Smells From Childhood

[albaqwerty]

A few pals dropped round the other evening and somehow we ended up chatting about what smells/scents/aromas we remember from childhood.

We all agreed the aroma of home baking/cooking, and stinky stuff for cleaning.

Vinegar and water, duraglit/brasso and ammonia.
However none of us could remember what it was used for !

Any childhood memories of smells?

[anthro-nerd]

Cut grass, and the yellow rapeseed plant. I was lucky enough to have a large garden growing up, and my dad took pride in the lawn. It backed onto a field, where rapeseed was grown every summer :-)

[Mamyalynne]

Hot tar.

Summer rain on baking hot flagstones.

Carbolic soap.

4711 cologne.

[Spungle]

Yes....when I recall my first day at primary school I can recall the smells of milk out of a box, strong disinfectant and monster munch crisps... I very rarely smell any of these nowadays but when I do I am instantly transported back to a 4-year old kid.

[albaqwerty]

cut grass is lovely.

oooh, 4711, I'd completely forgotten about that.

Summer rain after a dry spell always makes me think the 'world' has been washed and given a lovely new scent.

[nailit]

My dads brylcreem and the gas mask at the school dentist.

[EcclesCake]

The lingering smell of sweaty feet emanating from the gym mats at school.

[Islay]

peat and wood on the fire
tablet being made in the kitchen
bread proving near the fire
Dads home made beer and wine in the airing cupboard
wet grass and hedges when we were sent out to forage for said wine and beer

[Lie-in King]

Dad's shed - cut wood & creosote, paint & thinners & the ink from the printing press.

Hot tar & fresh-cut grass are wonderful smells & I'd forgotten Grandma's 4711 as well - also Lily of the Valley (is that right?) :-)

[Mamyalynne]

Yes, Yardley Lily of the Valley.

[Lie-in King]

Yardley! That was it, ta Mamya x

[MallyJ]

Privet hedges......the smell transports me right back to the house I grew up in in the 50s.....was very happy there

[rowanwitch]

Wet dog, burnt toast, paraffin heaters, rancid butter, sour milk, tripe cooking, steam from the copper boiler on wash day, the burning smell when water came through the light fittings, .... not pleasant memories at all.

[Prudie]

Plasticine and for some reason Rosemary

[Mamyalynne]

Oh yes -Plasticine,wax crayons and chalk dust.

[Barmaid]

Freshly cut straw. I grew up on a farm and it immediately brings back very happy memories.

[albaqwerty]

oh Rowan :-(

Forgot about the home-brew kits.

If I remember rightly, dad and older brothers tried their hand at beer and red wine (not in the same container !)
I was fascinated with the bobbing thingy they put into the flagon of beer, watching it bob up and down.
(I was only about 3 or 4)

[mallyh]

dads old spice
we had a malt factory down the road and the smell wafted all around

[zebo]

Croupline, it was a cough mixture peculiar to Bolton I think, I used to love it.
Just googled it to check the spelling and according to the venerable Bolton News it was sold world wide! It was made behind Burnden Park so maybe that's why I thought of it as being a local product.
I used to love the smell of the greenhouse on Dad's tomatos.

[Mamyalynne]

Funny you should mention that Zebo, the first business premises we bought were previously owned and still attached to Roocrofts Sweets factory - remember them?

Tics for example - some smells were overpowering at times.