The Tingle Factor Box

He's Like Us - Ginger Meggs Annuals

Imagine you are a child living in the late 1950s. You have been working hard around the house, earning a little money which you have been putting away for a very special purchase. There is a Ginger Meggs annual coming out and you really, really want a copy. You have even almost saved enough now!

When I showed the children these two Ginger Meggs annuals, their reactions were quite intriguing. Many of the children recognised the character, and were surprised to see him appearing in a cartoon from ‘so long ago’. They seemed to think that the mischievous small boy was a relative newcomer to the cartoon world, and were amazed to discover that he actually dates back right to the 1920s!

Ginger Meggs may seem like quite a familiar figure - the mischievous boy is certainly recognisable in todays society! Yet he was born right back in 1921, when he first appeared in the first edition of the comic strip ‘Us Fellers’. His creator was Jimmy Bancks, and the comic was published in the Sunbeams pages of the Sunday Sun newspaper. Monty Grover, who was the chief editor of the Sunday Sun itself had asked a number of artists to draw a comic based around a group of boys and a girl. The boys would get into trouble, while the girl would get them out of it. Us Fellers was just one of the comics which was featured in the Sunbeams section, but by March 1922, it had become a permanent feature of the front cover. 

Of course, Ginger as he was first introduced was rather different to the boy we recognise now. His original name was Ginger Smith, but when Bancks took over not just drawing but also script writing for the comic, things began to change. Within a year Ginger Smith had become Ginger Meggs, he had a god Mike and a brother called Dudley. He also had a best friend (Benny), girlfriend (Minnie), rival (Eddie Coogan) and an arch nemesis - Tiger Kelly. Ginger as we know him had burst onto the scene all within the space of a year. Bancks drew a number of other characters over the years, including other comics which bore quite some similarity to the famous Ginger, yet none were as successful. By 1924 a Ginger Meggs annual was being produced, and it would continue production for another 35 years. In addition, by 1925 Us Fellers was being run in newspapers all across Australia and a film was made which was seen Australia wide. The success of Ginger continued, and by 1929 he was syndicated overseas, and Bancks was one of the best paid black and white artists in Australia. During the Second World War, so popular was the character that Ginger Meggs was even painted by soldiers on the sides of tanks and army trucks! Bancks died in 1952, but left control of his character to his daughter Sheena. A new cartoonist, Ron Vivian, was found and Ginger continued to capture the hearts of audiences. Other cartoonists have since drawn Ginger, but regardless of who is drawing him, Bancks timeless figure of the mischievous little boy remains a favourite, both for Australians and worldwide. 

Roaming Roy Discovers A Soggy Fisher - Cormorants

This week, Roy decided it was time to answer a question which he has often heard asked when he is out and about near the water. Children often notice the head of a bird seemingly sticking out of the water, or a bird with its wings spread, sitting on a rock or wharf. The question Roy often hears is what exactly is this bird? So this week, Roy is learning a little about the fascinating Cormorant. 

If you would like to see Cormorants, they are found in coastal areas, and near lakes and rivers. The one in the photographs above was discovered by Roy when he was on a trip to the Central Coast. It was posed comfortably on a wharf, drying its wings and showing off its beautiful feathers. 

At the moment, both shags and cormorants are classed in one family, known as the Phalacrocoracidae - so Cormorants are indeed often seen as ‘a shag on a rock’. In fact, whether a bird is called a shag or cormorant appears to be dependent on the local preference! In Australia, we have several species of Cormorant, ranging from stunning, completely black birds to brown, to black and white, like the Cormorant in the photos above. Roy thinks it might be a Little Pied Cormorant. 

So what exactly is a Cormorant, and why is it so often seen with its wings spread so stunningly? Cormorants are medium to large sized birds which live near waterways and on the coast. Their diets are predominantly fish, eels and even water snakes, and the capture their food by diving from the surface of water into the depths below. They have webbing on their toes and use their feet to move underwater and their sharp, hooked beak to capture their prey. Unusually for waterbirds though, they don’t have an oil gland for waterproofing their feathers. For most waterbirds, the water simply rolls of their feathers, but cormorants have to actually dry their wings. This is why they are often seen sitting with their wings spread - they are drying out after a successful fishing expedition!

Roy Creates Melt In The Mouth Lemon Love Notes

This week, Roy wanted to create something light, delicious and simply melt in the mouth to share with some friends. He loves cooking sweet treats, and recently his Grandma told him about one which his uncle used to absolutely adore. Roy thought it was the perfect opportunity to give the recipe a go, and he was thrilled with the results - they were utterly delicious. So this week, Roy Creates Melt In The Mouth Lemon Love Notes. 

