Rules Of The Game
Continuing Len Taylor's story (see previous article), here's an explanation of games he mentioned.
Rum Stick A Bum
You began by picking two teams. Then one boy would bend forward with his hands against the wall. One or two others joined on to him forming a sort of vaulting horse. The rest of the team would then try and get as many people on the horse as they could by running and vaulting on to it. The horse would extend as it filled up. If the horse collapsed or a vaulter fell off the total on at that moment became the target for the other team to beat.
Cigarette Cards - Flags of all Nations
Tin Lurkey
This was a form of 'hide and seek' where the focal point was a tin. This had to be touched by those hiding in order to be 'in', that is safe from being caught. A team version was called 'relievo'. Should you be 'dobbed' (caught) by the seekers you had to stand beside the tin but could be relieved by another of your team if they evaded capture while they came and dobbed you.
Hop Charge
In Hop Charge you had to fold your arms across your chest and then hop across the road from one pavement to the other. At the beginning of the game there would be just one defender trying to prevent you crossing. He would shoulder charge anyone he came in contact with, hoping to unbalance them and make them put their raised foot down on the ground. Anyone whose foot did come down joined forces with the defender and the game continued until all the participants had been charged to the ground. The last to succumb was declared the winner. You might suppose this game favoured the big and bulky but often it was a smaller boy who won because he could dodge about and was generally faster on his foot.
Cigarette Card Flicking
This was a much more genteel pastime, of which there were two variants. In the first a number of cards would be stood up against a wall and you took it in turns to try and knock one down by flicking other cards at them. The successful competitor became entitled to keep all the dead cards lying on the floor. In the second version each player began with the same number of cards. You the flicked the cards so that they landed as close to the chosen wall or line as possible. The person deemed the closest once again took possession of everyone else's cards. Cigarette companies all put cards into their packets so there was a plentiful supply of raw material. You collected various sets and flicking games often enabled you to obtain wanted cards.