Shoulder Bags In The 500S

[bainbrig]

When our family (me, sister, mum and dad) went out on one of our rare outings (no car) it only recently struck me that what we took along (Thermos, sandwiches, etc) was all carried in shopping bags. Why were there no knapsacks, haversacks, or similar? It would have made life so much easier!

Too late to ask, of course. Any old ABers have similar memories?

[jno]

the 500s? Are we talking 1950s here?

[Georgiesmum]

No, but duffle bags were popular.

[Tilly2]

Scouts had them!
I love to go a-wandering
Along the mountain track
And as I go, I love to sing
My knapsack on my back
Val-deri, val-dera
Val-deri, val-dera
Ha, ha, ha, ha, ha, ha
Ha
Val-dera
My knapsack on my back
I love to wander by the stream
That dances in the sun
So joyously it calls to me
Come join my happy song
Val-eri, val-dera
Val-deri, val-dera
Ha, ha, ha, ha, ha, ha
Ha
Val-era
Come join my happy song
I wave my hat to all I meet
And They wave back to me
And blackbirds call so loud and sweet
From ev'ry green wood tree
Val-eri, val-dera
Val-deri, val-dera…

[Theland]

1950's?
Go to the park with jam butties and cold tea in a sterry bottle.

[bainbrig]

Couldn’t imagine my old man wearing a duffle bag, or me mum. Perhaps they’d had enough of gas masks etc during the war, (I know that’s not duffle bags!)

[Georgiesmum]

I wasnt born until after the war.

[woofgang]

There were knapsacks. My Dad had one that might have been army issue, it was a sandy brown canvas which he used to carry the food and thermos on our days out. I inherited it in the late 60's when I went youth hostelling with the Duke of Edinburgh's Award Scheme. I used it and loved it until the canvas finally rotted.

[bainbrig]

Yes I know there WERE rucksacks etc. My retrospective puzzlement is that my small family carted our stuff in shopping bags! The surplus store in North Street was teeming with all sorts of ex-military gear, which my parents didn’t buy. Maybe they saw themselves as ‘above all that’...

[woofgang]

maybe one or other (or both) of your parents had bad backs? Metal frames and hip straps weren't known then and all the weight of the bag went through neck and shoulders.

[-SharonA-]

Wow Tilly! Have not heard that song for a long Time.

[jno]

maybe it was expensive to buy proper knapsacks if all you were carrying was Thermos and sandwiches?

[tonyav]

We didn't sing that in the cubs ( well not for the two weeks that I attended anyway ) ;-)

[sanmac]

And knotted hankies.

[jno]

was this your song, tonyav?

[tonyav]

Blimey, was you in the same pack as me, jno ;-)