You Will Need:

• 135 grams of butter or margarine
• 1 and 1/2 cups of plain flour
• 1/3 of a cup of icing sugar
• 1 cup of sugar
• 2 tablespoons of plain flour
• 2 eggs
• 3 tablespoons of freshly squeezed lemon juice
• Finely grated zest from one lemon
• 1/2 a teaspoon of baking powder

Method:

• Start by lining a small slice tin with baking paper and preheating the oven to 180 degrees celsius
• Cream together the butter and icing sugar
• Add the flour and mix to form a dough

• Press the dough into the slice tin and bake for 15 minutes

• Just before the base is going to be cooked, mix together the eggs, lemon zest and juice
• Beat in the cup of sugar

• Add the baking powder and 2 tablespoons of flour and mix

• Pour the lemon mix over the base and return to the oven for 25 minutes
• Allow to cool in the tin
• Dust generously with icing sugar
• Cut into squares and enjoy!

I Wouldn't Eat That - Menu

Imagine you are a gentleman enjoying a wonderful cruise. The entire holiday has been simply wonderful. Good company, interesting scenery, plenty of time for relaxation and of course excellent food. You have even asked to be allowed to keep copies of the menu’s for the meals - the artworks on them are beautiful and the menu sheets will make a wonderful souvenir. 

 

When I showed the children this menu, their first thought was that it must be associated with a theatre. With a beautiful ballet scene depicted on the front, they were surprised to discover the menu actually came from a ship. What intrigued them most though was the food being served. They didn’t recognise many of the names of dishes, but thought they would avoid the sheep tongues and chicken livers!

Today, menu’s are something we are all familiar with, and which we often assume have a long history. Yet this isn’t the case at all. In Europe before the 1700s, most people did not even eat out. Indeed, even into the 1800s eating outside the home was something which was very unusual. The quality of food served at dining establishments like taverns and pubs, and even the establishments themselves were regarded with great suspicion. People were right to be suspicious of the food in these establishments though - often what was served was leftovers or scraps and there was certainly no choice. Instead, people sat at a table together and ate what they were given. Most people avoided eating at such places and instead ate at home, or at the homes of friends. Even when travelling, wealthy people took servants with them to prepare their food, or stayed with friends! Those who were unfortunate enough to eat at taverns and pubs were viewed with suspicion and often thought to be thieves.  

Then, in the late 1700s a small number of restaurants began to open who served a variety of dishes. Still, most did not have menu’s as we know them, instead using a chalkboard to display options, or simply relying on the waiter to recall the choices available. Then, in Paris, typed menus began to appear. They are first seen in the 1800s, and consisted of a single sheet of paper, with closely typed options. Over time, they evolved, eventually becoming leather covered booklets held together with silk thread in the mid 1800s. These menus denoted the quality of the establishment itself! Then, as time continued on further, menus again shrank, back to a single sheet sometimes folded in half to create a booklet style and decorated with a beautiful cover decoration. By the 20th century, such designs were commonplace, used in everything from classy restaurants to cruise ships. The menu I showed the children comes from the S. S. Himalaya, and provides the dinner menu of June 24, 1957. 

Rover Find Spectacular Cliffs At Cape Solander

This week, Rover was thinking about places which are perfect for taking Mum for a picnic or wander. Sydney had many beautiful places to visit and discover, and Rover loves to discover them all. One which he has visited and which he particularly enjoys is Cape Solander. He decided it would be the perfect place for an Autumn picnic - as long as it isn’t too windy!

 

If you would like to visit Cape Solander it is located in Kamay Botany Bay National Park. To get there, follow Captain Cook Drive towards Kurnell and then turn right into Cape Solander Drive. Follow the drive right to the end and you will soon reach Cape Solander itself. The views at Cape Solander and the landscape is amazing, but there are plenty of other things to do in the park and also a Visitor Centre, which provides a small kiosk and an interesting exhibition, as well as visitor information. The park is the perfect spot to enjoy a picnic and there are plenty of picnic areas available.

 

Cape Solander is named after Daniel Solander, a Swedish naturalist who accompanied Captain Cook and Joseph Banks on their voyage to Australia. It is a place of wind swept beauty, and during the whale migration season, a fantastic place to watch for whales. One of the things which Rover thinks is most spectacular about the area though is the cliffs. The cliffs at Cape Solander are rugged and beautiful, but they are also unfenced, so just be a little careful, especially with children!

