When sent to fetch messages,as you walked past each shop it had its own distinct smell . The fresh loose tea in a plywood chest, a cheese wrapped in muslin cloth,plugs of tobacco,War Horse,St Bruno tobacco.
Goods were delivered in large jute sacks and heavy wood boxes and then had to be measured and weighed,suitable for the customers. Tea,sugar and flour etc. were scooped into large brown paper bags.Scales with different weights were used for this. A different scale for lighter items, such as sweeties were weighed on a scale with a long needle waving back and forth until the exact amount was given.Most often your sweeties were poured into a funnel shaped bag of sorts made from a page of the local newspaper. Biscuits came in loose or bulk containers and bought accordingly. Conversation Locengers of all colours, with messages on them like
"kiss me quick",or " love me",or " hug me ",or some such saying. Slabs of long lasting hard toffee was great,but i could barely afford a full slab,so i would ask for half a slab. The ice cream shop was always a temptation for all youngsters. Cut up blocks of ice cream sandwiched between two wafers [ a slider}, came in different thicknesses and at different costs. I never could afford the large one that only the wealthy could afford. Puff buns with cream and jam inside at the bakery shop where a great smell of fresh baked goods caught your attention. Loaves, current buns with icing running down the sides, bracks,soda and wheaten and potatoe bread.
Just some more things in a world of changing times.
To be continued. By an Exile.

I remember reading somewhere a long time ago an exchange of dialect between a Merchant and his servant. The Merchant calls downstairs, " James , have you watered the milk and sanded the sugar ?. James answered, " Yes Sir. ". The Merchant replies, " Then James come up for evening prayers"!

Dear Exile you can still get sliders, soda bread, wheaten bread, bracks, potato bread. We still have the best home bakery's in the world. The smells are still there. As for the scales you mention you can still buy old fashioned sweets weighed the old way in the Ulster Folk and Transport Museum near Holywood Co Down. By the way the container for sweets was a poke remember ? Margaret