Are you old enough to remember “sipsis” coming to the door selling pegs or heather?

[Nailest]

Something I’ve just seen has brought back vivid memories of sipsis (think that might be the Welsh word for gypsies - it’s the word my grandma used at any rate) coming to her back door. As far as I recall, they only ever sold heather or pegs. I don’t remember my grandma buying any but I do remember her having long conversations at the back door.

I remember the coal man coming round to my Gran's and filling up the coal shed outside the back door. I also remember the man from the council coming round to collect my Gran's rent in cash and him writing the payment in a little book. This was in the 1980's.

Also remember the pop man, people knocking on the door selling dish sponges and a couple of ladies selling Heather which my Mum said were Gypsies.

@IncompleteSenten

Oh yes, the scrap man. " IRON. ANY IRON." I don't think you get that any more.

They just advertise on the local Facebook page now.

We still have the any old iron scrap man he comes around here often

@Justkeeppedaling

sipsis is the Welsh word for gypsy

@Nailest

Feeling nostalgic now and remembering the coal man and the rag and bone man. I was terrified of both of those.

I used to be (subtly) positioned in the kitchen window to count how many sacks of coal were brought in!

The Kleeneesee ? man also used to call, sort of downmarket Lakeland stuff, sometimes he had free gifts, but my mum never let me have those, not after the time I tried an early sample of Flash on the kitchen wall but only up to my child reach!

We also had the baker's van - who also sold cakes, an insurance man who collected a premium presumably monthly and seemed to be a friend of my parents.

Finally we had "the Monday Man" who collected weekly payment for some kind of catalogue (John Blundell comes to mind?). He was a Jehova's Witness and he and my mum used to have some cracking debates! (I went to school with his daughter who used to shoplift make up).

I remember many of these visitors to the door or vans stopping in the street to make sales. We'd have to bring a bowl to the door to receive eggs from the egg man, so no wasted packaging. The most obscure was the paraffin man, but by far the most exciting was the library van.

@Nailest

Feeling nostalgic now and remembering the coal man and the rag and bone man. I was terrified of both of those.

I was scared of the rag and bone man too. I think my mum must have threatened to give me away once 🤣 I once tried to explain the rag and bone to my children, they were incredulous such a think ever existed!!

Just watched Heartbeat by any chance OP? We had gypsy's selling lucky heather and pegs, the fish man in his white van with proper old fashioned scales in the back, a man selling eggs from the basket on the front of his bike and a mobile library.

I used to be (subtly) positioned in the kitchen window to count how many sacks of coal were brought in!

Me too - standing just inside the kitchen door.

an insurance man who collected a premium presumably monthly

The man from the Pru?

I once tried to explain the rag and bone to my children, they were incredulous such a think ever existed!!

Tell them it was a form of recycling.

@IncompleteSenten

Oh yes, the scrap man. " IRON. ANY IRON." I don't think you get that any more.

We still have the scrap men in their white vans - no calling out though just looking out whilst driving round and round!

I had a barnados money box I think - blue egg shaped thing?

Yes I remember the rent man and my grandma’s rent book in a leather pouch/wallet type affair. Totally forgotten that until this thread.

I didn’t buy the Heather once, I didn’t have any coins only a £5 note and couldn’t afford to give her that. She cursed my house! I was terrified.
I also remember the line prop man, yes you can guess what he sold! He would shout “Git your liiiine props!”

@IncompleteSenten

Yes. Quite often in my childhood. My mum would always buy something and said it was bad luck not to.

When I was pregnant with my first child a woman came to the door selling heather. I bought some because I still felt really superstitious.
She saw I was pregnant and told me it would be a girl. I said I've already had the scan it's a boy.
She told me the scan was wrong. I thanked her 🤦 and she left.

My son is now 22. 😁

That visit was the last time anyone came to my door selling heather now I think of it. I haven't seen or heard of it in years.

That’s a lovely story!

No but I remember a gypsy asking if I wanted to buy a lucky charm and when I said no she said 'think you're too good for my lucky charms?' So I spose that explains any bad luck I've had since then.

Our scrap man posts on the local Facebook group these days saying when he’s going round!

@Hellocatshome

Just watched Heartbeat by any chance OP? We had gypsy's selling lucky heather and pegs, the fish man in his white van with proper old fashioned scales in the back, a man selling eggs from the basket on the front of his bike and a mobile library.

Busted!

Our scrap man posts on the local Facebook group these days saying when he’s going round!

Ah thats nice, ours just climbs over the wall into our yard and nicks stuff.

My friends dad used to go house to house collecting TV rental payments. He'd bring a huge bag of coins home every day.

I’m trying to remember what the coal man did with my grandma’s coal now. She didn’t have a chute. I’ve got vague notions of him taking it to the back door and then my cousin doing something with it. But what?! Where did it go? Was there a coal shed I’ve wiped from my mind?!

I’m enjoying this thread, it’s stirring happy memories!

I thought it was sipsiwn (si in Welsh makes the sh sound for any non welshies😁) .
We get the rag and bone guy quite regularly but he’s got a speaker on his van to shout “any ol’ rag ‘n’ bone”

I remember the calor gas man coming round. We used to imitate the loudspeaker ‘Calor gas calling, calor gas calling’

We used to have one selling the most beautiful hand made lace for pennies.
Obviously someone made it and she sokd it, as mum asked her how long it took to make once and she hadn't a clue how to make it.
She used to leave calling out something like "you'll never go to hospital". Weren't true generally but was nicely meant.

We still get a rag 'n bones man, who goes round in a van ringing a bell as he comes.

Rag n bone man, with a horse and cart.
Butcher boy delivering on a special bike.
Cardboard boxes in shops to put your shopping in.
Being given excess green leaves by the greengrocer for my rabbit.
The man from the Pru collecting insurance payments.