Charity Shops and Car Boot Sales

Charity Shops and Boot Sales

Thrifting thru England

If you only visit the museums, tourist destinations, castles, and great houses of England, you are missing out on seeing the Brits from a different perspective. The lives of modern English Folk are better reflected in their Charity Shops, Car Boot Sales, Jumbles, and Market Day Stalls. I should add Pubs to the list, but this story is about the English equivalent of our Thrift Shops, and therefore extraneous to the story, except that they are great places to rest up when your feet tell you to cool it for a while.

My wife and I have made many visits to England where we rent a car and wander where we will, initially staying in B and B’s but later switching to self catering cottages with week long stays. We have spent days in the British Museum, toured Buckingham Palace, visited the Henges of Stonehenge and Avesbury, and all the great castles and mansions. We have also been to Jumble sales in Falmouth, Market Day street stalls in Bridport, Car Boot Sales in Charmouth, and Charity (thrift) shops throughout England, Scotland, Wales, and Ireland.

Because of the need to limit the amount and size of our luggage, our thrift shop purchases were limited in size and weight, although on one trip we bit the bullet and bought an extra suitcase from a thrift shop so we could make more purchases.

One thing we always bought one or two of on a trip were horse brasses, the brass ornaments that used to adorn horses during holidays and special events. Almost all the rural pubs have some or a lot of horse brasses tacked to centuries old beams and walls as decorations. We have 20 or so tacked to and hanging on the wall above our fireplace mantle. I remember paying five pounds for the first one in Dorchester and then on other trips adding to the collection at a pasty shop in Tintagel in Cornwall near the castle ruins alleged to be King Arthur’s, and from a thrift shop at Hay on Wye, the town famous for its book stores.

Wales, on the Isle of Anglesey, we were the only guests of a buoyant hostess who had toured internationally with one of Wales' famous choirs. She insisted on singing for us, and she truly had a good and pleasing voice. She also had a CD for sale, which we bought, good guests that we were.

She also told us of a market sale at Beaumaris Castle on the other end of the island. At the sale my wife and I split up. I found myself at a table with horse brasses that had been mounted on bits of leather from an old halter. I thought the asking price was a bit high and suggested a lower price which the vendor declined. Instead he told me I should act fast because a woman had shown interest in the items and was likely to return. Sure, I thought, I’ve certainly heard that before. I started to walk away and he called to me, “How about…” I really wanted both the items, so I paid the slightly lower price.

Later when I met up with my wife, she told me she had seen some brasses she was sure I would like, but when she went back to the table she was told that some American had already purchased them. “You mean these?” I asked pulling them from my bag. “Yep!” she said.

Some purchases were necessary. On one cold and rainy day I finally acknowledged that I needed a hat. So I bought a snap down cap at a charity shop to keep my head warm. I got immediate positive feedback from that purchase as my warming head said “Thank you” On another trip caught in a cold rain with no protection, I found a plastic, hooded, rain jacket for five pounds that provided immediate relief, and because it is so light and takes up so little space it has become a permanent item in my luggage and currently hangs in my closet within easy reach.

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I haven’t worn a watch since I retired, except when we are travelling. And the watch I wear is a battery powered one bought for six pounds a boot sale in Charmouth on the Jurassic Coast. Also, at one self catering house there was no teapot. No problem, a close by charity shop offered up a “Brown Betty” teapot which was just what we needed. Generous to a fault, we left the pot in the cottage for subsequent renters.

My wife has acquired many teaspoons, cups and saucers, a couple of toast holders, bits of porcelain and bone china. At one shop while checking out she saw a decorated coffee cup near the register which she liked. She asked about it, liked the quoted price, and bought it. Outside when we were examining our purchases, she noted recent coffee residue in the cup. The saleslady had sold my wife the cup from which she was drinking.

So, if you are visiting England, set aside some time for their Charity Shops, boot sales, and market days, even if you buy nothing. You will see the remnants of lives that never saw the inside of a great hose except as tourists. And don’t forget to do some pubbing with the locals.