Not sure if this has been covered before, but just wondering if any of you carry a pocket piece and if so, what coin is it? Pics would be nice.
I carry 2, one on my key ring and one in my wallet.
This is in the wallet...
(http://www.australian-coins.net/gallery/albums/userpics/10113/1962P_Obverse.JPG)
(http://www.australian-coins.net/gallery/albums/userpics/10113/1962P_Reverse.JPG)
and this is on my key ring...
(http://www.australian-coins.net/gallery/albums/userpics/10113/Pocket_Piece_Front.jpg)
(http://www.australian-coins.net/gallery/albums/userpics/10113/Pocket_Piece_Rear.jpg)
Nice lucky penny.!!
I always carry a 1988 $5 Parliament House. Big chunky EF coin that I got in a mixed lot (for less than face:yahoo:).
Carrying that around and I know that I'm never broke.
the old vagrant laws come into my mind
my mother always carried a coin in her purse for fear of ever being arrested!
Quote from: 'robbiegal' pid='54513' dateline='1405168179'the old vagrant laws come into my mind
my mother always carried a coin in her purse for fear of ever being arrested!
We were always told the same thing. Make sure you have some money on you or you could be arrested for vagrancy.
true
at least there is some benefit for being a coin collector
A bit of nostalgia.
The actual provision in Qld (now repealed) was:
having no visible lawful means of support or insufficient lawful
means, does not, on being charged before a court, give to its
satisfaction a good account of the person's means of support;
So a single coin wouldn't help much but as just about everyone either had a job or received welfare benefits the section was rarely (if ever) used. It also specifically excluded people looking for work.
Some of the other circumstances when you could be deemed a Vagrant:
occupier of a house frequented by reputed thieves
being an habitual drunkard, behaves in a riotous, disorderly, or
indecent manner in any public place
habitually consorts with reputed criminals or known prostitutes
has in the person's custody or possession any picklock key,
crow, jack, bit, or other implement of housebreaking
wilfully exposes his or her person
with intent to commit any indictable offence is found by night having the
person's face blackened or masked, or wearing felt or other slippers, or being dressed in
disguise or otherwise disguised, or having in the person's
possession any dark lantern, electric torch, or any matches of
the kind known as silent matches
beg or gather alms
pretends or professes to tell fortunes
The Qld Act was written in 1931 so reflects the values of another time and being in the middle of the great depression wouldn't have helped either.
That's a great piece Steve ...... one must not wear slippers eh!
I was told as a child that having $2 was enough to avoid a charge of vagrancy (NSW, the law was repealed a few decades ago).
Now 2 dollars doesn't sound much, but when the law was written it was a gold sovereign and that was when an adult males wage was about 2 to 3 pounds/week (women and children far less) . So in today's money about $350.
Wearing a gold sovereign was enough to prove you were not a vagrant, might explain in part why so many were mounted.
A pair of half sovereign cuff links for men, or a sovereign broach or pendant for women makes for attractive jewellery and shows you were a lady/gentleman of means .
Packer's boy would fit this profile
"being an habitual drunkard, behaves in a riotous, disorderly, or
indecent manner in any public place"
and then there's me
"pretends or professes to tell fortunes"
I'd better hide my Tarot cards!! ha ha
Another circumstance was:
plays or bets at any unlawful game, or plays or bets in any street,
road, highway, or other public place at or with any table or
instrument of gaming at any game or pretended game;
That was the one that banned the Anzac Day game of Two Up hence why the local copper was always required to do the first toss so that if anyone got pinched then he was in there with them.
ha ha that is the true aussie spirit!
thank goodness we didn't have conscription - (sorry think i meant prohibition) all the coppers would have ended up having to take the first drink .... for the whole town!!
Quote from: 'robbiegal' pid='54594' dateline='1405241143'ha ha that is the true aussie spirit!
thank goodness we didn't have conscription - all the coppers would have ended up having to take the first drink .... for the whole town!!
There was conscription in WW2 and on to Vietnam.
Remember the Nashos, the protests and Simon Townsend doing time.
NZ also had conscription (even press gangs) in the Great War. At least we avoided that.
oh my goodness!!!
sorry I meant the other thing where the ban the grog prohibition?
yes, my father in law was a conscriptee in the Vietnam days
Quote from: 'robbiegal' pid='54602' dateline='1405245659'oh my goodness!!!
sorry I meant the other thing where the ban the grog prohibition?
yes, my father in law was a conscriptee in the Vietnam days
Doh!
I was wondering why men had to have a drink if they got conscripted.:idea:
Mind you we had the 6 o clock swill, men lining up 3 deep at the bars and to avoid losing their spot they peeed on the sawdust that liberally covered the floors.
Might explain why ladies couldn't enter the main bar.
Parts of my family tree were miners and publicans and other parts were tee totallers, must have made family get-togethers interesting.
yeah sorry
I was keeping in with the theme
although I'd knock back a few drinks if I was being made to go off to fight a war that I didn't want to be involved in
the F-I-L was cool about it though he didn't end up in combat and like many, feels guilty that he didn't ...
pretty cool being from a line of publicans as well
my mum was a book-keeper by profession and I spent many an afternoon after school within the inner confines of a hotel - back in the days when the publican lived on site with their family & when people had their kids with them at their workplace! hotels and a trucking depot were a couple that I remember with some fondness - the supermarket docks were boring
hum soggy sawdust - wouldn't have liked to be the cleaner at that bar!
I was a nasho, sent to Vietnam three times. Was not a boozer so didn't get in the 6 o'clock swill or peed on the floor waiting in line.
I am retired/TPI now and still don't drink nor do I pee on the floor.
Great times the 60/70's.
Back on track now: I never carried anything for luck in any my pockets but my dad always carried a small lump od coal in his pocket ever since he was a youngster, the same piece till he passed away 1979. I still have that piece of coal somewhere tucked away at home here.
just googled!!
Coal was often a new Year gift of sorts
Scotland
Scottish New Year
The Scottish New Year is known as Hogmanay and both New Year's Eve and New Year's Day were also known as Daft Days.
"It's traditional in Scotland to go "first-footing" on Hogmanay, a wonderful excuse to go out visiting friends and partying all night, but certain things are essential to make your New Year go with a swing.
Lump of Coal
In days of yore never mind the whisky, it was traditional for First Footers to carry a lump of coal with them. This was lovingly placed on the host's fire."
After welcoming the New Year, all the people of the household would wait to see who the first person to enter the house after midnight will be, as this person would indicate whether they would have good luck or bad luck for the coming year. The first person must be a dark haired male, young virile, good natured and prosperous. He should not be empty handed and was supposed to bring with him a small gift such as a piece of coal, bread, salt as they were symbols of life."
Perhaps your father was a 'firstfooter' in his younger days
I once met a man who remembered being the first footer (or rather his mother made him come home from the pub to be that!!
Nope, my dad was none of that as far as I know.
The piece came from Gurnsey where as a youngster, he grew up.
well, I now know more about Guernsey after your post Goldie
sounds like a smashing place to have grown up - British Crown dependency etc etc
my friend wikkie
Guernsey, Jersey all part of the Channel Islands.
I personally have never been there but the TV show Coast went there and apparently they had a very hard time during the German occupation during WW11.
But that is another story.