STRANGE FINDS Mudlarking around a WW2 barge and bottle beach

[@jonny7dreamin]

Hello there Simon. You have got another follower here. I am an ex east Londoner born and bred. The Thames was my old stamping ground from the mid 50's to early 60's and foreshore was my favorite, but I was not aware then that all that history was beneath my feet. I am now in my 70's and still a great lover of London of my youth, so, anything to do with the Thames has my full attention!! I came across one of your videos and I was instantly hooked on the way you go about digging up history. I am in the process of watching all your videos...Please keep them coming! The episode with the grenade was brilliant though I nearly had a heart attack when your mate prodded the grenade with his trowel..lol. The museum with all the mud larker's finds was mind blowing and I hope that it becomes a permanent spot on London's skyline. Congrats on you videos, you've got this old codger hooked mate....Thank you.

[@Sifinds]

Aw thanks John. Glad you like the vids! Please tell your mates!!

[@Dermot40]

That onion joke brought tears to my eyes.

[@Sifinds]

Groan, haha

[@mirkatu3249]

Oh my goodness BAHAHAHAHAHA.

[@bodge6886]

I was going to say that 😂😂 I could run onion rings round him (dad joke)😂😂

[@kathyf3656]

I thought you were going to make a joke about finding an "onion bottle" intact. After watching you and Nicole, that would be rare indeed.

[@SundaysChild1966]

@@kathyf3656 omg .. it took me the longest time to understand what an onion bottle was .. I was thinking to myself, why would they bottle onions, were they like pickled onions, or fried and then bottled? sigh .. yes, I am blonde and apparently, getting old too!

[@janiswegman5323]

That slang glass flintknaps nicely!

[@tjkid07]

That's what I was thinking when he located it. Great for stone age style arrowheads and knives. Lots of flintknappers make them from old thick bottle bottoms.

[@karenmathews1978]

It is so good to see guys out about miss you guys ty for maki g mu night

[@fellazvintageretro193]

Enjoyed watching,

[@ladyskellington3296]

Love the guitar slide :-) , very cool .

[@joellenb8671]

Hello Chaps, please be careful exploring in all that broken glass. I find it amazing that you can find keys and beads, buttons and belt buckles, tiny bits and pieces and the really fabulous finds of complete bottles and ink wells etc that are hundreds of years old. So much history. I hang on every new clip just to see what new finds you get. Greetings from Australia 🇦🇺

[@Sifinds]

Thanks Jozie

[@johnbond2637]

Hi Si, I lived in Rainham until I was 21 and this part of the Thames was our playground as kids, one of the barges used to be covered in flotsam and jetsam and was reported to have an old guy living on it but we never saw him, this would have been in the 70s. We used to walk down Ferry Lane to the very end and then walk along the sea wall, we would find all sorts of stuff. During the summer school holidays we would be down there most days. Further along towards Dagenham there used to be a place called Frog Island ( owned by Ford motor Co ) there was an dump area that was full of old bits and pieces it was reported to be the belongings of the people who died from the plague but looking back there was a lot of stuff from the war time era. Watching your video brought back a lot of good memory’s, keep the videos coming. Thanks John

[@jenniethomas8244]

There is lots of that slag glass around where I live (South Wales) and I've picked up peices and made little lighthouses to glue on. Pick a peice that fades down from light to dark so it's like the deep sea😁😁

[@KellyfromMemphis]

WWII concrete barges and a concrete bunker!? Fascinating!!

[@davidmercer5345]

Just found your channel what a brilliant way to spend your spare time and the history in the mud finding all the things people threw away all those years ago wonderful history of London .All of you mudlarks keeping London history alive keep safe .

[@Sifinds]

Welcome David!

[@cottew]

Oh man, what I wouldn't give to have some of that glass slag. It's beautiful!

[@Sifinds]

👍🏻

[@megz_85]

Thanks si-finds I enjoyed that! Happy larking now your able to get back to it!

[@raimamohommed7518]

Hi si hope u well amazing find n u make th most beautiful things thank u my dear friend take care

[@Sifinds]

Thanks buddy

[@momof2n8993]

Great treasures

[@connie736]

It wouldn't be Sunday, without Si. Love the slag glass. Wouldn't it be beautiful in an aquarium? It would resemble sunken icebergs. Thank you, as usual.

[@Sifinds]

Yes what a great idea!