 

The cliffs at Cape Solander are just a section of the cliffs and rock platforms which form the eastern boundary of the Kamay Botany Bay National Park. They reach up to 40 metres above sea level, and are made of exposed Hawkesbury sandstone - the dominant rock type of the Sydney basin. Weathering of the rock has created fascinating formations to be discovered on the platform, including caves and overhangs which were, during the Great Depression or soon after the Second World War, were used to make homes for campers and permanent ‘squatters’ alike. If you look carefully, you might see a relic or two from these days!

Roy Creates A Bouncy Rubber Band Ball

This week, Roy was doing some cleaning up when he noticed that he had a lot of rubber bands. By a lot, he had a whole bowl worth in different colours and sizes, and he decided he would like to do something vaguely useful with them. Roy has some young friends who come to visit him who like to play ball, and Roy remembered reading about rubber band balls. He wondered if he could make one, and whether it would be suitable for playing with. He was very pleased with the results, and thought he would share with his online friends. So this week, Roy Creates A Bouncy Rubber Band Ball

You Will Need:

 

• Something small and round - about the size of a walnut. Roy used a macadamia nut in its shell from a tree in the garden
• Lots and lots of rubber bands

Method:

 

• The first step is to cover the nut or bead, or whatever you decided to use, with enough rubber bands to make the surface not slippery. Roy found that using the small rubber bands, which just fitted the nut made this much easier!

• Now, cover the ball with the rubber bands. Some you will be able to just place over the top, but others might need to be doubled to stop them sliding off. 
• Keep adding rubber bands to the ball until you have a size and weight which you like. Roy’s is about the size of a tennis ball
• If you like, use coloured rubber bands for the outer layer - this makes the ball quite pretty!
• Enjoy playing with your ball. 

Remember, if you use too many rubber bands your ball will become very heavy - good for bowling games, but not safe for throwing!

What Is It? Reckitts Blue

Imagine you are a housewife living in the early 20th century and today is washing day. In some days, you quite enjoy washing day - the routine and spending time in the sun hanging clothes up to dry is quite pleasant. On the other hand though, it is such a chore with so many things to be done. Today, you almost forgot the all important Reckitt’s Blue - your laundry would have had to be done again if you had!

 

When I showed the children this little packet of Reckitt’s Blue, they were completely flummoxed by it. They had never seen bluing agents before as most modern detergents for washing clothes have brighteners built in - bluing agents are no longer needed. They were intrigued to think about how important such an item once would have been though. 

 

Today, when we do our laundry, we have a very easy time of it. With washing machines and modern detergents, the job is relatively quick and straightforward. Before modern detergents and their inbuilt optical brighteners were available though, an addition - a blue bag - had to be made to the final rinse water. This little bag contained a bluing agent, like Reckitt’s Blue, which I showed the children, which was used to whiten clothes. Before commercially available bluing agents were available, people used recipes for things like stone blue or thumb blue. Like the commercial bluing agents, they disguised yellowing of clothing and made whites bright and clean.  

Yet these earlier bluing agents were made of very finely ground blue glass, which contained cobalt. The commercially available bluing agents which came on the market later (with Reckitt’s being produced in the 1850s and on) were made using the chemical ultramarine, and ground glass was no longer necessary. Commercial bluing agents soon became the most popular in use, with Reckitt’s Blue being the most popular of all. It was  an international brand which had a few, lesser rivals, such as Dolly Blue, many of which Reckitt’s purchased as time went by.  Even before creating Reckitt’s Blue using imported French ultramarine, Reckitt’s were in the business of making starch and more basic bluing products. Today, few people still use laundry bluing, as it is simply not needed by most, but Reckitt’s Blue can still be purchased none the less. Many today use it for growing crystals

Rover Finds A Hidden Gem In The Sydney Harbour Bridge

This week, Rover decided he would like to explore somewhere fascinating in Sydney. Sydney has many fascinating places to visit, and many are well kept secrets - the sort Rover loves most. One such place, which many of his friends seem unaware of, despite its position, is the Sydney Harbour Bridge Pylon Lookout. 

 

If you would like to visit the Sydney Harbour Bridge Pylon Lookout, it is located in the South East Pylon of the Harbour Bridge. To get there, you will need to walk across the bridge itself. If coming from the Sydney side, the Pylon is the first you will walk under and you simply need to follow the signs. If coming from North Sydney, you will need to walk further, past the first pylon you encounter, and along the bridge until you reach the South East Pylon. The Pylon Lookout is open 7 days a week until 5pm and entry is $13 for adults, less for children and concessions. 

