Rag and Bone Yards

Leeds Hippo · Post by **Leeds Hippo** » Fri 12 Nov, 2010 10:07 pm

The thread about scrap yards set me thinkingIs there a list of the Rag and Bone yards of Leeds?I recall one behind the Holy family school in Leeds as a kid - had quite a few carts - I think it was called Skinners (before they moved into skips)Seemed to recall they gave gold fish for old rags.As a big fan of Steptoe and Son I don't think I ever saw money changing hands though it seemed quite common in the TV series - maybe it was a London thing.I saw one a few years ago but none recently - are there any left and if not who was the last working Rag and Bone man in Leeds I wonder?(Pic from Loedis - notice the balloons rather than goldfish)Also wonder if anyone has recorded all the different calls used by Rag and Bone men "Any old rags" and the clip clop of the horse as all the kids ran after the cart was a memory of my childhood

weenie · Post by **weenie** » Fri 12 Nov, 2010 11:37 pm

My grandfathers brother was a Rag and Bone man, he had his yard in "The Gang" off town st, Armley i also saw a modern Rag and bone man at the wheatsheaf yesterday at the lights although i think modern day ones are in a truck now and just snoop around your garden... i caught one last week

STICKS · Post by **STICKS** » Fri 12 Nov, 2010 11:38 pm

i did a post some time back called helping i helped the milkman ,Fred he was called the rag man i use to meet and helped him he shouted if i get it right real loud ANY OLD REPAH the kids could here him all over the estate . They use to be a rag and bone yard were Albert car and van heir was if you remember.

Post by **mhoulden** » Sun 14 Nov, 2010 2:36 am

Around 1997 I was walking past the houses near New Pudsey station where a rag & bone man had a cry kind of like "rag bone heave ho". I actually saw a rag and bone man and assistant today with a horse and cart on Tong St/Wakefield Road in Bradford. Good to know they're still around.

Leeds Hippo · Post by **Leeds Hippo** » Sun 14 Nov, 2010 4:31 pm

mhoulden wrote: Around 1997 I was walking past the houses near New Pudsey station where a rag & bone man had a cry kind of like "rag bone heave ho". I actually saw a rag and bone man and assistant today with a horse and cart on Tong St/Wakefield Road in Bradford. Good to know they're still around. You just reminded me of that call - that's exactly the expression I recall now - wonder what it means!Great to hear you saw one - I'd love to see ITV do a documentary about this - It can't be easy to make a living in today's world of plastic. I wonder who made the carts - they must be even rarer than the Rag and Bone men. As a matter of interest has anyone ever seen a Rag and Bone Lady? Do Rag and Bone men have agreed territories? Is there an association of Rag and Bone men?

Leeds Hippo · Post by **Leeds Hippo** » Sun 14 Nov, 2010 4:46 pm

weenie wrote: My grandfathers brother was a Rag and Bone man, he had his yard in "The Gang" off town st, Armley i also saw a modern Rag and bone man at the wheatsheaf yesterday at the lights although i think modern day ones are in a truck now and just snoop around your garden... i caught one last week That's interesting weenie - good to hear from someone with a family connection to the trade.

tilly · Post by **tilly** » Sun 14 Nov, 2010 9:17 pm

I remember the rag and bone my who came round our streets in Hunslet used to shout Any rag a bone goldfish for your old stocky legs.No i did not make this up.

Leodian · Post by **Leodian** » Sun 14 Nov, 2010 9:25 pm

I recall that rag and bone men used to have very loud voices such that you could hear them coming while they were still some way off. That of course gave people time to get anything for them.Another loud voice heard some way off was that when the Saturday Green Final newspaper seller was coming down the street.

weenie · Post by **weenie** » Sun 14 Nov, 2010 10:05 pm

Leeds Hippo wrote: mhoulden wrote: Around 1997 I was walking past the houses near New Pudsey station where a rag & bone man had a cry kind of like "rag bone heave ho". I actually saw a rag and bone man and assistant today with a horse and cart on Tong St/Wakefield Road in Bradford. Good to know they're still around. You just reminded me of that call - that's exactly the expression I recall now - wonder what it means!Great to hear you saw one - I'd love to see ITV do a documentary about this - It can't be easy to make a living in today's world of plastic. I wonder who made the carts - they must be even rarer than the Rag and Bone men. As a matter of interest has anyone ever seen a Rag and Bone Lady? Do Rag and Bone men have agreed territories? Is there an association of Rag and Bone men? When i go see my gt uncle Brian over this next week or so, i will ask about the territories and such,

dogduke · Post by **dogduke** » Tue 16 Nov, 2010 1:46 am

years ago we used to take a bag of rags to place down Mabgate/Hope Road,an old lass used to sort out the worthwhile stuff from the smallamount of man made fibre in those days put it on a scale and pay out in cash according to the weight.better cash than goldfish and pigging baloons !