ANY OLD IRON, ANY OLD IRON, ANY, ANY, ANY OLD IRON?

In the 19th century, rag-and-bone men typically lived in extreme poverty, surviving on the proceeds of what they collected each day. Conditions for rag-and-bone men in general improved following the Second World War, but the trade declined during the latter half of the 20th century. 

       -Wikipedia  

We younger chaps recall Steptoe and Son as being the point of reference for rag and bone men.

Interestingly enough though, I knew a Wellington rag and bone man who was the son-in-law of a friend of my dad. This was in the late 1950s/early 1960s and he referred to himself as a rag and bone man - not a scrap or second hand dealer. It intrigued my brother and me as we couldn't imagine someone going around collecting old rags and bones. He must have been doing good business though as he drove, not his work vehicle, a massive yellow Cadillac Coupe de Ville.

Dad borrowed it once and we all, mum, dad, my brother, me my three sisters all got lost in the interior and we drove up the Kapiti Coast for a picnic feeling like film stars.

So, why rag and bone men you might ask?

Well, I've been busy yesterday and today listing items on Freestuff and Community Gifting sites. You'd think that it's easy to give things away for free but, not so. 

First the items have to be of quality and useable otherwise it's just a cheap way (no tip fees) of throwing away junk. This is quite different to when I was a kid as getting junk for free was a real treat and we even enjoyed going to the council rubbish tips to fossick for stuff. Actually this continued right up to when I was at university and Tony, Noel, Mike, me and sometimes Richard would make a Sunday afternoon out of it. Sad really and obviously reflected the fact that we didn't have girlfriends who would no doubt have disapproved of this activity.

The problems that I run into with the free giveaway on-line sites is that immediately after listing there will be a flurry of interest with several people requesting the item. To be fair, I confirm with the first person who asks and inform the others that the item has gone. All good so far? No. Twice already the first person who asked and I confirmed with either did not get back to me or then said that they were not interested so I've had to go back to the people I said no to to see if they still want it. To be honest I've got better things to do and might end up taking good things to the tip.

Where's a rag and bone man when you want one?