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Rag and bone men

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ainsworth74

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We still have them both at home and where I lived during my Uni time. They normally come around every week or so.
 

Yew

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We had a guy with a horse collecting washing machines and the like when I was young. Unfortunately I fear he has been replaced by a guy with a transit van
 

ATW Alex 101

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We have a similar guy round here in a crappy pickup that wakes you up at six in the morning screaming "DOES ANYBODY WANT SCRAP IRON" and he is bloody annoying
 

Darandio

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We have one who comes around weekly, I presume it's probably the same one that Ainsworth hears at home. They shout all sorts of variations of Rag and Bone though.

"Radalmibooooo"
 

Swr28

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Thank you for the early replies, i didn't think they where still around in so many places. Sadly the horse and carts have long gone.
 
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Rugd1022

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We have one round here who's notorious for poking his nose in where it's not wanted... whenever he comes past my house he slows right down to have a look at the tax discs in my car's windscreens. I came home from a night shift once to find him on my drive, kneeling down to have a look under my Rover P6!
 

142094

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See them all the time getting pulled over by the rozzers checking if they have the appropriate licence.

Was once driving back from Leeds and unfortunately had to follow one of their Transit vans for a bit. Went over a bump in the road, and part of an old washing machine came loose and nearly hit the car. Don't think I've sworn as much as I did in the next two minutes after it happened.
 

caliwag

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Bet you they are still in Hull...including the nag. very useful, as you say old washing machines, bike frames, cookers, all bits an bobs...

Randboooo, much like our Redcar correspondant, Darandio! Interesting.
 

Johnuk123

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Unfortunately the traditional rag and bone men have had had the majority of their business taken away from them by the so called "travellers"

The old days of the scrap man taking away your old cooker for a few quid are largely gone.

They have been replaced by a bunch of criminals who will steal anything that isn't screwed down, and some stuff that is.

They saw an excellent way of making a tax free income by poking in peoples back gardens and taking anything of value.

They are major players in the stolen metal business and are behind a massive amount of the railway cable thefts.
--- old post above --- --- new post below ---
We have one round here who's notorious for poking his nose in where it's not wanted... whenever he comes past my house he slows right down to have a look at the tax discs in my car's windscreens. I came home from a night shift once to find him on my drive, kneeling down to have a look under my Rover P6!

Looking for a cat no doubt but not the feline type.
 

ainsworth74

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Bet you they are still in Hull...including the nag.

Well as much as I normally like riding to the defence of Hull, in this case you're not wrong. I used to see one around Cottingham (just outside of Hull but these days attached due to housing creep) and he does indeed still use a horse drawn cart to carry his acquisitions around.
 

SS4

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We seem to get one daily. It's got to the point where I'm considering putting in a noise complaint to the council
 

tigerroar

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Unfortunately the traditional rag and bone men have had had the majority of their business taken away from them by the so called "travellers"

The old days of the scrap man taking away your old cooker for a few quid are largely gone.

They have been replaced by a bunch of criminals who will steal anything that isn't screwed down, and some stuff that is.

They saw an excellent way of making a tax free income by poking in peoples back gardens and taking anything of value.

They are major players in the stolen metal business and are behind a massive amount of the railway cable thefts.
--- old post above --- --- new post below ---


Looking for a cat no doubt but not the feline type.

This is so true, we have them around here too. They'll just help themselves to anything.
 

Tracked

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there's one that comes round here shouting "rag & bone" from the back of a van, not like the one with the handcart from when I was a lad, that's progress :roll: ;)
 

deltic1989

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We sometimes geta lovely irish guy come round every so often, ever such a chatty guy.
A couple of weeks ago he loved us as we got rid of our old tumble dryer, washing machine, and cooker and replaced them. Him and his gang came down singing as they loaded it all into an old sherpa van.
 

michael769

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They came round when I was a kid. Locally they used a bugle to signal their arrival. They took old clothes, books, scrap metal and domestic appliances.

In return they would give the kids balloons and the adults who went out would get clothpegs.
 

es373

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However gritty these people are, they save you a shed load in having to pay for the disposal of fridges, freezers, washing machines etc!
 

richw

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However gritty these people are, they save you a shed load in having to pay for the disposal of fridges, freezers, washing machines etc!

There is never reason to pay for disposal of these items. Scrap metal dealers will pay you for the items.
These guys effectively are charging you for the service as they keep the proceeds from selling to scrap metal companies
 
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I know these did exist, however does anyone have any memories or photos to share, and do they still exist?

They occasionally make an appearance in this corner of Leeds:lol: The last one I saw had a redundant washing machine on his cart (and yes it was horse drawn).
 

IanD

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We just have the scrap fairies in Walthamstow. Put something outside the front of your house and it magically disappears within half an hour. New neighbours for some reason (and against my advice) put their radiators outside whilst they painted/platered the walls - never saw them again.
 
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