Fish n Chips 56

For the first 18 yrs we ate at national chains, of course many people have told us a place sells real English Fish n Chips only to realise they had no clue what they were talking about, we'd honestly given up on finding any decent Fish n Chips...

Its only since moving to Oregon and in the last 15 years that have we found excellent Fish n Chips, They are not like what we would find in the UK, but they are Fresh, Excellent and priced right, We have two places within an hours drive that serve excellent fresh Cod and Chips, neither are in chip shop batter, we have F&C at least once a week, Id put Alaskan Cod up against any we get back home, its so white and flaky with a taste that's hard to beat, plus ours arent greasy.

In all these 38 years we have only found two places that serve what we would call the real thing, exactly as you would find them back home, one large piece of Cod with chips and mushy peas, The first place was 150 miles from where we live and has now gone out of business or moved, the second place is 80 miles from our home, they were almost $20 a portion, the place and location was a bit scary and so we ate and ran, they were great but I doubt we would return...

When we go back to the UK I always have plenty of Chippys to satisfy my needs, some of the places I went to as a kid are still open...

I never drink tea when out, I know its not gonna hit the mark, plus my PG Tips is always waiting at home.

Fish n Chips 56

I didnt spend any time in Barnsley, I was more on the south side of Sheffield and sometimes Rotherham...

My Dad was a coal miner, I remember that sulphur smell, I can almost taste it now, its lovely going back to the village where I was born and not smell that smell.

Jerseygirl

My cousin was a miner at Orgreave, Handsworth.

Fish n Chips 56

Wow its been ages since Ive heard of Orgreave Pit, I used to go through Handsworth everyday on my way to work in Attercliffe. Handsworth always seemed like a nice place to me.
.

Jerseygirl

I was brought up in Parsons Cross...then Shiregreen...Handsworth where my cousin lived was paradise in comparison. When I was a child they had a lovely new private house...with central heating. I lived in an old council house...with ice on the inside of the windows.

expat93021

My dad was a miner at Houghton Main Colliery. I think my grandfather may have worked there at some point but don't recall if they ever worked together at the same pit. What a horrible and dangerous occupation. My dad used to come home with injuries all the time. When I asked him what happened he'd say very casually 'Oh, a bit of muck fell on me.'
Troopers, all of 'em.

Shirtback

I remember that Lol, now. Not so much back then . As country bumpkins, after a brief flare of town prosperity in the early 70s, we fantasised about getting a council house. Seems we didn't miss out much.

expat93021

I remember the ice on the inside of the windows too. Steel frames with a thin pane of glass. Council house estates were everywhere. Coal fire, downstairs only, and you'd freeze your rear end off just going up the stairs to bed. Didn't have winter sheets, just the very cold cotton ones and it was very difficult to get warm and fall asleep.
Ah, those were the days.

Fish n Chips 56

You are right, its a dangerous job, My Dad and Grandad worked at the same pit, but not on the same shift, My Grandad died in a disaster with 80 other miners.

expat93021

I'm very sorry to hear that. Even though lots of safety improvement standards were in force over the years, the job was still very dangerous, and not very financially rewarding I might add.

Jerseygirl

My cousin died of emphysema...the miners disease.

Fish n Chips 56

Yes sad isnt it, safety wasnt a big issue back then...

expat93021

Money was always the driving force for the NCB and, sadly, it still is for every business that opens its doors.

Jerseygirl

My cousin lived quite comfortably...his wife never worked...they had one child. Retired early...cash lump sum...good pension etc. He was a staunch labour supporter but thanked Maggie for financing his early retirement.

TopSec

It's interesting, that even though we're all from Yorkshire, how different it sounds. Mine was North and was brought up on a farm in the middle of nowhere, no coal mines, back to back houses etc. Though I very well remember the ice on the inside of the windows!! I remember having a bath and having to keep rolling/turning over to warm up the cold bits that were sticking out of the warm water. Better than having a bath when I stayed at my aunts though, tin bath in front of the fire filled up from the fireside water thingy, you burnt your leg or bum if it touched the side near the fire!