SINCE writing about tramps, friends have been telling me what they remember of them. I soon discovered that Charlie, who I wrote about, was not the only tramp to have his own business. You may recall he sold tobacco reclaimed from "fag ends" he had collected. Herewith are some of the tales I was told about.

On a very small holding at Eagland Hill, which is a small hamlet near Pilling in the Fylde District of Lancashire, lived a small wiry tramp who was known as "Cockler". His nickname will soon become obvious.

At the bottom of the yard on this small-holding was a disused pig crew otherwise known as a pig sty. It was a sturdy brick building with a slate roof and it was in good repair; as country folk would say it was drop dry and snug. It was here that Cockler was allowed to live. In return for his abode he would likely keep the yard well swept and the drains and gutters clear. He would soon have realised that the cleaner he kept the yard the less likely the gratings would become blocked and therefore the easier it would be to keep the drains running free.

The small-holder cut rushes for bedding for his few cattle. The tramp was allowed to make his bed of clean dry rushes which would be springy and comfortable and as he could change it frequently it was also very clean. I am told all this would be in the 1930s when his wants would be few; he may even have thought himself fortunate to know where he was going to sleep at night. There was no social security in those days.

Many of the farms that kept pigs and calves had a tap on the outside wall, which was fed by a pipe leading directly into the side boiler heated by the open fire. Being able to draw hot water from the outside of the house was a great boon as it meant you could draw hot water for mixing your feed without going into the house in muddy boots.

It was not unknown for a farmer's wife to keep a sweeping brush handy just in case someone dared to go in with muddy boots, then they had to run for it or get belaboured with the brush. One farmer I knew who, it was said, was a regular offender, at the sound of his wife's voice would run for it and grab the sweeping brush as he made for the back door.

On Eagland Hill they burned peat and would keep the fire in all night, topping it up with one or two slightly soggy peats and so that meant Cockler could brew his tea without bothering anybody or having to use a naked flame.

In those days there was usually a second hand clothes dealer somewhere in the district so Cockler was never short of a serviceable warm jacket and coat. He also wore clogs, which meant he could carry out his own repairs without having to visit the cobbler's unless it was to buy some new caulkers (clog irons).

His one other possession of which he took very great care was a handcart. He kept it well oiled and greased for he knew that way it was much easier to push and would last much longer. And so, pushing his handcart with a hessian sack or two on it, he would set off for Fluke Hall which was by the shore and was a journey of at least three miles. Once there he would leave his handcart and, with a bag (sack) on his back, would set off to walk over the sands to the cockle beds. When he had arrived at the beds he would lose no time in getting to work with his small blacksmith made two-prong fork that he would have called a "gripe", carefully and skillfully loosening the cockles so as not to bring up too much sand and dirt and keeping the cockles as clean as possible. He would stow them into this bag until he had got as much as he could carry on his back. Then, walking back, he would leave them on the handcart and, taking another bag, he would return to the beds and once again fill the bag with as much as he could carry and retrace his steps back to the handcart.

The two bags would be sufficient for him to wheel and also to sell at one journey, so he would set off on his return journey calling on various customers on his way.

Cockles were not to everyone's taste but he had regular customers on his route; he would know not to call at any place more than once a week. His customers knew they could rely on the cockles being fresh and clean. I have no idea what he charged for his wares but it is said he often came away with perhaps a loaf of bread, and some cold meat. More next time.

Dialect word: Gap' oil meaning gateway.

Thought for the day: How does it happen there is only one Monopolies Commission?