Playground games

[Burmantofts]

There's a lot of information on t'internet about childhood games but I was interested to learn, when chatting to a mate, that her area of Leeds played different games to ours.

Our main ones were The farmer's in his den, In and out the shading bluebells, The big ship sails on the alley alley o, Statues, May I?, Tensies and British Bulldog. We played two ball against the wall chanting rhymes like PK penny packet and Next door neighbour carry on. Skipping rhymes included 'Ladies in a tight skirt can't do this' and 'Tinker Tailor'. Later on we played American skipping which was a sort of cat's cradle affair involving lengths of elastic. Then there were the handclapping games with chants including 'Eeny meeny mackaracka...etc.' And there were different ways of 'dipping' to pick your team or who went first. My friend's chants and 'dips' were slightly different to ours. 'Tick-tock-tation....etc.' was one of ours she didn't know.

Anyone got any more?

[gipton outcast]

There's a lot of information on t'internet about childhood games but I was interested to learn, when chatting to a mate, that her area of Leeds played different games to ours.

Our main ones were The farmer's in his den, In and out the shading bluebells, The big ship sails on the alley alley o, Statues, May I?, Tensies and British Bulldog. We played two ball against the wall chanting rhymes like PK penny packet and Next door neighbour carry on. Skipping rhymes included 'Ladies in a tight skirt can't do this' and 'Tinker Tailor'. Later on we played American skipping which was a sort of cat's cradle affair involving lengths of elastic. Then there were the handclapping games with chants including 'Eeny meeny mackaracka...etc.' And there were different ways of 'dipping' to pick your team or who went first. My friend's chants and 'dips' were slightly different to ours. 'Tick-tock-tation....etc.' was one of ours she didn't know.

Anyone got any more?eleaseo(spelling),kick out ball,tv programmes,hot rice and that game the girls played,with a tennis ball in a sock??....my wife still sings to herself....'eeny meeny mackaracka,rah rah dominackar,chickapoppa,lollypopper,om,pom,push!!!. ...

[Burmantofts]

Ealeaso? Do you mean releasio? Heard of it but never found out what it was sorry!

Tennis ball in a sock? What the heck was that? And hot rice? :confused:

It just illustrates the differences in games you played according to area. And I wasn't that far away from you in Gipton!

[jenniferann]

Hello All- I was born in 1965 in Seacroft Leeds 14, my mam was from Gipton and my Dad Osmondthorpe. When I was little we use to play split the kipper, kick out can, marbles and the worst one of all was those clacker things- 2 heavy plastic balls on the end of thin rope that you bashed together and they hit each other up and down, if you missed your wrist had it. The ball in a sock was also fab:wave2:

[astrojack]

Piggy, was another one. The piggy, was Made of wood, round, about 5 or 6 inches long, and about 1 inch in diameter. It was carved into a point at either end. It was placed on a reasonably flat surface, and struck with a stick approximately 2 feet long. It was struck at either end in order to make it jump up in the air, then walloped with the stick as far as you could make it go. The guy or gal who had struck it, gave the opposition so many steps to reach where it had landed. The start point was a drawn chalk line, the opposition would go so far back in order to take a run, and on reaching the line, his or her steps, or jumps, had to be within the limit of steps allowed, to reach the piggy. If the opposition succeded, it was their turn to strike the piggy, otherwise they had to go again. Obviously you had to be reasonable, as to how many steps you allowed. The idea of this was, several of you played the game, and you ascertained each individuals capabilities, as you knew them personally. And alloted the amount of steps fairly.
Jack.

[Burmantofts]

Interesting!

Astrojack - a quick search reveals that Piggy has variations around the country called 'Peggy' and 'Billet'. I suppose it's loosely related to knur and spell and nipsy too.

Another variation in play methods that's just come back to me involves hopscotch. There seemed to be a set 'grid' according to where you lived.

Ours was 1-2-3 in a straight, forward line. Then the 4 and 5 squares side by side, the 6 on its own above them and then 7 and 8 together at the top.

Oh, and add to my original list "What time is it Mr Wolf?" :D

[astrojack]

eeny meeny miny mo, put the baby on the poe, when it's dun, wipe it's bum, eeny meeny miny mo.

[gipton outcast]

Ealeaso? Do you mean releasio? Heard of it but never found out what it was sorry!

Tennis ball in a sock? What the heck was that? And hot rice? :confused:

It just illustrates the differences in games you played according to area. And I wasn't that far away from you in Gipton!you see jan,living near gipton is not quite the same as living on gipton......bandit country!:tumbleweed:

[Burmantofts]

See, I remember walking up to Compton Road Library from Burmantofts a lot and it sure seemed very close to Gipton....:D. I suppose you'd call yourself posh Foundry Laners then?

