THIS IS A LIST THAT WAS PUT TOGETHER FROM FAMIY MEMBERS WHEN I WAS DOING OUR FAMILY TREE. IF YOU ARE TEMPTED.. YOU DO SO AT YOUR OWN RISK.
THE OLDEN DAY THOUGHTS, LISTED BELOW ARE TRIED AT YOUR OWN RISK.
SORE THROAT / TONSILLITIS
BALLS OF BUTTER ROLLED IN VINEGAR & DIPPED IN SUGAR, (SOME MEMBERS DID THIS WITHOUT THE VINEGAR.)
SORE THROAT / TONSILLITIS
GARGLE WITH SALTY WATER AND TIE A SWEATY (LEFT) SOCK AROUND YOUR NECK!
THAT ANIMAL WE GET BACON FROM!
THE WORD FOR THE ANIMAL WE GET BACON FROM WAS THOUGHT TO BE VERY UNLUCKY, A WELL KNOWN JOCKEY WAS KNOWN AS LESTER HOGGIT OR LESTER GIPPOT DEPENDING ON WHICH GRAINGER HOUSEHOLD YOU WERE IN. ONE OF THOSE SMALL RODENTS KEPT AS A PET WOULD BE A GUINEA HOG.
BURNS
COUSIN JIM REMEMBERS SOMEONE PUTTING FLOUR ON A BURN, BUT SEEMED TO REMEMBER IT WASN'T A SUCCESS AND WOULDN'T RECOMMEND IT.
GREEN
AN UNLUCKY COLOUR , WE AVOIDED GREEN CLOTHES.
NAILS
WE COULDN'T CUT OUR NAILS ON A FRIDAY... WHY? IT WAS UNLUCKY.
BIRDS
ORNAMENTS AND POSSIBLY PICTURES OF BIRDS WERE NOT ALLOWED IN THE HOUSE... WHY? IT WAS UNLUCKY.
FLOWERS
A WHITE FLOWER POSSIBLY KNOWN AS MAY, WAS VERY UNLUCKY IF BROUGHT INTO THE HOUSE.
TEETH
NO TOOTHPASTE? SOME FAMILY MEMBERS WOULD USE BICARBONATE OF SODA OR SOOT!
TEA (COLD.)
USED BY SOME FAMILY MEMBERS TO SET HAIR.
EARACHE
WARM SALT IN A TEA TOWEL PLACED ON EAR.
HEADACHE
PLACE A VINEGAR CLOTH ON YOUR FOREHEAD.
COUGH OR SORE THROAT
ZUBES (FOR YOUR TUBES.) A BOUGHT SWEET MY FATHER WOULD USE. (SOMETIMES MIXED WITH BOILING WATER, WHISKEY AND A BEECHAM'S POWDER.) DON'T TRY THIS AT HOME!
MAN FLU
THIS IS ONE I ADAPTED AND STILL USE. PAN OF WARMING LEMONADE PUT A FEW COUGH SWEETS INTO PAN (COUGH CANDY OR WINTER WARMERS.) THEY MELT INTO THE LEMONADE. SLICE A FRESH LEMON OR TWO AND ADD TO PAN AND THEN ADD A COUPLE OF SPOONFULS OF HONEY.
DENIM JACKET
MY FATHER SAID HE HAD THE FIRST DENIM JACKET IN HARTLEPOOL.... HE MADE IT FROM OLD JEANS!
GONE FISHING
NEVER WHISTLE AS YOU GO OUT TO SEA IN A BOAT... YOU COULD WHISTLE UP A WIND.
SHAVING
MY FATHER WOULD SHAVE AT THE KITCHEN SINK THEN ALWAYS GO INTO THE FRONT ROOM TO FINISH GETTING DRY. I ASKED HIM ONE DAY WHY THIS WAS SO... THE ANSWER..."IT'S AN OLD RUSSIAN CUSTOM." THE THING IS, AT THE TIME I BELIEVED HIM.