[@michaelamaestas4950]

I want to go mud larking so badly , oh my, how wonderful. I love mud , muck, rivers, wet places, marshes , bogs ! too fun

[@auntsuga4359]

The red little ceramic figurine was my fav thing in this treasure hunt! He is Fab!!

[@lindaodellvermont]

An ocean of glass - the slag was so varied and colorful, loved the piece that went from black to blue ! Nice bottles for up cycling as well.

[@Sifinds]

Thanks linda! Yes some of it was beautiful

[@juadonna]

OMG! Your turntable has my all-time favorite band, The Dave Clark Five! I saw them in concert in 1966 in a smallish town in California! I was all of 15 years old. They were so fantastic! Thanks for the flashback!!

[@Sifinds]

Haha, love this track to!

[@Mountlougallops]

Great day for some luck in the muck. Thanks so much for sharing what you do and your cool finds. Have a great day and stay healthy and safe.

[@Sifinds]

Thanks Linda!

[@WilliamWilson-it9qe]

We always called the glass lumps furnace slag. In southern Ohio, this area was saturated with iron furnaces, especially during the Civil War. Most are gone now, but the sites are covered with this obsidian-like slag in all shades of blue, green, and black. Nice drone footage, btw. Thanks 👍👍

[@historyhunter5146]

I’m very sad 😞 I’d LOVE to have that little milk glass bottle and the little brown one beside it. Maybe one day you’ll collect a few and do a giveaway . They are common to you but to your American bottle collecting subscribers they’d be an Amazing addition to our collections

[@debsmclaughlin6521]

Thanks for a wonderful explore along the foreshore. Fab fu da as usual! I love Sunday afternoon when I can put my feet up after cooking lunch and wallow in the mud with you and then Nicola...lol.

[@debsmclaughlin6521]

*fab finds

[@Sifinds]

Thanks Debs!

[@whitneylake2107]

Great upcycling !

[@Sifinds]

Thanks!

[@rachelfordham8341]

Totally top banana finds ....and to top it off a si finds in shorts , couldn't for any better ....;-)

[@suetaylor5186]

Absolutely Facinating xxx so interesting thanks Si x brilliant as ever

[@Sifinds]

Thanks Sue

[@marionbowler5440]

Awesome as always, love the tune.🇨🇦🐘😘

[@Sifinds]

👍🏻

[@bethh6805]

That blue glass 😍😍 would love that In the garden, my favourite colour

[@angelanapier4248]

So glad to see you are back, I’ve missed the adventures of Si and Nik

[@Sifinds]

We havent gone anywhere? 👍🏻😊

[@nevarNJ555]

That glass would look so pretty in a garden.. Would love it around my pond.

[@marygarner5249]

Love you guys take care Mud lovers are Awesome 😉😉😉

[@Sifinds]

Thanks Mary!

[@alexcarle8086]

Oh boy that is an amazing place for bottles... heaven for a beginner like me. Amazing!

[@jaybales3160]

Glass slag for manufacturing of marbles and beads? Congratulations on your discoveries. Enjoyed learning about the barges. Thanks for sharing your love of a good search and the history behind the items discovered.

[@snoozydiddeh2364]

So many bottles !! I enjoy watching you re-purpose them. Thank you :)

[@Sifinds]

My pleasure!

[@rachaelj4095]

Great video, so pleased that you’re out & about again...I’m so chuffed I spotted the green bead! 😊

[@Sifinds]

Oh well done you! 👍🏻

[@MoYvStarkey]

In the seventies in the US, slag glass was used for garden edging

[@debbrabossier7284]

I loved that laughing man you found. Nice seeing you on again. Thank you

[@Sifinds]

I haven’t gone anywhere 👍🏻😉

[@bnanabelle]

Good to see you back on the Thames shore, interesting barges & area ♥

[@bobk9879]

Fascinating, thanks Si. Great music too btw 👍😊

[@Sifinds]

Thanks Bob!

[@wordup1944]

very enjoyable watch

[@Sifinds]

Thanks

[@MrChrissy1r]

A racing yacht was being laid up when I was into boating in the 70's, it was called "Ferrocrete".

[@traceylowther9772]

Watching your videos is a great way to forget about all the crazy in the world. Thanks. :)

[@Sifinds]

My pleasure

[@Emzyb]

Yay so glad your back

[@Sifinds]

Where did I go? 😉

[@TheFPF422]

With all that broken glass laying around I couldn’t stop thinking about recycling!

