Well I think they would be trousers that are so dirty and smelly that you just have to exclaim 'cor blimey!!' Mind you , when I was a dustman, all my working clothes were 'cor blimey'! And I did live in a council flat and I used to get the tube home so , in retrospect, I pity anyone who sat next to me because I didn't go back to the yard afterwards. I was never so fit!! My round would send me out in front at 5am in the morning to drag out all the bins to the road in advance. Sometimes I never saw the bin wagon because I'd finish all the streets and go home!! If I saw the wagon in the distance I'd start running to try and keep ahead of them!! It was a matter of pride! Our round was posh Hampstead in London so they put their bins wherever they wanted to - down the side of the house, at the end of the garden. None of this put them all out on the road!! And we picked up the bins - none of these wheely bins!!!! I could carry three metal bins at once. Which is probably why I now suffer from sciatica! I could go on😂
Yes the toilets at Glastonbury were truly, truly awful but what made me stop going was the fact that there was basically a 24 hour party going on and it was really difficult to get any sleep!! However I saw some great acts usually on the smaller stages but Lonnie Donegan was one of the most amazing. I was about 40 at the time and stood in the Acoustic Tent waiting for Lonnie and looking at all these youngsters in their 20s and 30s and thinking 'surely these youngsters have no idea who Lonnie is??' Well, maybe they didn't know him, but after the Rock Island Line they were going crazy!!
Please waffle away,it’s really interesting and a nice change from gender. All I can say to that lot is gor blimey. It sounds like a lot of hard, dirty work. I always think dustmen get the raw end of the stick and they deserve a bit more recognition for a smelly job. Or should I say dust person. I’ve never seen a female dust person or even a dustman in a dress 😂 can’t quite imagine it. Perhaps they haven’t got time to contemplate their gender identity.
Back in the day, as explained, you had to be really strong to do the job properly so I think ( same as with sports) mostly men would be best for the job and I never came across a woman doing the job. Now that you are just wheeling the bin to the wagon from the pavement and attaching it to the hoist I think some women could potentially do it. Still loads of walking involved ( we estimated that we walked 20 miles a day) so you still need to be fit to be a good 'refuse collector' 😃
A really important job! What would happen if the bins weren't collected!!??
Dusty
NB There are some great stories from the bins. Maybe one day I'll write them down!!
Our bin round (West Midlands) has one woman that I've seen - there may be more that I haven't spotted, of course.
I think there is definitely room for "Memoirs of a Binman". Social history like that is important and fascinating, especially when it hasn't been done (or not much) before. You've got at least one willing reader!
This unlawful stuff is everywhere. This is from a Health Board in Wales
The Health Board’s Supporting Transgender Staff Policy includes the following extract:
Use of Facilities
The use of changing, showering, toilet and any relevant facilities will be part of the discussion process with the trans employee, with a view to agreeing when the individual would like to begin using the facilities they are most comfortable with. Trans employees are entitled to use single sex facilities in accordance with their gender. Non-binary staff may wish to use either gendered, or gender-neutral facilities, or both. Under no circumstances should a trans employee be expected or asked to use disabled toilets, unless they wish to do so. Should a situation arise where a member of staff has concerns in relation to sharing facilities with a trans employee, the relevant manager will sensitively discuss their reasons with them, carefully balancing the issues to make a reasoned decision.
‘Gor blimey Dusty’ did you have a pair of gor blimey trousers and what are they anyway?
The toilets always put me off going to festivals and I’m pretty sure things have worse now 😳
Thanks as ever.
You're welcome, TT.
Well I think they would be trousers that are so dirty and smelly that you just have to exclaim 'cor blimey!!' Mind you , when I was a dustman, all my working clothes were 'cor blimey'! And I did live in a council flat and I used to get the tube home so , in retrospect, I pity anyone who sat next to me because I didn't go back to the yard afterwards. I was never so fit!! My round would send me out in front at 5am in the morning to drag out all the bins to the road in advance. Sometimes I never saw the bin wagon because I'd finish all the streets and go home!! If I saw the wagon in the distance I'd start running to try and keep ahead of them!! It was a matter of pride! Our round was posh Hampstead in London so they put their bins wherever they wanted to - down the side of the house, at the end of the garden. None of this put them all out on the road!! And we picked up the bins - none of these wheely bins!!!! I could carry three metal bins at once. Which is probably why I now suffer from sciatica! I could go on😂
Yes the toilets at Glastonbury were truly, truly awful but what made me stop going was the fact that there was basically a 24 hour party going on and it was really difficult to get any sleep!! However I saw some great acts usually on the smaller stages but Lonnie Donegan was one of the most amazing. I was about 40 at the time and stood in the Acoustic Tent waiting for Lonnie and looking at all these youngsters in their 20s and 30s and thinking 'surely these youngsters have no idea who Lonnie is??' Well, maybe they didn't know him, but after the Rock Island Line they were going crazy!!
Sorry about waffling!! 😂
Dusty
Please waffle away,it’s really interesting and a nice change from gender. All I can say to that lot is gor blimey. It sounds like a lot of hard, dirty work. I always think dustmen get the raw end of the stick and they deserve a bit more recognition for a smelly job. Or should I say dust person. I’ve never seen a female dust person or even a dustman in a dress 😂 can’t quite imagine it. Perhaps they haven’t got time to contemplate their gender identity.
Hi TT
Back in the day, as explained, you had to be really strong to do the job properly so I think ( same as with sports) mostly men would be best for the job and I never came across a woman doing the job. Now that you are just wheeling the bin to the wagon from the pavement and attaching it to the hoist I think some women could potentially do it. Still loads of walking involved ( we estimated that we walked 20 miles a day) so you still need to be fit to be a good 'refuse collector' 😃
A really important job! What would happen if the bins weren't collected!!??
Dusty
NB There are some great stories from the bins. Maybe one day I'll write them down!!
Our bin round (West Midlands) has one woman that I've seen - there may be more that I haven't spotted, of course.
I think there is definitely room for "Memoirs of a Binman". Social history like that is important and fascinating, especially when it hasn't been done (or not much) before. You've got at least one willing reader!
Hi Jeremy
A binwoman!! Must be a strong lass!
There are some cracking stories and, of course, that old system of individual bins has long gone.. I should write it down!
Dusty
This unlawful stuff is everywhere. This is from a Health Board in Wales
The Health Board’s Supporting Transgender Staff Policy includes the following extract:
Use of Facilities
The use of changing, showering, toilet and any relevant facilities will be part of the discussion process with the trans employee, with a view to agreeing when the individual would like to begin using the facilities they are most comfortable with. Trans employees are entitled to use single sex facilities in accordance with their gender. Non-binary staff may wish to use either gendered, or gender-neutral facilities, or both. Under no circumstances should a trans employee be expected or asked to use disabled toilets, unless they wish to do so. Should a situation arise where a member of staff has concerns in relation to sharing facilities with a trans employee, the relevant manager will sensitively discuss their reasons with them, carefully balancing the issues to make a reasoned decision.
Thanks for this info, Barri.
Shocking stuff!! And clearly unlawful!!
Dusty