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Donkey Stones
by Lolly Sat Sep 21, 2019 1:30 pm
ELI WHALLEY
DONKEY STONE MANUFACTURERS
The firm of Eli Whalley, the last mass producer of donkey stones
in the country, closed early in 1979 and was based
at Donkey Stone Wharf.
Donkey stones are scouring stones, named after the trade-mark
of one of the earliest firms, Reads of Manchester,
and were cream, brown and white.
Originally used to put a non-slip surface on greasy
stone staircases in the mills of Lancashire and Yorkshire and later
by proud housewives, who made stoning the front door step
a form of decoration and competition.
Eli Whalley's trade-mark, the "lion brand", impressed
on the stones was taken from a photograph of
a live specimen in Belle Vue Zoo.
Branded scrubbing stones were popular in northern England well into the 20th century. Well-scrubbed doorsteps were a proud sign of good housekeeping in rows of small terraced houses in smoky industrial towns. Stones manufactured in the 19th and 20th centuries often had some colouring added. Earlier, simpler versions had no colour except perhaps a touch of white chalk or pale clay. Steps and windowsills were not only scoured but also tinted and/or outlined in white. A donkey picture on one well-known brand gave its name to this type of scrubbing stone, even though there was plenty of competition. Other stones on sale were marked with lions, ponies, or a kneeling woman for the Kitchen brand.
DONKEY STONE MANUFACTURERS
The firm of Eli Whalley, the last mass producer of donkey stones
in the country, closed early in 1979 and was based
at Donkey Stone Wharf.
Donkey stones are scouring stones, named after the trade-mark
of one of the earliest firms, Reads of Manchester,
and were cream, brown and white.
Originally used to put a non-slip surface on greasy
stone staircases in the mills of Lancashire and Yorkshire and later
by proud housewives, who made stoning the front door step
a form of decoration and competition.
Eli Whalley's trade-mark, the "lion brand", impressed
on the stones was taken from a photograph of
a live specimen in Belle Vue Zoo.
Branded scrubbing stones were popular in northern England well into the 20th century. Well-scrubbed doorsteps were a proud sign of good housekeeping in rows of small terraced houses in smoky industrial towns. Stones manufactured in the 19th and 20th centuries often had some colouring added. Earlier, simpler versions had no colour except perhaps a touch of white chalk or pale clay. Steps and windowsills were not only scoured but also tinted and/or outlined in white. A donkey picture on one well-known brand gave its name to this type of scrubbing stone, even though there was plenty of competition. Other stones on sale were marked with lions, ponies, or a kneeling woman for the Kitchen brand.
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Re: Donkey Stones
by Maureen Sat Sep 21, 2019 1:39 pm
My Mam used them.and Billy on Radio Merseyside once said that all scousers used the cream ones instead of our white ones.
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Re: Donkey Stones
by Lolly Sat Sep 21, 2019 2:53 pm
A GRAND TRADITION
Before the last war, the womenfolk of Wazzocks End competed eagerly for the coveted title of "Housewife of the Year." Here, in a recently discovered photograph, we can glimpse competitors snatching some early -morning practice in the "scrubbing the front door step" category. Various keenly-contested stages, such as "black-leading the grate" and "beating the carpets" led up to the grand final, where places were only for the cream of the contestants!
Families were often huge - the unemployed couldn't afford to get out much.The competition carried no financial prize, but rewards there nonetheless were. After her famous victory in the final stage of the 1928 contest (Making the beds, mending a bicycle puncture, feeding two infants and cooking for a family of twelve simultaneously), the redoubtable Bessie Scrint
received no fewer than sixteen proposals of marriage - in ONE day!
If nothing else, it proves that the canny menfolk of Wazzocks End value dazzling domestic skill and the ability to perform Herculean labours above looks any day of the week - though blessed with awesome staying power in the drudgery department, "Squinty" Bessie was never considered a beauty in her day. Sadly, this fine tradition was never revived after the war as so many local women realised that working 16-hour shifts for peanuts in Arbuthnot's tank factory was infinitely preferable to their previous dreary existence: nevertheless, many local chaps still deeply regret the passing of such a wonderful way of keeping their womenfolk in their rightful places.
Before the last war, the womenfolk of Wazzocks End competed eagerly for the coveted title of "Housewife of the Year." Here, in a recently discovered photograph, we can glimpse competitors snatching some early -morning practice in the "scrubbing the front door step" category. Various keenly-contested stages, such as "black-leading the grate" and "beating the carpets" led up to the grand final, where places were only for the cream of the contestants!
