The Gibby, Bogston Bridge

The Accumulator

WIRELESS ACCUMULATOR, 1940's

2 Volt accumulator used in wireless sets for the heaters of the valves. It was normally given to the local garage, hardware merchant, or cycle shop for recharging. They would give you your spare unit while this was being done.

I mentioned earlier on in my Blog, that we had no TV, and the wireless and the gramophone were our only music based listening , the accumulator was such a vital part in our lives, just about everyone had two, one in use, and one on standby, so it was an unwritten law, that as soon as one went flat, and your wireless stopped, as soon as the change over went, the flat accumulator was sent to be recharged, I cant remember how much it was, but there was an old man who had a " Scrap Dealers " below Boston station bridge, in Greenock, who used to do them cheaper than the shops in town, so it was my job to carry the accumulator, leave it over night, and collect next day, most Gibshill folk used him

Sounds of the " Gibshill Trio "

 

 

Gibshill Trio Sounds


(MEET ME IN MY DREAMS TO-NIGHT)

VERSE
UNDER THE MOON I AM WAITING,
DOWN LOVER'S LANE WHERE I STRAY.
PLEASE COME ALONG,
SING LOVE'S SWEET SONG.
SWEETHEART, THO' YOU'RE FAR AWAY.

CHORUS
MEET ME IN MY DREAMS TO-NIGHT, DEAR,
LET ME SEE YOUR SUNNY SMILE.
MEET ME IN MY DREAMS, TO-NIGHT DEAR.
LINGER IN MY ARMS A WHILE.
YOU HAVE BEEN MY INSPIRATION.
LOVE HAS BEEN MY GUIDING LIGHT.
WHEN I CLOSE MY EYES,
MY HEART ALWAYS CRIES.
MEET ME IN MY DREAMS TO-NIGHT.

2ND VERSE
FLOWERS ARE BLOOMING AGAIN DEAR,
BLUEBIRDS ARE MATING ONCE MORE.
SPRINGTIME IS HERE,
LOVE TIME IS NEAR.
YOU ARE THE ONE I ADORE.

REPEAT CHORUS

Wingy O'Neil, Joe Robbie, and one of the Gilmour lads.

4 Irwin St, Gibshill, Greenock. Ground floor, Corr's to one side Burkes the other, Millars and Gilmours in the middle, the Gibshill Trio always rehearsed on the ground floor stair well, we ( the kids ) sat 3 to 4 to a step all the way up to the first landing.....we have no TV, and the radio worked off an accumulator, so playing time was limited

We all grew up with music, Gibshill was well known for parties, we, ' the Sinclair's' were lucky, we had Jimmy Neill, who played accordion & piano, we all took it in turns round the room to sing, you didn't have to be good, just join in, " Wan Singer, Wan Song " the cry would come up if you talked or try to join in when someone was singing

I CAN'T SING as you will hear from the video, but I just wanted you to hear the sounds we loved and grew up with

lived in London for over 25 years and carried on the Sinclair style...Parties & more Parties, I sang this song, nobody heard it before, but I've never forgot it....." PLEASE DON'T LET THIS SONG DIE ", I would love to hear a singer record this, and let me hear it before I pass on to the Happy Hunting Ground.

The alert Siren & all clear

 

 

We had coastal flood warnings today on the Norfolk Coast, and the sirens were blaring away, I closed my eyes and I was back in Gibshill in the 1940's, and it got me thinking,I shut my eyes and there are sounds or noises or sights, come flooding back, taking me back to my youth in 20 Poplar St. Gibshill, Greenock, through the magic of T.V, Computers, Films these sounds are still about. this is 7 sights and sounds, that played a major part of my youth.

1. The sirens

2. Train Whistle

3. Drone of Lancaster

4. Sea-Plane

5. Steam train Labouring

6. Barrage Balloons.

7. Accordion

The Drone of the Bombers

 

 

I loved this sound, it made my blood tingle, I used to stand rooted to the spot when a Giant troop sea-plane took off, or landed at the " Tail o' the Bank " this sound I will never forget, I watched a film the other night, a war film, which included scenes of sea-planes, landing & taking off, my memory was back in Gibshill, Greenock so much, couldn't follow the film one bit, but standing on Poplar St. watching this take off or landing, I feel so lucky to have seen this for myself

Sea Planes

 

I loved this sound, it made my blood tingle, I used to stand rooted to the spot when a Giant troop sea-plane took off, or landed at the " Tail o' the Bank " this sound I will never forget, I watched a film the other night, a war film, which included scenes of sea-planes, landing & taking off, my memory was back in Gibshill, Greenock so much, couldn't follow the film one bit, but standing on Poplar St. watching this take off or landing, I feel so lucky to have seen this for myself

Steam Train at Poplar St.

 

 

I live in a little village on the North Norfolk Coast, and we are so lucky to have a Steam Train service, now the age of steam was a huge part of my life in Gibshill, Greenock, I can stand on the foot bridge of our local station, and close my eyes, listening to our old engine pulling 6/7 carriages of holiday makers up from Sheringham, and immediately I'm back up Gibshill, Greenock, " The Yanks are Coming " alerting everyone, to get ready for the Dimes, Dollars, Life-savors, and wriggles chewing gum, I've explained the task further down my blog

But sadly, when our old engine blows the whistle, I think of the people who were killed behind Poplar St. the Express, as it was coming downhill, used to blow the whistle, one long blow from the 9 Arches, and kept blowing it, all the way round the sharp bend to Poplar St....Now if the express came at the same time as a troop train was chugging up the line, people were so engrossed on catching favor's thrown out by the troops, never heard the whistle......Once again a local sound today, takes me back to 1940's