The meter and the haircuts

I have so many vivid stories and memories of what was a truly happy and secure childhood. Various vents and circumstances trigger actual people and places, in an honest clarity... Now, as I consider the impact of "The Cost of Living Crisis" and its effects on us at this time in our history, I cannot help but think of how things were in our past. As the service tariffs increase and our heating and lighting costs rise to new heights, I remember how economies were made in the past.

Like most households my childhood home had a coin meter fitted for electricity, we did not have provision for a gas supply, where we were located. The meter was set higher than we actually needed or used, resulting in an over spend, which meant that there was always a surplus due when the meter was read, each quarter. That was a special day which we called the "Meter Man Day", when the actual amount due was set against the surplus. The coins left over were for our spending. That usually meant a trip to the town and first a visit to the barber, for a hair cut. Thereafter a trip to Woolworth's.

These visits were special, and usually took place on the first Saturday after the meter was emptied. The barber was a chap called Kenneth Morrison "Kenny The Barber". His most distinguishing feature were his scissor fingers which moved constantly and with speed, whilst he spoke. He employed two other barbers, one Roddy Wilson and the other Murdo "Murtdie" Ferguson, who lived very near us and whom we looked up to with his amazing quiff hair style, mega sideburns and ability to play the guitar. We four boys each hoped for Murtie to cut our hair. Kenny The Barber's Shop, was the right hand shop of The Stornoway Playhouse Cinema. It had a bench style seat in the waiting area and a there were three traditional faux leather adjustable barber's chairs by each of sinks. The shop smelt of "Brill Cream" and soap, and freshly cut hair required to be constantly swept clear.

Now for some reason one of us brothers took the operative meaning of "hair cut" and therefore associated a"hair cut"with something very unpleasant. Thinking he would be cut. For some time he was terrified of the visit to the barber's and would need to be gently treated and carefully reassured by our mother. There was reward once the hair cuts were done, as some of the surplus coinage from electricity meter would be then divided among us, giving us some spending power in Woolworth's, in the Cromwell Street Narrows. This was where books, toys and the "pck'n mix" counter were the attractions. The "Woolies" store in Stornoway was reputed to be the busiest in the north of Scotland and it's range of sweets certainly was testament to that reputation. This store had been built around 1935, I was fascinated with it's large wire netted globe style gas lighting, with the pull chains that switched them on and off. By the 1960s electric lighting had been installed, but the impressive gas lights remained as back up in case of electric power failure. I can clearly remember seeing them in operation, possibly into the 1970s. Once we made our purchase of carefully selected treats, we were happy to head back home.

trying out blogging

As I consider the impact of The Cost of Living Crisis and its effects on us at this time in our history, I cannot help but think of how things were in our past. As the service tariffs increase and our heating and lighting costs rise to new heights, I remember how economies were made in the past. Like most households my childhood home had a coin meter fitted for electricity, we did not have provision for a gas supply, where we were located. The meter was set higher than we actually used, resulting in an over spend, which meant that there was surplus due when the meter was read, each quarter. That was a special day which we called the "Meter Man Day", when the actual amount due was set against the surplus. The coins left over were for our spending. That usually meant a trip to the town and first a visit to the barber, for a hair cut. Thereafter a trip to Woolworth's.
These visits were special, and usually took place on the first Saturday after the meter was emptied. The barber was a chap called Kenneth Morrison "Kenny The Barber". His most distinguishing feature were his scissor fingers which moved constantly and with speed, whilst he spoke. He employed two other barbers, one Roddy Wilson and the other Murdo "Murtdie" Ferguson, who live near us and whom we looked up to with his amazing quiff hair style, megga sideburns and ability to play the guitar. We four boys each hoped for Murtie to cut our hair. Some of the surplus coinage was then divided among us, giving us some spending power in Woolworth's, where books, toys and the "pck'n mix" counter were the attractions. The "Woolies" store in Stornoway was reputed to be the busiest in the north of Scotland and it's range of sweets certainly was testament to that reputation.