 

The history of the South East Pylon is fascinating in and of itself, with its history dating right back to 1922 when JJC Bradfield was appointed Chief Engineer for the construction of the Sydney Harbour Bridge. The four pylons, each 89 metres high and faced with granite, were completed in January 1932 with the bridge itself opened later the same year. Soon enough a businessman saw the potential of the South East Pylon, converting it in 1934 into a tourist attraction complete with a cafe, camera obscure and Aboriginal museum, as well as, of course, the viewing platform. In 1939 though, with the advent of war, tourists were no longer allowed and all four pylons were taken over by the military. They even had anti-aircraft guns!

 

A few year after the end of the war, in 1948, the south east Pylon was again given over to tourism, with the ‘All Australian Exhibition’ being opened, which included exhibits on subjects ranging from farming to sport to the Navy. The viewing platform was again a popular attraction, as was exhibition manager Yvonne Rentoul’s rooftop cattery! Her lease agreement expired in 1971 and the Pylon Lookout was left unused for the following decade. In 1982, the lookout reopened, coinciding with the 50th anniversary of the Sydney Harbour Bridge itself. An exhibition was installed to mark this important occasion, the first to really focus on the bridge itself! From this point on, the lookout has celebrated the history of the bridge, though exhibitions have of course changed over the ensuing years. So too has the view from the viewing platform changed, but it remains just as spectacular as ever!

Roy Creates Peanut Crisp Biscuits, With Nutella

This week, Roy had a special visitor staying with him, and he wanted to make something delicious to have with a hot drink. Ideally, he wanted to make something which used a chocolate and hazelnut spread (like Nutella), because it was a favourite of this guest. Then, he stumbled across a recipe for peanut biscuits in one of his older cookbooks - it was perfect, and the results were absolutely delicious. So this week, Roy Creates Peanut Crisp Biscuits, With Nutella!

You Will Need:

• 300 grams of plain flour
• 1/4 of a teaspoon of salt
• 60 grams of peanut butter 
• 60 grams of margarine 
• 60 to 90 grams of sugar (it depends how sweet you want them to be. Roy used 80 grams)
• 1 small egg
• Milk as required
• Nutella or other chocolate hazelnut spread to sandwich

Method:

• Preheat the oven to 180 degrees celsius and line biscuit trays with baking paper
• Beat together the margarine and peanut butter

• Add the sugar, and cream together. 
• Beat in the egg
• Add the flour and salt and mix 
• Add enough milk to make the mix into a stiff, workable dough. 
• Roll the dough out thinly on a clean, lightly floured surface.

• Cut biscuits from the dough (Roy used a round cutter with a wavy edge)
• Transfer biscuits to trays (you can put 12 to a tray - they don’t really spread) and bake for 20 minutes or until cooked and golden
• Cool completely

• Sandwich two biscuits together with a little Nutella and put aside to ‘set’
• Store in an airtight container and enjoy!

They're Amazing! Shell Carvings

Imagine you are a woman living in the 1960s. Your husband is often away on business, leaving you to care for your children and the home, but he always brings something lovely home. This time, he’s off visiting somewhere in Polynesia, and you have asked him to bring you some shells to decorate the house. His last letter said he had found some which would be more than you could ever dream of!

When the children saw these two carved shells, they were amazed by them. The carvings are amazingly intricate and detailed and the children, quite rightly, assumed that the carver must have been very skilled. As one child noted ‘it must be really difficult to carve a shell like that’. 

The earliest discovered piece of artwork was created by the ancestors of modern humans about 540,000 years ago. This makes it about 300,000 years older than the next ancient artworks to be created. What’s more, this piece of art is a mollusc shell (like a mussel) which was carved, probably by homo erectus, using a shark tooth. The artwork was probably created after the man or woman discovered that the shark tooth made markings on the shell when it was used to pry the shell open - molluscs like mussels and clams were a common food source for ancient humans. 

The ancient shell was found in what is now Java in Indonesia, and was the first manifestation of a craft which still continues to be practiced today in places like Indonesia and Polynesia. However, most artists do not carve the whole shell, as the examples above show. Many instead carve smaller artworks, often to be used in jewellery, from pieces of shell. This practice also dates back hundreds, if not thousands of years, and is also practice which can be found worldwide, with the most famous shell jewellery, cameos, being created in Europe, particularly Italy in the Renaissance.