SEnine
PERSONAL ELTHAM
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Old clothes
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and rusty washing machines 17
Readers of a certain age will remember the rag and bone man, or more
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likely the inimitable form of Harold Steptoe. Deptford-born Charlie Johnson
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and his nine-year-old gelding Mark, are still at it. John Walker met them.
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How long have you been in never got to go on holiday or £250 in one of the drawers. We
the scrap business? anything like that. I’ve never shared it of course. With rags,
All my life. I’m 68 and I remem-
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been abroad. England’s the you always check the pockets.
ber going out with my dad aged best place in the world in my Treat it as a tip.
four or fi ve. book. I treated every day of my Will you ever give it up?
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What are your memories of life as an adventure. If I’d had Not at all. It keeps me out
that time? the brains I might have done of trouble! I only go out as a
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He did a roaring trade in the something else. The great thing hobby now and to keep my old
war years. After a bombing, the about this life is that, being out horse in feed and shoes. I live in 33
rubble would be taken down on the road all day, you always Catford and the horse is stabled
the tip and dad would clear it of feel a great sense of freedom. in North Cray. I have to catch a
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anything useful – brass, copper, It can’t be just about old bus or get a lift with my son. I’ll
lead. There was one time I was clothes and rusty washing maybe pick up an old bath or a
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with him and a bomb went off . machines? washing machine, sell it on and
We jumped off the cart and took You’d be amazed what peo- go home. I only want to earn a
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cover in a shop doorway, and the ple want to get rid of. A lady in few quid to pay his stable rent.
horse took fright and bolted. A Bromley once gave me a 1928 Are you the last of the line?
policeman rounded him up a bit Rolls Royce with no doors. It had I’ve got two sons, two daugh-
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later just up the road. wooden wheels, the lot. I sold it ters, 13 grandchildren and two
When did you go into the to my uncle for scrap for a tenner. great grandchildren. One of my
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trade yourself? Couple of weeks later she gave boys does a bit of scrap, but
I left school at 15 to go full- me the doors, but it was too late. he uses a van. Thirty years ago
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time. Apart from a short spell We’d already broken the car for you could have come down the
when I had greengrocer stalls in scrap. It would have been worth caff and met a dozen of us. But 47
Dartford and Deptford I’ve been a fortune today. there’s still a fascination with
doing it ever since. Any golden rules? the job. Everyone wants to stop
Has it given you a good Never get rid of anything and talk. Two of my grandchil-
living? without a good old search dren, Michael and Alfie, love to
Money-wise it’s been a through it. I once took a cabi- come out with me on the cart.
living and that’s about it. We net off another trader and found Maybe they’ll keep it going.
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