"Andy Dingley" wrote in message
...
On Tue, 14 Sep 2004 21:38:09 +0100, "Mary Fisher"
wrote:

They needed to be small to get into the tight holes under sinks and
behind
wcs and they had to be strong to hold up and carry the heavy components
of
those days.

But was it cause or effect?

Have you ever read "The Ragged Trousered Philanthropists" ?
(one of the best novels ever written BTW)

I thought it was a singular philanthropist but the answer is yes.

The pity is that I can't remember it ... :-(


It's the story of turn-of-the-century (that's 1900, Mary)

Oh, THAT century :-)

housepainters in Hastings, and how they're exploited by their
employer. Some credit it with helping the Labour landslide in 1945.

What has that to do with hunky plumbers?

Mary