Cod Almighty | Postbag
The one with the argument about tea
13 August 2003
In this week's Postbag: dirty washing; RUSH; Butcher's blabberings; a iliturut rites; more trophies vicar; milk it; and European and Middle Eastern architecture and its influence and perpetuation in the design of British urban constructs in the early to mid-twentieth century
41-year-old
As a 41-year-old mariner living in the midlands, I got nostalgic as a bugger about Grimsbyisms. I hope you older fans remember bagwash for launderette. Are there any bagwashes left in town nowadays?
from Glenn Batemen
Butchers
That Tony Butcher he's a bit clever like, what wiv all them big words what 'e knows, but what I want to know is: did Tony ever manage the Immingham branch of Barclays Bank? Because he sure looks like the bloke who used to do it. Mind you it wouldn't do much for his street cred. would it? Well, that and not liking Rush.
from Mr B.L.Ackandwhite-Barmy
Fairness
In the interests of fairness and sympathy for real Grimbarians and Meggies, who get a monk on and feel the need for a good thrutch when faced with ex-Havelock, Polytechnic-tuned, Stuart Hall- inspired pseudo-reporters like our Tone, can you please provide a translation of his answers in your next edition?
from Swin
Letters Ed responds: If only we understood what he was blathering on about ourselves.
Pompuss
mr butcher. thank you for proveing how pompuss you are. you say people drown there sorrows on a saturday. this is be cause peeple in grimsby have very little to look forward to. not all of us have a chance to leave grimsby not all of us eva wanted to do well at school. now we are left in grimsby. we people work hard for every penny we can and the week end is a brake for us.
from not sayying (as if)
Letters Ed responds: I was going to edit this letter, but I thought the readers needed to experience the full effect of your grasp of the English language. I dunno, you kids. You are eight, yeah?
More tea?
My father is vicar at Barnoldby church. I was once invited to see Middlesborough humiliate Town by a certain Mr. Carr who is married to one of the church-wardens there. As well as meeting all the players from both teams he took me to see the trophy cabinet which is situated somewhere inside the John Smith's Stand. There are lots of small trophies and things, including some commemorative china presented to the club.
Regarding Ibiza, I read that this was the first time the tournament was held, but that Town were already considering going back next year. Hope this has been of some use!
from Michael Shelton
Yet more tea
Mr Diary has made it his business to investigate the tea etiquette within our Division Two rivals this season. I am alarmed that he appears to be applauding those who practise TIF rather than MIF.
Having published a short monograph a few years ago on this very subject, I feel that I am qualified to take issue. It is a kind of 'upstairs, downstairs' tradition from the Georgian era - those drinking out of cheap crappy cups put the milk in first (MIF) in order to minimise the chances of the cup cracking when it is filled with hot tea. Those who could afford decent china flaunted their wealth to visitors by pouring the tea in first (TIF).
Now I have not yet been invited to take tea with Mr and Mrs Diary, but I have met Mr Diary's Mum - a very nice lady who looked very much like a MIF person (like myself). Please send her my best regards.
As a by the by, MIF people use fewer teaspoons - which has got to be a bonus for many reasons, none of which I will bore you with now.
from Richard
Letters Ed responds: Richard, leave now and never darken our shores again until you've learned the correct way to make tea.
Phallic
Re: The Dock Tower
Yes, it's a phallic symbol but did you know the design is taken from some old Italian tower some where in Italy? Now then.
from D Tucker
Letters Ed responds: My understanding was that the architect based the design of the tower on a mixture of Egyptian and European architecture. Anyone have any more information?
Thanks all. And if there's anyone else who wishes to send us a letter, feel free to use the feedback page. We're ready to listen.