[@pit_stop77]

The glass battery was interesting, I've never seen one before. Another school day, thanks Si!

[@micheleavery6089]

I always learn something new from you So. Thanks 😁

[@Sifinds]

My pleasure

[@nicolepowell5470]

Found it very interesting about the barges who knew concrete barges could float. The slag glass would look fabulous in your gardens.

[@imcavdb5465]

Yeahhhh, let's have some fun in the mud! 😁😁😁🌸🌺🌸

[@autumnrose76]

The vinegar bottle is gorgeous!

[@Sifinds]

You want it? Message me on etsy

[@alexmajor1677]

Hi Simon 👋 from America...love the videos thank you for making us knowledgeable of the past...good luck and happy mudding!!!!!

[@missmerrily4830]

Thanks Si, for another really interesting history lesson and some nice upcycling project finds. I just love the upcycled 30s car battery. How unusual is that as a talking point as well as turning out to look so cool!

[@Sifinds]

Thank you!

[@joesmith-ds9mg]

Great video thanks for sharing!

[@Widdekuu91]

Oh imagine the bottles you'd be able to make with those shards and imagine the collections you could fill with those older (or for crafts, discarded modern) bottles.

[@SLynn-yb3uf]

Very pretty glass I would put that in my Landscaping pretty

[@moomoosnmummy]

Dave Clark 5, made me smile- one of my pappy's favourites! Great video 😁 thank you. Loved learning about the barges, I never knew you could make stuff like that out of concrete- but then again theres a lot I dont know 😁😁 stay safe!

[@Sifinds]

Yeah pretty amazing when you think about it!

[@leonie332]

So interesting. Love watching Nicola and your videos. Thanks .

[@carolyoung3793]

Love your finds and clean up tfs xx

[@Sifinds]

Thanks Carol 👍🏻

[@Lushdazemedia]

Hay Si :) So nice to see you back in the mud. Just wanted to say that I stumbled across one of your videos early in the lockdown and have been watching them ever since. I often fall asleep to the sounds of the river these days. in the early days of the lockdown, it was a great comfort to me. I had never heard of mudlrking before but since I was a little girl I've picked up things (I have a peace of tile from Italy that I have had for 20 years lol ) My daughter asked for a metal detector for her birthday last week and we can't wait to get out of the garden and use it somewhere. So to you and NIc Thanks for keeping me company for all these weeks.. Much appreciated x Diolch yn fawr iawn. Cadw'n ddiogel a gobeithio am lwc yn y mwd x

[@Sifinds]

Hey Frankie, what a lovely message! Keep me posted with what you find, if you are lucky you might get some permission round a castle if you are in Wales!

[@kelseydekocks239]

I love the music in your videos. Thank you for sharing your finds 🌸💕

[@mrdaveythebaby]

I've wanted to go and see those barges forever!

[@lovelyskull3483]

Cheers and thank you Si-Finds☮️🇨🇦

[@Sifinds]

my pleasure 😊

[@lorimangold2890]

That milk glass hand cream jar was cute with the heart shield on it

[@normajeancaballero7959]

So many lovely bottles 😁

[@Sifinds]

Thanks!

[@Montana_horseman]

Always nice to see you out and about searching! I hope you're now able to get back out there again like you used to. I'm sure it will be great to just take a shoreline walk! All the best to you Si.

[@Sifinds]

Thank you!

[@suedefringe]

I would have totally took some of that slag for my garden. I have been thrifting colored glasses and places them upside down in the garden.

[@karenpacker8862]

Amazing footage Sci of the boats...pillbox. Would love to have some of that glass slag just beautiful. Enjoyed yours and Terry finds too!!

[@Sifinds]

Thanks Karen!

[@ToyInsanity]

Screaming Hand, NICE

[@debcarnes100]

Si, it’s so good to see you, happy Sunday, God bless😊, my shrapnel key ring is on its way. My son will love it.

[@Sifinds]

Awesome! Thanks Deb!

[@JoJoPaintsnCrafts]

Thank you for this video. Loved seeing some more Thames history. It brings back memories of my nanas and grannies stories of London during ww2. I visited London for the first time last year but it was just a flying visit. I want to go back and see more of the Thames. 💗

[@Sifinds]

Cheers Jo!

