O/T. First Footing

[LincsMiller]

Letting in the New Year, First Footing. Is this tradition still carried out in your area? It used to be quite lucrative when we were kids, you only had a short time span to get round as many houses ( with coal) before being beaten to it by a competitor.
It doesn’t happen here where I live now, but I do have a reputation for being a tight, miserable Yorkshireman

[caytonmiller]

We used to stand outside the Eastwood club from 11pm new years eve. Best hourly rate I've ever been on .

[Scum-Triumphant]

I was born in paisley and as a kid up there it was always a thing.
I always have steak pie NYD dinner as well.

[LincsMiller]

We used to stand outside the Eastwood club from 11pm new years eve. Best hourly rate I've ever been on .

It was the Dusty Miller on Westgate for us when they had a dance on at across at Sheffield Rd swimming baths, there was a constant stream
of revellers popping out for alcohol . As you say mate , the earnings were well above minimum rate.

[millertop]

Letting in the New Year, First Footing. Is this tradition still carried out in your area? It used to be quite lucrative when we were kids, you only had a short time span to get round as many houses ( with coal) before being beaten to it by a competitor.
It doesn’t happen here where I live now, but I do have a reputation for being a tight, miserable Yorkshireman

Memories ❤️

If I didn’t go to my uncle’s house first then I was in trouble, he really believed in that.

No not done in years

[Grist_To_The_Mill]

Handy things were lumps of coal

I could hit a first footer at 100 yards away.

Tended to discourage them

[Ericsladkilnhurst]

Me & mate used to go round houses to let new year in, took lumps of coal with us, & chucked it on their fire,
always went to a certain house end of street, they always had a party, so plenty of people, so more money
collected, & we got a glass of whiskey.

[LincsMiller]

Me & mate used to go round houses to let new year in, took lumps of coal with us, & chucked it on their fire,
always went to a certain house end of street, they always had a party, so plenty of people, so more money
collected, & we got a glass of whiskey.

It was tradition to black up your face , you would spend new year in nick if you did that now

[Ericsladkilnhurst]

It was tradition to black up your face , you would spend new year in nick if you did that now

We blacked our faces LincsMiller, look what happened to the Black & White Minstrel Show, programme removed by the BBC,
Golly*ogs gone off the jam jars, yet I see the Golly*ogs badges still get sold on markets stall & antique fairs.

On the street where I live [11 years], a lady as always had a Golly*og doll in the window, for all to see, surprised me Rotherham
council haven't told her to remove it.
I know the lady quite well & have joked with her about it, to whether she as had any complaints, which she said no, but its
stopping there in the window.

[frogmiller]

Me and the Mrs knocked the door of our then new neighbour in 1996. We stil exchange Christmas cards to this day even though we left in 2005.