SEAWEED
I CAN REMEMBER UNCLE SCAL (JAMES FOX GRAINGER Jnr) EATING SEAWEED PICKED FRESH OFF THE PIER SIDES. I'M TOLD HIS FAMILY WOULD USE IT AS A CURE IN VARIOUS GUISES.
BETTING
MY FATHER LIKED A FLUTTER AND IF THERE WAS A TWO YEAR OLDS RACE (POSSIBLY THE FIRST RACE OF THE SEASON ?) HE WOULD HAVE A DABBLE ON THE SEVENTH HORSE IN THE LISTING.
KICK ON THE SHIN
BREAD & SOAP POULTICE
SALT
IF SPILT THROW SOME OVER LEFT SHOULDER.
FRIDAYS
UNLUCKY TO WHISTLE ON A FRIDAY
CROSSED KNIVES
A FIGHT... UNCROSS THE LEFT FIRST
BREAD
DON'T THROW BREAD ONTO AN OPEN FIRE... IT'S FEEDING THE DEVIL!
CROSSED SPOONS
A BIRTH IS ON THE HORIZON.
TEETH
UNCLE SCAL WOULD SOMETIMES USE SOOT TO CLEAN HIS TEETH. FIRST TRIP TO DENTIST AGED 65 AND TOLD HE HAD THE BEST TEETH IN TOWN!
MASTITIS,BREAST FEEDING SORES
CABBAGE POUTICE. A CABBAGE LEAF STEAMED BETWEEN 2 SLICES OF BREAD!
GYPSY
IF YOU REFUSE TO BUY FROM A GYPSY IT WAS THOUGHT TO BE UNLUCKY... ANSWER WAS TO SPIT 3 TIMES (NOT AT THE GYPSY I PRESUME?)
LUCKY STONES
IF YOU FOUND A LUCKY STONE ON THE BEACH, (YOU WOULD KNOW ONE WHEN YOU SAW IT.) YOU SHOULD SPIT ON IT AND THROW IT OVER YOUR LEFT SHOULDER THEN STEP OUT TEN PACES AND YOU WOULD FIND TEASURE...OR NOT
THAT ANIMAL WE GET BACON FROM
DEPENDING ON WHICH GRAINGER HOUSEHOLD WOULD BE KNOWN AS HOG OR GISSY OR WOR GISSY.
CHICKEN
SOME FAMILY MEMBERS SEEM TO AVOIDED EATING CHICKEN, THE REASON FOR THIS IS UNKNOWN AT PRESENT.
DOORS
YOU HAD TO USE THE SAME DOOR TO ENTER AND LEAVE.
BOILS (INCLUDING BOTTOMS)
BREAD & SOAP POULTICE.
EASIEST WAY TO CARRY SOMETHING
"THE EASIEST WAY TO CARRY SOMETHING IS TO WEAR IT." MY DAD approx 1972
BABY
THE FIRST TIME YOU SEE A NEW BABY YOU SHOULD GIVE IT A SILVER COIN
CHRISTENINGS
ON THE WAY HOME FROM A CHRISTENING, GIVE THE CHURCH'S PIECE OF CAKE AND A SILVER COIN TO THE FIRST CHILD YOU SEE OF THE OPPOSITE SEX.
GLOVES 1
GIVING GLOVES AS A GIFT IT WAS THOUGHT ... WOULD BREAK UP A FRIENDSHIP.
GLOVES 2
IF YOU DROP A GLOVE SOMEONELSE SHOULD PICK IT UP FOR YOU... IT COULD LEAD TO A SURPRISE.
PURSE / HANDBAG OR WALLET
WHEN GIVNG A PURSE,HANDBAG OR WALLET AS A GIFT ALWAYS PUT SOME SILVER COINS IN, FOR GOOD LUCK.
FISH
FRESH FISH SHOULD NOT SMELL WHILST BEING COOKED.
SHELLFISH
A SILVER COIN WOULD SOMETIMES BE PUT IN THE PAN WITH THE COOKING SHELLFISH.
STYE... INFLAMATION OF THE EYELASH.
RUB WITH A GOLD WEDDING RING.
BUMP (ON THE HEAD.)
APPLY BUTTER AND A PENNY TO THE BUMP!
