Jacks'.

There always seemed to be at least one dud firework in every selection box - usually the one with the most exciting description!

©gloop said...

Nostalgia! We used to have Brocks fireworks as well - evrybody else had Standard.

wonkotsane said...

Tenner for the guy?

Bit before my time all this Alfie.

Jennytc said...

5 shilling box of fireworks - that's waht we had too. Better off friends splashed out on the 7/6d one.

User451 said...

Rip raps, that brought the memories back, my dad threw one under the toilet door when my mum was in there... outside bog in those days.... or "petty" as my dad still calls it.

Shooting Parrots said...

I once had the bright idea of throwing a rip-rap on the fire. Not a smart move. The thing started bouncing round the room and left me with the job of getting rid of the telltale smell before my mum came home. Happy days!

Janet said...

Hello Alfie...

Thanks for dropping by Lord Celery...and commenting!

But the 25th of SEPTEMBER? GOOD LORD...I just can't believe that!

I'll come by from time to time and see what you're up to...and I hope you do the same!

Janet

(lordcelery.blogspot.com)

Laura said...

Why are they still setting off fireworks, as of last night, I might add? Our dog is starting to suffer from PTFD. I'm having to clean the tub everymorning since he now spends every night jumping in it and staying there.

Arrrrgggggg.

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