Where are the Rag and Bone men gone

purpleivy

Penelope_Penguin wrote: »

A sign of the times - the rag and bone man is in the "ten-foot" behind my office, now in a white van :rotfl:

Penny. x

Hey! you'd have to come from East Yorks using an expression like 10-foot. I spent my school years in Hull and my dh was brought up there. People look blankly at us when we say 10-foot!

Here we have a pickup that comes round periodically. He dropped in and collected metal work when we were having our extension done last year.

geek0

ive seen a van come round here every now and then with what looks like scrap metals etc on the back i assume thats the rag and bone man ive never stopped him to ask.

Wolfsbayne

There's a rag and bone man near me, starting come around a few months ago. Took an old washing machine from my dad's yard. Must admit, he shouts through a loudspeaker on his van and the first time I heard it I thought he was shouting 'Ship a-hoy'!

clutterydrawer

there was a rag and bone man where i used to work in leeds, a few months ago...he had a pony, cart, and a grubby wee lad driving it made me smile

ceridwen

and stomp feet....I wanna rag and bone man. Please can I have a rag and bone man missus (or a rag and bone woman - I aint sexist:D) ? I may just not have noticed - but I've never seen a rag and bone man anywhere in my area - horse and cart or white van version! I'm deprived - I am....

Goes off sulking.........

errrrr.......Blank look.....whats a "10 foot" please?

Addiscomber

ceridwen wrote: »

errrrr.......Blank look.....whats a "10 foot" please?

Glad you asked, 'cos I don't know either.

Come on, enlighten those of us not from East Yorkshire!

MoJo

Addiscomber wrote: »

Glad you asked, 'cos I don't know either.

Come on, enlighten those of us not from East Yorkshire!

Us from South Yorkshire are mystified too - well, I am

purpleivy

It's the 'alley' that goes between backs of rows of houses, so called because it's supposed to be 10-foot wide. Not all of them are though!

DKLS

The rag trade is alive and well the model has changed, no longer a rag & bone man, but charity bin bags put through your door.

A mate of mine is a rag merchant, and currently drives an Aston and a Porsche, the ultimate in recycling business!.
The rags are sorted and graded, Antique Dealers and market traders buy some stuff, whats wearable is shipped off to Africa, and the rest ground up for industrial wipers, mattress and car seat stuffing.

livmann

When I was at Leeds Uni. (1999-2002) the rag and bone men used to come around still with a horse and cart.

Has anyone seen rag and bone men who are still using a horse and cart recently or have they totally died out now. I am doing some research that involves rag and bone men so any links or leads would be really helpful!