Can you remember the "Onion Johnies"

[pigletwillie]

Breton farmers began taking onions across the Channel in the early1800's and travelled throughout southern Britain on bicycles laden with strings of onions which they sold door to door. They had the nickname of "Onion Johnies" and apparently a few still ply the trade.

Other than LJ can anybody remember seeing them about.

The type of onions they sold were "Rose de Roscoff", a sweet and mild rose pink onion that has been exclusively grown in Brittany for 400 years.

This little piglet has got his trotters on some genuine seed for these onions and will be making some available next year in an attempt to get a British strain going and established, just like the banana shallots this year. My next visit to France in May will have the seed in my sticky palm.

[Lesley Jay]

Piglet! You are getting cheekier by the day!!

[madderbat]

There used to be talk in my family of such characters but I think it was my grandparents who may have seen them. Cornwall is a world of it's own, but only about 30 years behind the rest of UK!!
would love to have some seeds please PW. Banana Shallots have sprouted, but I am worrying about them surviving the cold spell with only cold frame to cover them.

[Mrs Dobby]

Not heard the name of Onion Johnies before PW, nor seen any French Folk on bicycles round here, but do remember an advert a few years ago for a Beer that refreshes the parts that other beers dont reach which featured them! Still have the whistled song in my memory, in fact, I cant shift it now I've remembered it! lol!

[nick the grief]

I wouldn't have thought Onion Johnies would have worked Piglet. I remember being told to try boots once .... but it came out the lace holes

[beefy]

Can you remember the "Onion Johnies"
Say they would have brought a tear to your eye

[Snadger]

Breton farmers began taking onions across the Channel in the early1800's and travelled throughout southern Britain on bicycles laden with strings of onions which they sold door to door. They had the nickname of "Onion Johnies" and apparently a few still ply the trade.

Other than LJ can anybody remember seeing them about.

The type of onions they sold were "Rose de Roscoff", a sweet and mild rose pink onion that has been exclusively grown in Brittany for 400 years.

This little piglet has got his trotters on some genuine seed for these onions and will be making some available next year in an attempt to get a British strain going and established, just like the banana shallots this year. My next visit to France in May will have the seed in my sticky palm.

I've got a bike going cheap if you want it piglet?

[nick the grief]

I thought chiks went cheep

Bikes squeak

[Peter]

Piglet, I can give you a beret if you need it.

[JennieAtkinson]

Onion Johnies - I'm afraid to say it is ringing a bell, BUT it must have been a story my grandparents told me!!!!!

I DO remember eating pink onions in Brittany though.

[Snadger]

I thought chiks went cheep

Bikes squeak

I've never asked a chick how much she charged!

[Sue]

P
I remember seeing them as a child, and I'm under 60 - just. Also remember rag and bone men and the embarassement of being sent out for the manure with a bucket. We used to get a greengrocer come round with a van and the Corona man with fizzy drinks. This was all in suburbia, not the depths of the country! And I do remember seeing just once, some proper gypsy caravans with horses.
I suppose with more women as housewives then there was value in door to door selling, these days you'd be hard pressed to find enough people at home.
Oh and yes, please put my name down for some seed..
best wishes
Sue

[smallblueplanet]

.....We used to get a greengrocer come round with a van ...

We still get that, chap comes round at about 1430 every Friday in his white van full of fruit & veg!!! we must be a bit behind the times? The coalman calls every weds btw.

[Geordie]

P
We used to get a greengrocer come round with a van and the Corona man with fizzy drinks.

Our pop man was from Villa....made a fortune nicking emptys and returning them (allegedly without predjudice!!) Anyone remember MexiCola

[madderbat]

Living in the wilds of Cornwall (well two miles from the nearest market town) we used to have a grocers van on Friday afternoons, chip van on Saturdays, ice creams on Weds and two on sun! A greengrocer and a wet fish van used to come as well; the farmer delivered fresh unpasturised milk every morning, and eggs once a week and the coalman delivered a whole shedful once a month (I think) when I was little.
Nowadays I think they get the library van once a month and a grocers once a week.

Bubblewrap remembers running after the horses for manure in Nottingham. The co-op baker, a butcher, and a greengrocer used to deliver orders; a coalman came monthly bringing 6cwt at a time and that was with a corner shop less than 1/2 mile away!!