World War II Shopping  -  Recollections

2.

Bob Henderson

Burdiehouse, Edinburgh

Bob Henderson replied:

Toothpaste

"Probably everyone of my generation remembers  Gibb's Dentifrice. It was a cake of very hard soap with added flavour and as in Val's case everyone in our household, at that time, six of us, used the same tin"

Bob Henderson, Burdiehouse, Edinburgh:  February 26, 2008

 World War II Shopping  -  Recollections

3.

Bryan Gourlay

Biggar, Lanarkshire, Scotland

Bryan Gourlay added:

Toothpaste

"Val Turner’s recollections of Gibbs’ tin of toothpaste have almost brought back the unmistakeable taste to my mouth.

The toothpaste in the tin tended to last for ages, depending on how many of the family used it, and how much time they spent scrubbing their toothbrush on the hard block of ‘cleaning material’. After use, the lid would normally be put back on while the round block of ‘paste’ was still softish and foaming – ready for the next person.

After a good while, a small hole would appear in the centre of the paste to reveal the bottom of the tin. Over a period of time, the hole would get bigger and bigger until only a small amount of paste was left clinging around joint around the base. Even then, the paste would still be used until chunks broke free and were chased around the bottom of the tin in an attempt to get some paste on the brush – often attracting unwanted little hard bits you had to spit out. It was always an admission of defeat when the family had to resort to a new tin – leading to a fight over who would be first to use it.

We sometimes had a tin foil tube of McLeans (pronounced McLanes, not McLeens) toothpaste which we would squeeze the last drop out of – knowing full well that, when it was finished, it meant a return to a well-worn tin of Gibbs that had been staring at us menacingly in the face for weeks.

Today’s hygiene storm troopers would probably feint at the very thought of Gibbs and the many other so-called unhygienic traits of kids 50 years or more ago."

Sharing

"It was not unusual for one of your school friends to ask for the runt (core) of your apple so they could get their teeth round the soggy remains of your Granny Smith. Sharing drinks out of lemonade bottles, without wiping the top, was standard practice as was begging a ‘sook’ of someone’s lollipop or, wait for it, OXO cube – which was a particular delicacy of mine. It was not unknown to share chewed chewing gum, half-eaten yellow liquorice root, or a cinnamon stick we got from the chemist."

Germoline

"Another tin in most houses at the time was the famous, cure-all Germoline. It had a fawn-coloured lid containing an instantly recognisable, smelly, concoction with its own unique taste if ever some got in your mouth.

Any type of scrape, cut, spot, boil or infection was attacked again and again with an liberal covering of the creamy, almost indescribable substance. Like Gibbs toothpaste, no matter how many times dirty fingers scraped around the tin, the lid was put firmly back on and the tin put back on the shelf until the next time.

Also like Gibbs, a new tin of Germoline was not brought into play until the old one was fully exhausted. Unlike Gibbs’ toothpaste, Germoline is still around in various guises – but not tins!"

Bryan Gourlay, Biggar, Lanarkshire, Scotland:  February 26, 2008

 World War II Shopping  -  Recollections

5.

Joyce Messer

North Island, New Zealand

Joyce Messer wrote:

Toothpaste

"I  laughed at Brian Gourlay's recollections of Gibbs toothpaste which I had completely forgotten about .  I could taste the stuff as I read  about it.  I think it was pink.

Germoline and Mercurichrome

"I'd also  forgotten about Germoline.   It  brought back memories. I could even remember where it was kept in the bathroom cupboard, along with Mercurichrome which was another cure-all and would surely be banned now as I think it contained mercury and was probably highly toxic."

Protection against TB

 "We had Scot's Emulsion and cod liver oil.  My mother, like many of her generation, was haunted by the spectre of TB and believed a daily dose of these products would protect us. 

Antiphlogistine

"We had  Antiphlogistine.  It had a very comforting smell and was heated and put in cloth as a poultice for earache, from which I seemed to suffer constantly, or on your chest as a remedy for coughs and colds"

Joyce Messer, North  Island, New Zealand:  April 15, 2008

 World War II Shopping  -  Recollections

6.

Frank Ferri

Newhaven, Edinburgh

Food

"Mother would ask you to get 3 pence worth of turnip, onion and carrot from the greengrocers, and a marrow bone from the butcher to make soup.

Cleansing

"We used long bars of Sunlight soap, for bathing, washing our hair and clothes. 

We purchased soap and various other cleaning things from Nisbet’s on the corner of Bowling Green Street and Junction Street."

Own Products

"Nisbet's made most of their own products:

- soot from the chimney to brush your teeth

-  cut up squares of newspaper for the toilet."

Cigarettes

"Cigarettes were scarce.

Unscrupulous shopkeepers would only sell five Woodbine or any other major brand if you also bought five inferior oval shaped brands, named Pasha or Abdul.  They had a horrible toasted Turkish smell when lit."

Frank Ferri, Newhaven, Edinburgh:  June 12, 2008

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