Accrington Pals /Last Miner plates and Clogs

steeljack · 25-08-2011, 04:51

was rummaging in the garage today looking for my earthquake survival kit (we've had 2 in the last 12 hours ) and came across these two plates , no memory of how I accquired them , think from the gift shop in Accy Town Hall after a liquid lunch around 1995/6 .

not sure if they are worth anything to anyone ,no idea what I paid for them , the 'Accrington Pals' plate is numbered # 48 and the 'Last Miner' plate is # 465, not looking to sell , don't have an Ebay/Paypal account so this is no 'pre-sale' advertisment, just wondering if there is any local interest and who else has seen them hanging on Granny's lobby wall

each is about 10 1/2 diameter with an 'E & J Mining Memories' stencil inprint

also a question about Clogs (also found a small model of a pair of lace-up Clogs) ..... seem to remember there were two types , 'lace up' and others with a 'cross strap' button fastening ... anyone know if one type were miners or mill workers use or regular wear and Sunday wear
thanks
hope the pics work

Bob Dobson · 25-08-2011, 08:49

Yes - there were two main types of fastening - Laces and clasps/ The latter were two thin pieces of metal which locked into each other. Working men favoured laces. Younger folk and women would have clasps. Women would usually have 'rubber irons'. Irons were also called 'cokers' or 'caulkers'. The button fastening would be for children and women.It wasn't a round button but one which was higher and had a rim around the middle to hold the leather strap. 'Fancy' clogs, highly polished or in brown or red leather would be for Sunday or best use and were also known as 'dandy' clogs.
To tell if a sole has been hand-cut rather tjhan machine made, look to see if the heel has a definite edge (hand-cut) or a smooth flow at its front, caused by an automatic machine.

'Clogs have souls as well as soles' (Bob Dobson 197?)

Eric · 27-08-2011, 21:09

Quote:

Originally Posted by Bob Dobson

Yes - there were two main types of fastening - Laces and clasps/ The latter were two thin pieces of metal which locked into each other. Working men favoured laces. Younger folk and women would have clasps. Women would usually have 'rubber irons'. Irons were also called 'cokers' or 'caulkers'. The button fastening would be for children and women.It wasn't a round button but one which was higher and had a rim around the middle to hold the leather strap. 'Fancy' clogs, highly polished or in brown or red leather would be for Sunday or best use and were also known as 'dandy' clogs.
To tell if a sole has been hand-cut rather tjhan machine made, look to see if the heel has a definite edge (hand-cut) or a smooth flow at its front, caused by an automatic machine.

'Clogs have souls as well as soles' (Bob Dobson 197?)

I remeber wearing clogs when I was young. They had the clasp fastenings, and were made by a clogger on Barnes St., not too far down from the square. We used to run along the sidewalk ... oops, pavement, striking sparks from the irons. This was more fun in the dark. Oh, for the days when kids could go out to play, unsupervised, after dark. Unfortunately, this wore out the irons. And it cost brass to replace them; and is those days, brass was hard to come by. The punishment for wearing out the irons was to have them replaced by the rubber irons

Gordon Booth · 29-08-2011, 12:04

Ran over to Ossy Mills a couple of weeks ago. The boss wanted 'something to wear' so I wandered off. There it was- a clog makers shop. Who buys them now? Besides clog dancers! They weren't cheap-nearly £40 for small childrens, nearly £80 for an upmarket pair(for dancers?).
I remember making sparks, you ran three or four steps to get up speed then kicked out.
Very effective unless you caught 'a nick int flag' when it got painfull.
They were mill and foundry workers wear mainly. I'm not sure if children wore them to get round clothes rationing rules or because their parents were short of money. Supposed to be good for your feet but I wouldn't like to go jogging in them.

Gremlin · 30-08-2011, 18:36

I remember a new man starting at Gilbraith Tankers in the early 70's and he wore clogs with irons on the bottom.
The first time he went to Stanlow refinery he was turned away because there was a chance his irons would cause a spark on blow the whole place up.
He waited until another one of our drivers got loaded and borrowed his boots, they swopped back afterwards but he still wore his clogs when he delivered the flammable liquid to a customer. After that he had to wear boots.
Shell was very keen on safety and wouldn't let another of our chaps in because he had a beard, they told him that if he needed to use his breathing apparatus it wouldn't make a proper seal.

