A lethal bit of kit that must have caused numerous injuries although I can't remember any.
This picture was found (after I googled "playground maypole with chains") on a short lived blog called 'Thus sayeth the bitter old bitch'........brilliant name .......... dating from 2009. Hope the b.o.b doesn't mind me borrowing it.
The b.o.b describes it thus.......
"The Octopus was a simple design. A huge metal pole in the ground, with attached chains, allow the chains to swivel from the pole. Add kids, and you're done. Simply put, everyone grabbed on, you ran around as fast as you could until...LIFTOFF! Of course, half the time the sucker would throw you ten feet if you couldn't hang on, and you could be certain that someone or another chain next to you was going to slap you in the face, and you were possibly going to slam right into the pole itself. With excitement and danger like that - it really is little wonder why we played all day long."
Until the council bought the field adjoining the school we only had a small tarmac playground and a bit of rough grass and weeds and I remember this chain maypole being on the rough ground. It was something mainly for the Big Boys and Girls in the top class - there were only 2 classes! They would run as fast as possible and then swing their legs up to grip the chain....somehow. By the time I would have been old enough to have a go it had gone from the playground to be replaced by an equally lethal tall metal climbing frame over a sand pit.
The school closed several years ago and was used as a nursery school for a few more years but is now up FOR SALE .
The Good Old Days
Thanks for comments yesterday and look over there on the right.....over 1,000,000 page views....good grief and over 2 million on the old blog....
Back Tomorrow
Sue
Oh, that's taken me back. We had something similar on the reccy. I never played much on it as one tended to get flung into clumps of nettles. I preferred hurtling down a steep, narrow path on my bike!
ReplyDeleteCongratulations on your visitor total - that's very impressive indeed.
J x
Haha! And yet we all survived these fabulous childhood experiences. And were taught many useful life lessons along the way, like actions having consequences ... and how much skin you could lose before a parent noticed!
ReplyDeleteOver on my blog I had a little reminisce recently about the Hills Hoist clothesline - not as lethal to "ride" on but you could really get some speed up when bigger kids took control (and were determined to terrorize!).
I've never heard of that piece of playground kit but I looked it up and remember seeing one somewhere.
DeleteIt wasn't a playground staple but an iconic backyard clothesline that featured in nearly every Australian house! Lots of fun, nonetheless, and perfectly adaptable for finding home-made thrills.
DeleteThat brought back some terrifying moments...
ReplyDeleteBlimey! Mind you when we were kids all the playground equipment was set into concrete. None of the softer landing stuff they have now!
ReplyDeleteArilx
I was such a scaredy cat as a child and was always terrified I would fall off these chains. Black and blue arms from hanging on for dear life and skint knees and elbows when I did fall off.
ReplyDeleteThe most adventurous thing we had at school was a painted hop-scotch grid. I do remember bashing out my front teeth on one of those multi-seater metal horses that rocked/bounced back and forth though. I'm pretty sure we didn't sue anyone!
ReplyDeleteWe had some lethal playground equipment in the past. One particularly dangerous one was the roundabouts - terrifying us, sure we would be thrown off on to the concrete.
ReplyDeleteI remember that thing. Can't remember what we called it, but do know it taught a kind of teamwork: if everybody ran fast enough, everybody got to fly. And the obverse: run fast enough or get run over.
ReplyDeleteI don't remember a name for it either, I think the blogger mentioned was from the States so maybe that was what it was there.
DeleteHow fun it is to remember the playground equipment of the old days. I remember seeing something like the one you show here but I don't remember playing on it. My father used to build something called a Flying Jenny that was like a see-saw that would also spin around. It is amazing what we survived as children! I guess today's children have different dangers with the internet and all.
ReplyDeleteCongratulations on your visitor count! However that does not surprise me because you have a wonderful blog!
Thank you for that lovely comment
DeleteI enjoyed seeing that octopus.. I do believe I saw something similar when I was a kid. My favorite playground thing was the tetherball. I actually got pretty good at it! ((hugs)), Teresa :-)
ReplyDeleteI don't think any one had ever thought of health and safety in those days.
ReplyDeleteThank goodness!
DeleteHeavy chains and flying bodies - what could possibly go wrong?!!
ReplyDeleteWe had one of those in our playground when I was very young. Then it was deemed "unsafe" by the powers that be and removed. I can't remember what was put up in its place... Must think on it a bit more.
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