Families were often huge - the unemployed couldn't afford to get out much.The competition carried no financial prize, but rewards there nonetheless were. After her famous victory in the final stage of the 1928 contest (Making the beds, mending a bicycle puncture, feeding two infants and cooking for a family of twelve simultaneously), the redoubtable Bessie Scrint
received no fewer than sixteen proposals of marriage - in ONE day!
If nothing else, it proves that the canny menfolk of Wazzocks End value dazzling domestic skill and the ability to perform Herculean labours above looks any day of the week - though blessed with awesome staying power in the drudgery department, "Squinty" Bessie was never considered a beauty in her day. Sadly, this fine tradition was never revived after the war as so many local women realised that working 16-hour shifts for peanuts in Arbuthnot's tank factory was infinitely preferable to their previous dreary existence: nevertheless, many local chaps still deeply regret the passing of such a wonderful way of keeping their womenfolk in their rightful places.
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Re: Donkey Stones
by Lolly Sat Sep 21, 2019 5:27 pm
Many of us will remember from our childhood days the familiar sound of the Rag and Bone Man going around the streets calling out. This is just one of my childhood memories along with many memories of my grandmother, and for her how each day had it’s own job and depending on what the day’s job was it decided what the main meal of the day would be.
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Re: Donkey Stones
by Tommytee Sat Sep 21, 2019 5:39 pm
It seems that there may have been more than one 'recipe' for the composition of these stones and it is known that some of the stone used in their manufacture was quarried at both Wigan and Northampton and these would have been sandstones. Another 'recipe' contained limestone that was quarried around Dove Holes in Derbyshire and this would have been supplied via the Peak Forest Tramway and Canal. Colours ranged from brown, through cream, to white with intermediate colours being made by mixing different coloured stones.
http://www.pittdixon.go-plus.net/donkey-stones/donkey-stones.htm
http://www.pittdixon.go-plus.net/donkey-stones/donkey-stones.htm
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Re: Donkey Stones
by Admin Sat Sep 21, 2019 10:04 pm
Yes, Mo...Interesting stuff...
I remember my mum 'Donkey Stoning' our steps on Helvellyn Rd in the fifties....
I do wonder what the young people of today think about a donkey stone......A what???
I remember my mum 'Donkey Stoning' our steps on Helvellyn Rd in the fifties....
I do wonder what the young people of today think about a donkey stone......A what???
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Re: Donkey Stones
by nordic Sun Sep 22, 2019 9:12 am
Who's heard this before " Ooo you little sod , loooook at those booooots and I've just done mi' step ." 
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Re: Donkey Stones
by nordic Sun Sep 22, 2019 9:22 am
My mam also used to paint the downstairs 'brick-on-edge , front (only) window cills , with a thing called 'Cardinal' , red / maroon it was . And if the front garden wasn't neat , the 'rent mon' would tell you to have it right for next week .
There were two ladies from Norley talking .(could have been Ada and Cissey) One said "last week I was all behind and yon rent mon was due , so I was donkeying the front step , when the cheekie bugger cum up behind me and started ....you know.....thingy ." Ooo" said the other " what did you do" . I pushed back ....no one's pushing me of MY FRONT STEP".
The old one's are the best.
There were two ladies from Norley talking .(could have been Ada and Cissey) One said "last week I was all behind and yon rent mon was due , so I was donkeying the front step , when the cheekie bugger cum up behind me and started ....you know.....thingy ." Ooo" said the other " what did you do" . I pushed back ....no one's pushing me of MY FRONT STEP".
The old one's are the best.
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Re: Donkey Stones
by Maureen Sun Sep 22, 2019 10:01 am
I used to love polishing the bedroom furniture with a tin of lavender polish,then using the empty tin to play hopscotch with.
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Donke Stones
by marie Sun Sep 22, 2019 1:52 pm
My mam used to always get donkey stones from the Rag and Bone man when he came round with his horse and cart. Some people used to donkey stone all their step and some just used to do the front edge.
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Re: Donkey Stones
by Admin Sun Sep 22, 2019 8:44 pm
My mother would call them 'Donkey Brand'...from the rag and bone man...
Great find, Lolly...
Great find, Lolly...
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Re: Donkey Stones
by Lolly Tue Oct 27, 2020 3:29 pm
There was also Lyon Brand, obviously an inferior product
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