Bonfire night delicacy took people on trip to dark side
BLACK peas and Bonfire night go hand in hand. In times gone by, the ‘black pea man’ would have been a welcome sight and youngsters always knew he was coming by the strident cry he would make.
Vendors would shout: “Black peas, black peas – come and gets yours now, they’re lovely!” at the top of their voice.
This was usually followed by scores of children rushing out of doors, eager to have a taste of the piping-hot delicacy.
Black peas themselves are a traditional dish eaten around Bonfire night which were often bought at fairgrounds as well as from street vendors.
A traditional food around Lancashire and Greater Manchester, they are made from the purple-podded pea which are soaked overnight to produce a type of mushy pea and often served with malt vinegar.
One of Rochdale’s best-known vendors was Arthur White who was a familiar sight with his three-wheeled motorbike complete with box between the two front wheels carrying his precious cargo.
His start in the business came in 1950 while working as a timber carrier for wood merchants Fletcher Bolton.
Arthur dreamed of being his own boss, so he built himself a cart made from a child’s tricycle and a cotton case, bought some black peas and got his wife Irene to cook them.
He initially worked at his venture part-time before going full-time in 1955, spending the next 20 years serving the area.
Another black pea man was Bill Fox who used to fill a can with the delicacy, keeping them steaming hot by use of a fire in an iron box beneath.
Ingeniously, his box on handles contained not just a supply of fuel for the fire, but also plenty of salt and vinegar for the punters to use.