glasgae
It's awesome.
The book, that is, although I suppose the concept of getting to know my adopted home better is also quite nice. It's called The Heart of Glasgow and it was written in 1965, revised in 1972. Actually, a quick search online reveals that they are still whacking out new editions of this gem... wow. I prefer the old school original, however. The writing is fab.
The book is a bit biased. A BIT. The very first line is "The City of Glasgow is undoubtedly the greatest city in the world," and the author bio states the writer was born in Glasgow in 1906 and has never wanted to live anywhere else. (It also says he is married to a Glasgow woman journalist. Lovely.)
The best part of all, however, was learning that Glasgow neds are not a new breed! Their origins reach far, far back! Wow! Not only does he mention the early hooligans, he gives detailed accounts of some of their activities - a veritable step-by-step guide to good times in Glasgow, circa 1930. It's worth quoting in full. Enjoy.
"In Daniel Defoe's day they drank heavily in Glasgow, but they didn't know of later refinements. Some 200 years after Defoe, in the days of the depression, the early thirties, there were two drinks known as Jake and Red Biddy. These were mixtures of methylated spirit and cheap red wine. The effect on the addict was frightening. I have seen Red Biddy drinkers brought into the Central Police Station in Glasgow and slid, literally rigid, from the Black Maria into the cell.
"In those days in Glasgow the chief object of the down-and-out was to achieve oblivion. One way was to attach a tube to the gas bracket on the stair landing of the tenement and send a whiff of gas into a glass of milk. Mind you, while this was certainly done, it was not general. It acieved fame because of newspaper reports that I might describe as picturesque.
"Scent-drinking was fairly popular, though very much an acquired taste. Any cheap scent would do, but at one time there was an Eau de Cologne, or so it said on the label on the bottle, which sold at sixpence and it was a great favourite.
"Experts on oblivion told me that between the wars it was possible to be drunk for a fortnight on less than a shilling. In those days an oblivious addict could buy sixpence-worth of spirit of salts from any chemist. That is forbidden now. He also bought a large bottle of lemonade, which cost about fivepence. Into the bottom of a glass he put a very little spirit of salts, and filled it up with lemonade. When he swallowed this mixture he became unconscious almost immediately.
"As soon as he came back to his detested life - and that might take some time, depending on the strength of the original mixture, he took a glass of water. The effect of the water on his interior made him drunk again. Next time he recovered he took another drink of water and left the world. He just kept on drinking water until it no longer had any effect. Then he made a new mixture of spirit of salts and lemonade and started all over again. Ad by ringing the liquid chages in this way he could remain drunk for two weeks.
"This kind of dreadful drinking hardly exists in Glasgow now. The much-critised younger generation go in for vodka and Bacardi rum, chased by Scandinavian beers. But the real Glasgow man sticks to his hauf an' hauf-pint."
Ha! The gift that keeps on giving. Those ned predecessors sure knew how to party, eh?
And for those of you who were wondering, as I was, what exactly are spirit of salts, perhaps for your own experimental purposes, I looked it up. HYDROCHLORIC ACID. Yeah. Nice.
I like learning.
Dot to dot got its first fan mail yesterday. And no, it wasn't from me! It was from a complete stranger, who seems to fancy our wee Patrick and his suspenders (or "braces" as they like to call em here). Aww bless! Before I know it, the boys will be fightin' em off with sticks! As long as they don't try nothin' with my hunka hunka!
