Games we played

By Peter J Stoker

Photo from WRVS Heritage Plus Archive

We played in the street:

Spinning tops, hopscotch, Glarnis - (the Scottish word for marbles), marbles - along the gutters in the streets, solitaire with marbles, flying kites, iron hoop and wooden stick, shove ball, bouncing two tennis balls off a wall, bulldog, boats, peashooters, catapults, hopscotch, whips and tops, conkers, three-wheeler bike, tin can copper, walking sticks and roller skates, skipping, dancing, rounders, stoolball, football, cricket, hockey on the A23, handstands, cartwheels, pat-a-cake, ring a ring a roses, doggy stick, swinging on a rope tied to the lamp-post - there was an arm along the lamp-post that the workers would lean their ladders up against and this was perfect for tying your rope to. Knock down ginger - knock a door and run away.

We played at home:

Dominos, sevens, Aligobs - jacks, Ludo, snakes and ladders, Toteopoly - horse racing game, Monopoly, beat your neighbours, charades of films and film stars, bagatelle, jigsaws, shove ha'penny and other penny and ha'penny games, cigarette cards, wins and swaps, draughts, chess, yoyos, diablo, making flowers out of paper - and selling them, making your own decorations, German Doll.

We played card games:

Chase the ace, snap, old maid (pairs with one missing at the end, the last person is stuck with the old maid), knock-out whist, snap, and Happy Families.

We made music:

Wooden whistle, xylophone, harmonica, penny whistle, kazoo, ukulele, banjo, a comb and a piece of tracing paper.

We read :

The Beano and the Dandy, Wizard, Roy of the Rovers, Billy Bunter, Eagle, Hotspur, Magnet, Gem, Funny Wonder, Chips.