[Maureen Brown]

I was born in Spink Street, Burmantofts, many moons ago, and later lived in the Strathmores, off Foundry Lane. I remember playing Piggy, but one thing which sticks in my mind is making gas tar balls from the melted tar on the roads. We had more freedom in those days and could play out in the evening, unlike kids of today. We were devils on mischief night though :)

[astrojack]

Thats right Maureen, i'd never have thought about Gastar again ( it was all one word to us ), if you hadn't mentioned it. In fact WE used to chew it like chewing gum. The theory was, it was good for you, i don't think so, but some kids including myself, believed anything in those days ( BIG DUMMIES ). Another thing, why were people referred to as WOLLERS? ( I think, thats how they spell it. ) If you came from Sheepscar, you was a Sheepscar Woller, if you came from Seacroft, Gipton, Scott Hall, ETC, ETC, You was always referred to as a Woller. The thing is, was it an Insult, or a Compliment?.
Jack.

[Burmantofts]

Thats right Maureen, i'd never have thought about Gastar again ( it was all one word to us ), if you hadn't mentioned it. In fact WE used to chew it like chewing gum. The theory was, it was good for you, i don't think so, but some kids including myself, believed anything in those days ( BIG DUMMIES ). Another thing, why were people referred to as WOLLERS? ( I think, thats how they spell it. ) If you came from Sheepscar, you was a Sheepscar Woller, if you came from Seacroft, Gipton, Scott Hall, ETC, ETC, You was always referred to as a Woller. The thing is, was it an Insult, or a Compliment?.
Jack.

Didn't tar smell lovely?

Wallah as a term is a hangover from the British Raj in India and is derived from Hindi and Urdu. So you'd have a char wallah for tea and a punkah wallah to fan you in the heat. Spoiled beggars!

[JeannieR]

Hi all

And what about HOPSCOTCH ?

Maureen, your talking of gas tar brings back so many memories. Mainly my mum getting it of my legs with turps. Oh how it stung ! Or was that mum scrubbing too hard ?

You are quite right . I lived on Oatland Street , ( Jean Harrison, No 22 )Meanwood Road. It was quite common, at a very young age , to go out for the day with mates, and a packed lunch. Usually jam and bread, and good old spanish wine, which had taken us days to make. I can still remember mine in a dettol bottle !

Meanwood Ridge, The Dammy, Buslingthorpe Hill, all our playing grounds. On a Saturday, if mum had a bit extra cash (7d ) then it would be the matinee, at The Royal. I alway's "Baggied" being Dale Evans.....remember Roy Rogers, remember Flash Gordon, Three Stooges......

Weren't we we happy, with hardly anything ?

JeannieR

[Burmantofts]

Hi all

And what about HOPSCOTCH ?

Maureen, your talking of gas tar brings back so many memories. Mainly my mum getting it of my legs with turps. Oh how it stung ! Or was that mum scrubbing too hard ?

You are quite right . I lived on Oatland Street , ( Jean Harrison, No 22 )Meanwood Road. It was quite common, at a very young age , to go out for the day with mates, and a packed lunch. Usually jam and bread, and good old spanish wine, which had taken us days to make. I can still remember mine in a dettol bottle !

Meanwood Ridge, The Dammy, Buslingthorpe Hill, all our playing grounds. On a Saturday, if mum had a bit extra cash (7d ) then it would be the matinee, at The Royal. I alway's "Baggied" being Dale Evans.....remember Roy Rogers, remember Flash Gordon, Three Stooges......

Weren't we we happy, with hardly anything ?

JeannieR

Jeannie I mentioned hopscotch grids in post six of the thread. I imagine mine would have been the same as yours since I lived just the other side of Cambridge Road to you in Clayfield Street. We also played on the Ridge, at Meanwood Beck and also went to the matinee at the Royal. ;)

[Maureen Brown]

my husband lived on Hustlers Row, Meanwood and we often went to the Capitol on Green Road. Kirby's fish and chips were lovely, but I think Bryan's at Headingly were the best, even better than Harry Ramsdens. I have a vague memory of my mother removing gas tar off my clothes and hands with butter...a bit extravagent! Maybe it was margerine. We used to go out into Meanwood Woods with the dogs, and would be gone all day without parents wondering where we were, or we walked to Adel Crags. We made our own amusement in those days Jeannie. Maureen