From now on jugs will always be jolly jugs to me.

Having spent 15 years of my life (1st teaching post, marriage and 2 children born there) in Sunderland, I had to buy a piece of Sunderland ware. One side displays a view of the Iron Bridge of Sunderland and a number of sailing ships heading to the mouth of the River Wear. The other side reads a pithy little poem:

The world’s a city with many a crooked street,

And death’s a market place were (sic) all men meet:

If life was merchandise which men could buy,

The rich would live, the poor alone would die.

Sadly it had a large hairline crack when I bought it over 35 years ago, so has always remained an empty jolly jug.

I, too, dislike Toby Jugs. However when my Dad died in 2022 I kept one of his two. It sits at the kitchen window, full of rubber-ended pencils for the daily crossword, and every time I look at it I think of my dear Dad. I love his Toby jolly jug.

Thank you for a jolly good read, Jane. As always.