Lisburn Exiles Forum

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The Lisburn Exiles Forum is dedicated to the memory of James Goddard Collins (The Boss) who single-handedly built LISBURN.COM (with a lot of help from many contributors) from 1996 to 29th November 2012. This website was his passion and helping people with a common interest in the City of Lisburn around the world is his lasting legacy.


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Penny ( Shilling ) for the Gas Meter

Hi
How many remember the gas meters where you had to insert a penny ( later a shilling ) and turn a knob to obtain an amount of gas? How often did it happen when my Gran cooking for " the workers " had to run and put another coin in as the gas cut off. She normally had a coin already inserted into the slot , ready to turn , until I sneaky little b+++++d got to know about it and stole it using a pair of pliers and bought 5 Woodbines. Oh to be able to turn the clock back and make restitution.
Donald

Re: Penny ( Shilling ) for the Gas Meter

Donald,
Naughty boy! To be honest I have done that myself. Money used to be left on the top of our gas meter and I found it and went to buy sweeties and when I got home tried denying it but was found to have chocolate still round my mouth! (didn't lick my lips properly)
I thought my mum was going to murder me.........But here I am still alive to tell the tale

Re: Penny ( Shilling ) for the Gas Meter

Who remembers an employee from the Lisburn gas board with a two wheeled handcart going around Lisburn Hilden etc every 3 months or so emptying the gas meters? The cart filled with canvas bags containing the Pennies or Shillings was left unattended outside the front doors as the employee ( the name Keery seems to ring a bell )went inside, unlocked the meter and removed the contents. Hard to believe but nevertheless true.
I mentioned earlier on this forum also an old remedy for curing children of the whooping cough was to take them to the gasworks in Bridge St. and have them held inside the chamber for a short time to breathe the fumes. A miracle we survived.
Nice weekend everybody
Donald

Re: Re: Penny ( Shilling ) for the Gas Meter

Jim Brady from the old Hillsborough rd. used to push the cart and one of the Meneice bros. went in the house and emptied the meter box and poured the content's into a small canvas bag wich would then be checked against your meter reading.

Re: Penny ( Shilling ) for the Gas Meter

Thanks Ken
The Keery I had thought about was Jeff Keery, a joiner in Hilden Mill who also pushed a cart when repairing the Mill houses and fences. He later emigrated to Australia or New Zealand, that,s probably why I associated him with the Gas board Handcart. Was McNeice any relation of Tischi McNeice who worked in the Winding in Hilden from Lisnatrunk who later married Billy Aberthneathy ,or Sammy from the Lowroad who played football?
Donald

Re: Re: Penny ( Shilling ) for the Gas Meter

I was one of the kids that was taken around by the gas works to get cured of the whooping cough. My mother really believed in this and apparently the gas fumes were supposed to help us. I also remember being in the old hospital (behind the Lagan Valley). I got scarlet fever and my brother also got it. My brother was very young and was in a crib right beside me. Then my cousins Valerie and Aldene Wilson also were brought in and we were all in the same room. We were kept in the hospital and not able to see anyone for about six weeks. I remember the big tall Matron coming in and we were all scared to death of her as she was so strict. At night we would all fool around and then when we heard her coming would quickly ly in the bed pretending to be little angels and being asleep. My mother and father would come to visit us and they had to wave at us through the window. I remember the rats roaming the floors at night and I was scared they would hurt my brother. Also when someone had the scarlet fever we were isolated from everyone else.

Re: Penny ( Shilling ) for the Gas Meter

Daphne,
that old hospital began life over a hundred years ago as the workhouse in Lisburn, rumour tells it is / was haunted by the poor souls who once inhabited it. I remember visiting relations there, Uncle Barney Watters from Barrack St. and Uncle Ned from Lisnatrunk. The Matron I remember also as a very domniant person , (stately and tall) as she made her rounds.
Donald

Re: Penny ( Shilling ) for the Gas Meter

Miss Millar the matron by any chance?