I recently wrote about modern-day childhood being ruined by technology. Immense feedback: you all agreed it was all far more innocent back in the day, when we all ran around outside and made our own entertainment.
I also mentioned in that column that I, at age 10, was able to buy cigarettes from the ice cream van man for my grannie. And like I said to the lady who emailed me regarding all that – I am not encouraging today’s children to smoke, just telling it like it was.
And that article about childhood got me thinking, about childhood sweets, possibly and probably long forgotten, things I’ve not eaten for decades.
I’ve written about nostalgia before, it can be mentally healthy or it can be depressing, it’s up to the individual and depends on how long you dwell on it.
The ability to bring yourself back to the present is a must if you find yourself reflecting on nostalgia.
Personally, I love nostalgia, but it can come with a hint of sadness, so be aware.
Can sweeties be nostalgic? Absolutely. Old fashioned sweet shops, jars, an array of colours of sweets, just picture it.
So, let’s delve into the subject, for as Annie Lennox once sang, “Sweet dreams are made of these…”
If you’re of a certain age, you’ll no doubt remember Woolworths in Aberdeen. Or Woollies as we all called it. It was on Union Street if I recall correctly. It sold many items. I did start to buy cassettes and records there, but really, I went in for its sweeties, its famous pick n mix.
My mum told me her memories of visiting Woollies. She’d get the bus into Aberdeen, to go a dance class on a Saturday. Her mum had given her money to buy lunch in a café in Belmont Street, but she recently confessed to me that she used to skip lunch and instead spend the money in Woollies on white chocolate drops.
Once I was old enough and allowed, it was my turn. I’d take the bus from Inverurie into Aberdeen on a Saturday morning. I’ve got a strange perplexed smile on my face as I write this. For this now grown-up man has traversed the globe, yet back in the day that bus trip on my own into “town” was like going to the other side of the world.
The sense of freedom, no adults to tell me what I can or can’t do, and a pocket full of coins and a pound note if I was lucky to spend on whatever my heart desired. And of course, that meant Woollies’ famous pick n mix.
I swear you could smell the sugar when you walked in the front door.
After buying all my favourites, and armed with a big bag of sweeties, off I walked along Union Street, which looked a damn sight better in those days, without a care in the world. Ah, the days of youth – and not a mobile phone in sight. Bliss.
Woollies was such a wonderful shop, but it’s long gone now from our high street. So sad.
But in Inverurie we had something even better than Woollies, right next to where we lived. A wonderful shop, a real grocer’s shop that sold everything. It was exactly like Arkwright’s shop in Open All Hours.
A wonderful man owned that shop, such a kind man; he always gave me more than I could afford.
The shelf behind the counter was stacked high with huge jars of sweeties. I remember standing there, barely able to see over the counter top, and asking for a quarter of whatever it was.
Oh yes, no horrible grams, but a quarter of sweets. Remember that?
As he took the jar off the shelf, I’d watch, no, near drool, as he tipped said contents into an old-fashioned scale, then pour the lot into a wee white paper bag – remember them?
Then he’d add in a couple more sweets as a freebie.
And way before recycling was even heard of, I used to take empty lemonade bottles back to this shop and you got money for it. Wonderful.
I was so excited by that. I’d often spend an hour or so on a Saturday morning just walking around looking for empty bottles.
As I write, something else just popped into my head. Do you remember cones of chips?
You got your chips in a paper cone, I loved those. All the crunchy bits and fat sat at the bottom of the cone – wonderful.
There was a chipper in Aberdeen not far from my grannie’s house. They used to do a special offer for pensioners, believe it or not: two fish suppers for a £1. It’s true.
Last time I bought fish and chips in Inverurie was more than a year ago. I was gobsmacked at the cost of three suppers. I dread to think what it is today.
Sorry, I’m digressing; back to those sweets of yesteryear.
This is by no means a definitive list. How many can you remember? Do you still get these? Even if you do, it won’t be by the quarter and out of a wee white paper bag.
Sherbet lemons, granny sookers, rhubarb and custard. Or how about aniseed balls? Yuck, but somebody must have liked them. Sherbet fountain, dolly mixtures, cola cubes, fruit polos, they were fun; black Jacks – not for me – refreshers, lemon bon bons, chocolate mice, delicious; chocolate limes – heaven – and of course chocolate coins. I used to always get those in my stocking at Christmas.
Cigarettes! No, not real ones, but sweets that looked exactly like cigarettes. I liked them and bought them, but on reflection, what an awful product. It must have encouraged kids to smoke.
Hmm, I wonder if these cig/sweets were thought up by the tobacco companies? Nothing would surprise me.
Are there sweet treats from your childhood that you miss? Do share.
Are you now craving any of these old gems? Well, I’ve found an online shop where you can buy them. Aptly named aquarterof.co.uk it’s great, take a look and maybe treat yourself.
And while I’m on the subject of tasty things, I’ve got a bone to pick – Snickers. What a horrible American name. It’s a Marathon bar. Bring back Marathon bars, I say.
And just for the record, I’m not encouraging today’s children to eat more sugar! Just reminiscing, that’s all.
Right, that’s me done. Time to send in this column.
Blimey, why do I have a sudden urge to go and brush my teeth?
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