FOOTBALL
When the pig was killed the bladder would be cleaned and then inflated by inserting a pipe stem in the neck of the bladder. When inflated the bladder was wrapped in old woollen socks and was then ready for use, Local farmworkers would play football on summer evenings, sides being made up from boys and men. Some hinds would actually buy a real leather football.
CRICKET
Was never popular. We were such good shots that we saw no point in throwing a ball at three bits of wood.
ROUNDERS
Our teacher tried to get us to play this game but we had little interest. We considered this to be a "lassie's game".
PEASHOOTERS
We called these "Pluffers: and mad them from elderberry branches. The pith was cleaned out with a piece of fencing wire, For ammunition we used the haws from the hawthorn tree. We would eat the fruit and then dry out the stone. We called these "Cat haws".
STILTS
These were made from Tate and Lyle syrup tins. The holes were made in the bottom of the tin and strong string was then threaded through which we held in each hand. We would gallop round the playground or through the village on these pretending we were horses.
We would also make high stilts from old fencing rails and these were useful when scrumping apples. We always envied the Dutch people as we believed that everyone in Holland walked about on stilts.
CATAPULTS
We would look for a "Y" shaped .branch and trim this into shape. For elastic we would cut strips from an old motor tube.The sling or part that held the stone was made from an old boot tongue.
The rubber was attached to the "Y" by by using the leather loops from an old pair of braces. These were effective weapons and we used the to kill rabbits or vermin. Shops in Alnwick actually sold proper catapult elastic.
BOWS AND ARROWS
Young Ash saplings about 4 feet long were made into bows. Arrows were made from shoots of the wild rose or briar, the tips being hardened by charring slowly in a fire. They were quite lethal weapons, capable of killing a rabbit. Our teacher barred us from bringing these to school when she discovered some of us trying to emulate William Tell by trying to shoot at apples balanced on the heads of younger boys.
TOPS
Tops were sometimes called "peeries" and were made from cotton reels, a fine pointed piece of wood being driven through the hole in the reel, The top would be coloured with chalks. Whips were made from tree branches, the string being of strong fisherman's twine. These were eventually used for driving cattle, knots being put in the whip-lash.
MARBLES Glass marbles were obtained from lemonade bottles. When Father was out draining or ditching he would often bring home a lump of yellow clay and we would make our own marbles, baking them in the oven where Mother baked "our daily bread".
ROCKETS
Carbide was used for bicycle lamps in th and came in tins about 12 inches long and 1.5 inches in diameter. Getting an empty tin we would pierce a hole in the end, spit on two pieces of carbide, drop these into the tin then swiftly put the lid on. A match was then held to the hole, igniting the gas and blowing off the lid with a loud bang.
CONKERS
Very seldom played at school. Girls would collect conkers and make them into "Dollies' chairs" by using pins for legs. Pins were used for the back of the chair, interwoven with bright coloured thread.
SOLITAIRE AND DRAUGHTS
Nearly every home possessed a solitaire board and draughts were a popular pastime, particularly on winter nights.
CARDS
We all learned to play Whist, Beggar My Neighbour and many other card games. Happy Families were considered "cissy".
HOOPS
Very popular in summer time and we made these from old bicycle wheels with the spokes removed. The "cleek" for steering and control was made from strong fencing wire. Blacksmiths would make steel hops for 6d but that was a lot of money. Our bicycle hoops were quite noisy but we would bowl them along pretending we were motor cycle racing at the Isle of Man.
These notes were compiled by my father Joe Holland in the 1980s and reflect the toys -home-made or otherwise available in a poor farming community in Northumberland in the 1920s.They were first published in Northumbrian Words and Ways (Geordie,Durham & Northumberland dialect and customs) via the course on this subject at the University of Newcastle Centre for Continuing Education 1987-8.The co-ordinator was Jean Crocker. This material is copyright.
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