Fuel Poverty.

[Captain Kong]

The price of Gas in high, because most companies are owned by the Germans, French and Spanish .
now my gas is delivered from the Morecambe Bay Gas Fields as is most of the North West customers, BUT we still have to pay the rate that is charged by the Foreign Companies. That is wrong.
Brian

[Lou Barron]

Talking about gas i can remember in one house we live in all the lights was gas you use to pull the weechain i think then light the mantle it use to go pop then a light and also a gas oven in them days it was coal gas very dangerous afew suicidesby people putting their head in the oven can anyone remember them days

[Red Lead Ted]

You mention the bad old day,s. In my opinion they were the good old day,s there was work for all, We had happy childhoods, I can see myself filling an old half penny down on the step to replace a shilling for the gas meter, When the emptier came around he would give your old mam the half penny back and either reduce it from her gas rebate or exchange it for a shilling. We took delight in flying a kite in the middle of a field, Climbed trees for conker,s, Marbles, The tatter would give us kids a balloon, When do you see young kids playing in the street not just kicking a ball but actually playing together, Making a paper plane, we would chop up dunnage washed ashore on the banks of the Mersey and sell it from a handcart for firewood a penny a bundle, My old man would have his few pints on a Saturday and most of the time end up wearing his dinner after coming home blind drunk, A stranger mostly Yankee seaman could give the kids the change out of his pocket without being arrested, Know one had bank accounts they had no need for them, We lived from day to day sometimes being fed by neighbour's and vice verse, Walk the streets with a few kids with a sponge and a bucket of suggee and wash the rich peoples car for a 3p joey, I remember getting sent the local corner shop for 5 Woodbine's for my old man they would last him all week {On the slate} I could go on all night. But in contrast look at what today,s world has to offer our kids you cant let them do half the things we did in fear of there safety. And one thing that will always stick in my mind you could leave your front door open without worrying why because know one had anything worth pinching and if anyone did the local men in the community never rang the police , They dealt with him themselves. Now i am a Grandad of 6 kids i sometimes look at them growing up in today,s world and wonder what there memories will be in 50yrs and to be honest it saddens me. We all do what we can for our kids and grand kids, Unfortunately we cant turn back the clock. Regards Louis, Terry.

[happy daze john in oz]

......... Have this feeling though of being diddled somewhere over the past 10 years or so.

John, have you ever asked at the Missinglink about all of this? It sounds a bit odd to me and I am begining to wonder about the tax consultant you use.

[happy daze john in oz]

Talking about gas i can remember in one house we live in all the lights was gas ......

I had a great grandfather who lived in Sunderland in a house with gas lamps and a Dutch oven fireplace. He refused to have electric lighting or any other form of cooking appliance. It was only after he died in 1960 that his daughter had the house modernised.

[cappy]

some people in sunderland still live like that but not in shields regards cappy

[Jim Brady]

The gas mantles were very fragile if you broke it you ended up with what was just like an upsidedown bunsen burner.
Regards.
Jim.B.

[Captain Kong]

Just to join in on the Gas Lightening, Last week I did a Tour of the Royal Palace of the last Kings and Queens of Hawaii
before they were deposed by the US Invading them with troops and taking over by force.
In 1890s Buckingham Palace was lit by gas and oil lamps and so was the White House in Washington.
when the Duke of Edinburgh, Queen Victoria`s son, went to Visit the Hawaiian Royal family, he was amazed that the entire Palace, with all its Chandeliers, was all lit by Electricity.

Cheers
Brian

[Louis the Amigo]

Hi Shipmates Hi red lead ted, "What I mean by the bad old days" is widespread poverty no food in house, cant pay the bills, no shoes on childrens feet and cant afford to buy a coat in winter and much more. most of us on this site had tough upbringing with very little in the way of money but that was a long time ago, What I am trying to say is after two world wars and the british empire what has happen to the land fit for heroes'? The dark days are returning "The bread q now called "food bank" 130.000 fed by them last year? The wide spread cuts to all services have not started . The MPS spend millions on they wine cellar every year, How much do they spend every day on gourmet food payed for by us the taxpayer? The welsh assembly are creating jobs for 30 more, £54,000 a year for 31 weeks very hard work going abroad on freebies, Society has split the rich fat cats and bankers are doing very well, who will pay the bill homeless people???

[Red Lead Ted]

I absolutely agree with you, I was merely reflecting on my own memories and making the same comparison,s that you have. The U.K We live in at the moment is the U.K. Our granchildren will endure for years and as you rightly say will only get worse. Its a very sad state of affairs whats the answer i have no idea. Until we start getting the bankers, capatalists, etc.......... to start projecting in investments in little acorns and growth the only way is down. I forcasted this on this forum over 2 yrs ago once we got a tory led government when they start talking austerity heaven help the rest of us. Its a pity there isnt someone overseeing the 365 mp,s we have in the U.K. They { all party,s make there own rules } And unfortunately legislate ours. Regards Loui,s Terry.