As a young child I went with my mother to the Cricket green. There was some very old trees (Oaks?) on the perimeter that had pretty much died but there were hollows inside the trunks! This could be accessed by climbing and it was great fun! I see all these have now been replaced by 'new trees'. I must be getting old as it appears I am now outlasting trees? Good vlog. Interesting!

@mitchamnotes

Ай бұрын

Dutch Elm disease and the hurricane took its toll! On the bend of Lower Green West, where it meets Church Road, are much younger trees than the rest that line the road. The 1987 hurricane took out the originals. Nearby joinery firm helped the Council clear the fallen trees, and were allowed to 'dispose' of the wood, which they made into rakes!

Is that a sewer vent post for the toilet sump? It doesn't appear to be a regular gas lamp ! If fed by Methane and ignited at the top it should be quite safe? Methane is hard to light and needs lots of air to combust! How was the flame kept constantly burning? Very interesting! Thanks!

@mitchamnotes

Ай бұрын

The sewer vents, or 'stench pipes', were tall and thin and the fumes wafted away far above people's heads. From what I read about the 'gas destructor' lamps, the box at the base had a heater, powered by town gas. This heater dropped the air pressure in the pipe and so the sewer gas from the toilets would be drawn upwards. The lamp at the top was lit by town gas like other street lights, but would also burn the sewer gas as well. The toilets were built here in 1930 because of the tram terminus, although the trams were replaced by trolleybuses in 1936. I wonder whether regulars to the Burn Bullock across the road would have had a bit of fun spotting the lamp getting brighter after someone had descended to make use of the facilities!

@senianns9522

Ай бұрын

@@mitchamnotes The for the reply! Interesting!