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Photos of Wigan
Photos of Wigan



Wigan Album

Dogs

24 Comments

Park Drive dog
Park Drive dog
Photo: Aubrey Fairclough
Views: 3,342
Item #: 30237
A dog made from cigarette packets. My wife, Jean, saw 1 on display at Haigh Hall in the mid 1950s. She then, successfully, taught herself how to make them. Jean made numerous dogs with Woodbine and Park Drive cigarette packets

Comment by: irene roberts on 20th February 2018 at 18:19

I have a 1959 calendar made from Players Navy Cut cigarette packets. When I was a little girl in Ince I can remember my Dad bringing home similar things made from cigarette packets from our local pub. It was quite a popular hobby in the 1950s. Well done to Jean for teaching herself to make them!

Comment by: irene roberts on 20th February 2018 at 18:22

PS, Aubrey, Jean might like to see a pic of my calendar. It is under "Assorted" , then you scroll down to "Ephemera"; click on that and it is on page four.

Comment by: Poet on 20th February 2018 at 19:18

What an unusual and charming object. People are wonderful sometimes.

Comment by: Philip Gormley. on 20th February 2018 at 19:19

Aubrey: I can't be sure if your wife had used glue, as part of her model-making processes, but it's pretty clear that she had employed some very clever and effective pleating during the completion of her Beagle? It's a very good model.
The collectors' catalogues inform that Wills, and Gallaher had issued numerous sets of 'dogs on cigarette cards' during the 1930's, and this particular subject matter maintains its appeal.
I remember going to a few of the collectors' fairs that were held at Wallgate Station, a few years ago, and despite them being reasonably well-attended were, apparently, suddenly stopped! If only they could be given another organised whirl.

Comment by: Cyril on 20th February 2018 at 19:22

Your wife Jean must be very dextrous Aubrey, reminds me of those birds and other animals Japanese street artists make with folded paper.

Comment by: DTease on 20th February 2018 at 19:42

I'll bet it took a lot of "Dog Ends" to make this little doggy.

Comment by: Aubrey on 20th February 2018 at 20:06

Thanks everyone Jean is very pleased with your compliments.
Irene, The calendar looks very nice. It is amazing what can be done with a little patience. We have never seen those before.
Philip, Jean did not use any glue. The packets are cut into strips and threaded through one another.

Comment by: A.W. on 21st February 2018 at 11:12

It's remarkable the things that people used to make out of throw away items, animals made of crown bottle tops and wire, rugs made of old nylon stockings, matchstick models. Recycling is nothing new!

Comment by: Veronica on 21st February 2018 at 12:02

Before the real advent of the 'telly' people were far more creative -from making rag rugs to knitting and sewing. Children too making things - I think we all have a creative streak -the long winter evenings was the ideal time for hobbies to relieve the boredom - television killed all that.

Comment by: Philip Gormley. on 21st February 2018 at 15:08

Something 'crackled' for children of the 50's, when they cold-pressed their chosen flowers, sifted their way through autumn leaves in their hunt for the large horse chestnut leaf, and floated postage stamps off unwanted envelopes. Those were the days, but on second thought, hand me your unwanted Airfix catalogue, and crinkly tube of cement, sir.

Comment by: irene roberts on 21st February 2018 at 16:04

I still take unfranked stamps off envelopes, Philip!

Comment by: Philip Gormley. on 21st February 2018 at 16:58

Then you have a First-class touch Irene. Thanks.

Comment by: Poet on 21st February 2018 at 19:25

Aubrey,
May l ask if the model retains any ghost of old tobacco aroma ? How delicious and evocative if it did.

Comment by: Aubrey on 21st February 2018 at 20:05

Poet,
This dog is about 60 years old, there is certainly no smell of tobacco. There may well have been at first but we have never smoked, so do not miss the aroma.

Comment by: Stan on 21st February 2018 at 21:35

This reminds me of a little dog we used to have, the poor thing had no legs, we called it Woodbine because we took it for a drag round the park every morning

Comment by: Poet on 21st February 2018 at 21:37

I like old things to smell of old things particularly when it's of their essence . I have some books about as old as the dog and the smell of time cannot be taken from their pages.
It's strange about tobacco. When it's unburned as in the packet it smells lovely.

Comment by: irene roberts on 22nd February 2018 at 08:32

Our car is from 1959 and I LOVE the smell of it; it isn't a musty smell, but just smells of age, and I feel like I am back in time. We have had people bob their head inside it to look at the controls and they never fail to say, "Oh, that smell takes me back to my Dad's car!"

Comment by: Veronica on 22nd February 2018 at 10:08

I still have my mother's purse from 30 yrs ago with the flap and the phone number written on it. Every time I get it out the first thing I do is smell it. The same with my dad's glasses case and the tissue I wiped his forehead with- the smell always takes me back to then. It's the same with perfume from long ago the sense of smell is a very strong and poignant reminder of old memories.

Comment by: Maureen on 22nd February 2018 at 13:12

The sense of smell is very evocative,when I wasn't very old my Dad worked in Blackpool,but he only came home at weekend,I would wake up Saturday and smell his cigarette smoke,which of course meant that be home..bliss.
after he died my Mam kept his favourite sweater in the wardrobe and every so often she'd just bury her face in it,but it somehow went missing after my Mam died..I wanted my lovely Brothers coat for the same reason,but his sons threw it out, they'll probably regret it when they're older?
When I smell pears soap I'm back in IOM as a teenager..I'm using it right now too.

Comment by: Aubrey on 22nd February 2018 at 17:34

I didn’t expect this photo would attract so many comments regarding the aroma of the past, however, Jean has kept her father’s pipe, tobacco pouch and flat cap all in a biscuit tin. Needless to say the smell has kept his memory alive.

Comment by: irene roberts on 22nd February 2018 at 18:42

One memory leads to another on The Album, Aubrey. Some people object at comments going "off the subject" but that is human nature, and I think it's lovely that people share their memories on here. You are obviously pleased at the reaction to the photo regarding nostalgic aromas and have added your own, which says such a lot about Wigan World Album. x.

Comment by: Thomas Jackson on 23rd February 2018 at 14:01

My dad, Joseph Jackson, used to make these cigarette dogs as well from collected packets from neighbours and from Hindley Labour club and the Legion. He also made cats, giraffes and a few birds. Same as Jean he never used glue just the strips cut into the same width then plaited together, then bent or curved to make the shape.

Comment by: Linda Massa on 25th February 2018 at 06:37

You can buy one at Next in Preston -£25.

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