*clip-clop, clip-clop*

[strange_complex]

So I'm sitting at home in my study, working away at a lecture for Monday, when from the street outside I hear a distinct *clip-clop, clip-clop*. "Er, that's a horse, isn't it?" I think. "A horse is going by". That in itself is surprising enough to make me dash to my bedroom window (which has the best view out over the street), and peer out, expecting to see police horses in training or maybe a particularly foolish leisure rider.

But no. The sight that in fact greeted my eyes was a lovely light-coloured shaggy-footed cart-horse, pulling what was quite clearly a traditional rag & bone man's cart, loaded up with old unwanted domestic appliances. (And a rag and bone man, natch).

To which I can only say - *boggle*. A rag and bone van used to patrol my parents' neighbourhood in Birmingham back in the '80s. But I literally don't think I've ever seen an actual rag and bone cart in my entire life, anywhere.

Wish I'd had me camera.

Comments

[miss-next.livejournal.com]

I have - in Dublin. But then, you'd somehow expect to see one in Dublin!

[strange-complex.livejournal.com]

Even Dublin is a bit surprising. Was this recently?

[miss-next.livejournal.com]

Ummm... let me think, now... January 2004, I believe. But I'm hopeless at remembering exact dates.

[rich-r.livejournal.com]

I saw one in Dublin just two weeks ago. Trundling very slowly down Drury Street, near the covered market with the gothy shop.

Old chap with a small dog perched on the front, with a pile of bits of wood and metal on the back.

[miss-next.livejournal.com]

That sounds very much like the same one!

[primitivepeople.livejournal.com]

I did bit of a double-take the other day, when I saw a genuine rag-and-bone cart like that (with horse) in the middle of central London, close to where I work.

Is this a revival? Perhaps it's eco-friendly, and fits in with the Freecycling ethos.

[strange-complex.livejournal.com]

No way! Well, maybe it is, then. As you say, the current interest in being Green is certainly ripe for it.

[primitivepeople.livejournal.com]

Indeed. I'm glad that lots of people are questioning the amount of perfectly usable stuff that gets thrown away.

[big-daz.livejournal.com]

We still have a rag man in Wortley, although he doesn't do his rounds as often as he used to. He leaves his horse to graze down by the flats sometimes- I suppose it saves the council having to go and mow it

[strange-complex.livejournal.com]

Well, judging by the comments here, they're clearly more common than I thought. And, continuing the thread above with primitivepeople, letting the horse help out with the mowing is even greener!

[a-d-medievalist.livejournal.com]

When I lived in Germany, it wasn't all that uncommon, although the potato man usually used a tractor to pull his cart. And I lived in a fairly large city -- about 250,000 people.

[strange-complex.livejournal.com]

Well, I've seen carts used by various tradespeople in rural areas before, e.g. Wales. But it's just the specific thing of a rag and bone cart that's surprising me here - and especially in a big city like Leeds.

[mr-tom.livejournal.com]

The North/South divide there, marvellous.

[strange-complex.livejournal.com]

No, but we are super-modern and prosperous here, honest! The wheels on the cart were round!

[poliphilo.livejournal.com]

We used to have a rag and bone man come down our street- in Croydon- in the 50s. He had a distinctive cry- "Raganbohn!" I haven't seen one for many years and was thinking they'd had gone extinct

[strange-complex.livejournal.com]

was thinking they'd had gone extinct

Indeed! In fact, I hadn't even been thinking about them at all - it was more a case of seeing the thing, and thinking "Wait - those still exist?"

[gillywoo.livejournal.com]

He used to come round all the time when I lived in LS4 and LS6. He was especially prevelant around student moving time.

Glad to hear he's still around.

[strange-complex.livejournal.com]

Ooh, yes, I can see him doing a good trade at that time of year.

He was a plumpish balding guy with greying hair and quite a round face, wearing a khaki body-warmer, and his horse was mainly pale beige but with a few brownish spots - sound like the same guy?

[gillywoo.livejournal.com]

certainly does!

[lostlorelei.livejournal.com]

Aww, how odd! Maybe he's a strange time travelling rag and bone man, have to admit I've never seen one!

[strange-complex.livejournal.com]

Hehe - like Doctor Who, except with a horse instead of a TARDIS! ;-)

[primitivepeople.livejournal.com]

Perhaps he's come from a post-apocalyptic future, where such things are more common.

[lostlorelei.livejournal.com]

Hmm, now I'm picturing dr who but with the "steptoe & son" theme-tune, not a good crossover (esp if I throw slash into the mix, nooooooooooo *brain cleanse* :P)

[purple-peril.livejournal.com]

When I was a girl we had a rag and bone man come round regularly. I don't remember a horse, but there was a cart so I guess there must have been one.

[strange-complex.livejournal.com]

Unless it was pulled by a thestral, maybe? ;-)

that rag and bone man

[hollyione.livejournal.com]

I remember that rag and bone man! Didn't we once watch him going past 233 Moor Green Lane??? (house we lived in prior to 1984) when you were round at mine :)

Re: that rag and bone man

[strange-complex.livejournal.com]

Gosh, I don't know - it's certainly plausible, though! I still look at that house when we're driving over to your parents' current one, and think of it as 'Amy's old house'.

BTW, it looks like we will be having a party this Christmas, probably on the 23rd December. More details as they are confirmed!