Ann, remember the skipping songs. The girls would chant various songs when skipping. One was Archibald who not only was King of the Jews, but was a generous man who bought his wife shoes, a shop, and a bell. Mind you he also swore a bit as well. Just thought about that while recovering from surgery. Aidan.

Aidan, glad to hear you're on the mend.

Do you know, I had completely forgotten that skipping song. "Archibald, bald, bald, the king of the Jews, Jews, Jews and so on.

Forming a circle, we used to sing. "Down on the carpet she shall kneel, while the boy stands on his feet". There's more to this rhyme and it ends up with a boy choosing a girl and kissing her.

Then we used get a long skipping rope and sing, "Gather in, gather in, for a big, big ring. If you don't come now, you'll not get in". There would maybe have been 10 or 12 of us joining in, even bigger girls who might have been working. This was in Leamington. in the 1950s.

'Now they're married, life and joy
First a girl and then a boy
Seven years after, seven years...' - Can't believe I still have these in my head Sorry to hear Aidan had an op.

Dabbler. Aidan is very sore but on the road to recovery. Alas, no beer tomorrow night. I was well looked after in hospital but glad to be home. Aidan.