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Posted by Christine on 3/1/2008, 11:18 am, in reply to "Wagner's Christmas Cracker Factory"
I do indeed remember Wagners Cracker Factory ... and your father. I was also at Markhams Chase school school with Eric. I think your sister was my brother Terrys age, or maybe it was my sister Maxine she was at school with?
My mother worked many years for Wagners - at home when we were small children, and later in the factory.
When she worked from home she waited until we were in bed before she began and I can still remember the sound of her working away in the kitchen below my bedroom. In fact, I was talking about this on Christmas Day. The sound of the'double tie' of the first end, the clonk of the smaller brass tube being removed, shaking the hat and gift down the cracker and the 'double tie' of the final end!! Our job as kids was to sew the crackers into the boxes and help get them delivered back to Wagners.
My mother must have been good at her job as she was allocated to making the quality crackers for Tom Smiths - with large glittery fans to decorate the front of them and good quality gifts inside. Our kitchen in the mornings was covered in sparkling glitter dust!!
Seeing Christmas crackers for 365 days of the year as a child, at the age of 63 I have only in the last few years bought Christmas crackers for my family...........and only then because of our grandchild.
If you would like to contact me direct my e/m is aabodies@aol.com
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