OneGuyFromBarlick

Far out, Gloria. You sound like an expert with half a dozen of them in your handbag!
The Maz is very impressed with your answer. I have no idea if it is a correct answer, just that it is impressive.

You put things so well Maz. I struggled to express how impressed I was with Gloria's answer but failed to find the words. I had to make do with thanking her.

Stanley wrote:When I was open all hours at Sough a little lad came in one day and asked for bum paper. I got a toilet roll out for him and he said "No! Bum paper!". It took a while to work out that what he actually wanted was the paper cases for buns.....

When I was a kid me and the mates all thought November the 5th was called Bumfire Night. None of us had got as far as asking what a bumfire was...

When I was a kid in Barlick the window cleaner told me he'd seen a man with as many noses as the were days left in the year. We spent four hours looking for him,me and my mates, and when I got home late for me tea ,my mum said we were daft cause it was new years eve,some lessons you never forget.

Wow - that's an old one. My Grandad told me the same story - and he was born in the 1880's.

I agree with you all, I think Gloria is a closet engineer. Dead right of course! Bit heavy for a hanbag. You reminded me of the time I decided to clean out my bag which I used for carrying my measuring tackle when I worked at Rochdale Welding. No wonder it was getting heavy, my mate Paul had but a very large rivet in the bottom wrapped in cloth!
Try this, I'm getting desperate!

Thankyou Maz and Wendy. The contents of my bag used to include an adjustable spanner and orange baling band--the mind boggles.

I admit to having had some pretty weird things in my handbag over the years ( especially when caring for little kids, who give all sorts of impromptu 'gifts').
But the thing that drew the most looks, was one of those huge metal office cello tape dispensers, which I shoved in my bag along with everything else I needed to post a parcel PRONTO. I knew I had to pack, seal and address the parcel as soon as the goods had been eyeballed by postal worker, so I went prepared with everything I needed.
Cut myself on the serrated edge of the dispenser trying to retrieve it from my handbag. Jaws dropped when I pulled this huge 'thing' out and put it on the counter.

Ha ha nice one Maz.

Orange baling band has to be one of the most useful things you could possibly carry with you. You could do almost anything with it.....

Tripps wrote:Wow - that's an old one. My Grandad told me the same story - and he was born in the 1880's.

No the window cleaner was only in his thirtys,couldn't be him.

So how about the last pic?

Eeeeee... (not-a-bliddy-clue)

A close up of an old button on one of your vests?
A close up of the rim of your pipe?

Would most folk have one?

No but you are right in thinking it's a close-up of a very common object Maz.

Screw thread on a 'stone' hot water bottle?

I thought screw top something, but when you look on the top left side there appears to be a square bit over the "join". How big is it Stanley? We need some sort of clue.

Lid of a tea caddy or biscuit barrel?

Would we have such an item in Australia?

The top of a clock or barometer?

Is it a re-heeled shoe? Fresh from Brian Birro's.

Ah...you could be right, Panny.
He did recently recover some forgotten slippers, didn't he?
( but who would think to upend them and photograph them?)

Well done Ian, I told you I was desperate! Maz, simple, a desperate Stanley! Its a steel tipped heel on me boots.
Now I'll have to think of another one!

Try this.... Tell me as much as you can about it.

Are they plier like things for ringing a bulls nose, or plier like things for gelding colts/bulls???

Some one went to a lot of effort to add adornment to these, so I would assume they are for household use maybe Nut crackers

Gloria has the idea, Mike is getting close but not there yet. Glad you picked up the ornament, high class work. Probably 18th century.....