First day at Todmorden Grammar School I was wearing clogs with irons and when we marched into the big hall for our first assembly I was told to take them off and go in stocking feet. Imagine how I felt, a new boy clattering along the corridor with all eyes on me and then all the giggles when I walked out again carrying my clogs and me with big hole in my sock with the big toe poking out. Great days.

cashman · 30-08-2011, 22:18

once saw a Clog Fight, looked very painful, glad i never took that practice up.

Fontayne · 08-09-2011, 17:24

Quote:

Originally Posted by cashman

once saw a Clog Fight, looked very painful, glad i never took that practice up.

I can imagine, my mum got taken out of her clogs as a child because she had swollen ankles from accidently kicking her ankles with the other clog.
My dad wore clogs to work even into the 1960's. He had a clog jack at home and put new irons on himself. He swore blind they saved him hundreds of pounds in shoes!

Bob Dobson · 08-09-2011, 20:21

'Clog jack - that's a new one for me. I cannot remember the usual term for it. My dad's was a metal with one 'arm' shaped like a swan's neck. It went into the clog and then nails could be hammered into the wooden sole. There was a 'sticking up' piece to, on which the heel went, and another short arm. The metal was set into a block of wood like a log, which gave it sufficient height that it could be gripped by the clogger's legs whilst he did the hammering. I will not rest until I have remembered the word.I need to look at that well-known book 'Concerning Clogs' which I wrote in the 70s.

Gordon Booth · 08-09-2011, 20:25

Quote:

Originally Posted by Bob Dobson

'Clog jack - that's a new one for me. I cannot remember the usual term for it.

Wasn't it a 'last'? That's what the one for shoes was called.

Retlaw · 08-09-2011, 21:30

Quote:

Originally Posted by Bob Dobson

'Clog jack - that's a new one for me. I cannot remember the usual term for it. My dad's was a metal with one 'arm' shaped like a swan's neck. It went into the clog and then nails could be hammered into the wooden sole. There was a 'sticking up' piece to, on which the heel went, and another short arm. The metal was set into a block of wood like a log, which gave it sufficient height that it could be gripped by the clogger's legs whilst he did the hammering. I will not rest until I have remembered the word.I need to look at that well-known book 'Concerning Clogs' which I wrote in the 70s.

Never heard of that either, they were always know as a LAST, dad had one, lump of mallable iron shaped like a foot with a spike on it, driven into the end of an old mangle roller, he aslo had another one with three different size feet on it, that one had to be used on a bench.
Retlaw.

Fontayne · 09-09-2011, 08:28

Quote:

Originally Posted by Retlaw

Never heard of that either, they were always know as a LAST, dad had one, lump of mallable iron shaped like a foot with a spike on it, driven into the end of an old mangle roller, he aslo had another one with three different size feet on it, that one had to be used on a bench.
Retlaw.

Think we are probably all talking of a similar thing, but dad always referred to the 'last' as a 'clog jack' perhaps just different local terms. His was metal with three different sizes for fit, including a heel piece. I can see him in my mind sitting like a pro, with the nails/tack type things in his mouth, at least he didn't have them inside, but between his lips.

walkinman221 · 10-09-2011, 21:24

My old man once arrived home at dinner time from school and asked his my gran for his clogs "why "said me gran after some verbal tennis my dad finally admitted he was being picked on and wanted to exact some retribution . On return to school the bully got seven shades kicked out of him and my dad was never picked on again, all power to the clogs

cashman · 11-09-2011, 08:01

Quote:

Originally Posted by walkinman221

My old man once arrived home at dinner time from school and asked his my gran for his clogs "why "said me gran after some verbal tennis my dad finally admitted he was being picked on and wanted to exact some retribution . On return to school the bully got seven shades kicked out of him and my dad was never picked on again, all power to the clogs

never knew about that, but it probably goes some way to explaing why i got on wi him.