[@17ah17]

That glass car battery looked like an Oldham type, Oldham made lots of electrical things, from safety Lamps and torches, basically as Terry said built to last including military stuff and i think they are still in business to this day. Great Finds Si, keep bringing that history back to life for our future generations hopefully up north here in Manchester i'll get some luck in the local rivers :D

[@Sifinds]

Cheers Ernie!

[@EricSmith-qy3oi]

It's not a proper Sunday w/o your videos. Good to see Terry again!

[@Sifinds]

Thanks Eric!

[@YsabetJustYsabet]

Man, wish I could get my hands on some of that slag glass; I knap arrowheads out of flint and obsidian as a hobby, and glass like that is highly prized to make points from. Difficult to work with, sometimes-- all glass has a grain to it, like wood-- but it's hard to come by.

[@denisedemetroff2881]

Very cool adventure !! Different--yet familiar !

[@Sifinds]

Great thanks 👍🏻

[@kathryndeloria1834]

Perfect record for display, "Bits and Pieces" Haha! ( plus I immediately sang the song...yep, I'm old...)

[@Sifinds]

Great tune!

[@kokoboo2654]

All of those bottles that's not broken would make beautiful lights, cut the bottom off that doesn't have any writing put the wire thru the bottom up the neck and hang from a piece of wood or table. Nice finds and cool idea on the sliders 😊

[@MrVxrman]

I enjoyed you latest offering Si 🤜🏻🤛🏻 Great to see you back out there m8y 🙂🍻👍🏻

[@Sifinds]

Cheers mate, I’ve been posting throughout lockdown, using up previously recorded footage 👍🏻

[@gregkoch8455]

Very nice adventure Si. Thank you from all us that want to mudlark with you but can not.

[@BMW7series251]

Brilliant video Si. Interesting war history. Stay safe. Cheers .

[@bonnerdebbie]

I really liked the slag glass thought it was pretty. Thanks so much.

[@Sifinds]

Cheers Debbie! Me too!

[@Carolbearce]

Love to see your upcycling. You do a great job.

[@Sifinds]

Thank you! I try...

[@francineb7340]

I would love these big beautiful chunks of colorful glass in my garden 🌸

[@Sifinds]

Great idea

[@francineb7340]

Si, if you wanted to sell them, you would find a market. Shipping for those heavy things though, 💰, especially to me in the USA

[@kitchenworker446]

Great video as usual Si - I think I enjoy seeing what you upcycle things into as much as i enjoy seeing you mudlark.

[@Sifinds]

Aw thanks Jan! But can’t have one without the other, right?

[@kitchenworker446]

@@Sifinds yup

[@douglassmith5414]

Walking on that broken glass and pottery like that must be rough on the rubber boots! Got leaks? Must feel good to get out again. Have fun and good hunting...

[@Sifinds]

No leaks. Thanks mate

[@leemcginnis738]

Crazy with all the bottles there. It's funny when you ask to shout out what you see. I see bottles everywhere!

[@Sifinds]

Haha, well I aways miss something it transpires...

[@johnrobertson5981]

Awesome video si!

[@Sifinds]

Cheers mate

[@Thehuntinghillbilly2]

Good to see y’all back out. Happy hunting and stay safe

[@Sifinds]

Thanks pal!

[@rhysbaptiste1131]

So pleased to have come uponvyour channel! I live on the Sunshine Coast, British Columbia, Canada. We get tons of driftwood. Lots of people addvit to their gardens, make address posts for the end of driveways, make furnitue and from the smaller pieces, carve spirit faces. ( See carving spirit faces on you tube). So go back and get some of the driftwood you saw. Wine or other bottles, partially buried and lined up side by side, makes a lovely garden edging. And those chunks of slag glass, wow, what an amazing garden wall. I covet those! What I find very curious though, is how it is that people have managed to lose thousands of buttons that were sewn on to clothing?

[@Sifinds]

Thanks Rhys! Yes buttons always seem to crop up, I’m guessing they were very easily lost during manual work, also lots easily found their way into drains and ended up in the Thames 👍🏻

[@fredamarshall3627]

Hi Simon, the first day mudlarking had me worried with you wearing shorts. The glass slag ? was fascinating, great idea to use it in an aquarium. Thank You once again. It’s too cold here in Melbourne for shorts, brrrrr.

[@Sifinds]

It’s hot here now! Get them knees out!

[@WildDieWoodard]

Just down the road from where my mother was born (Hornchurch) back in '43! :-)

[@sallya.2412]

What a nice bottle dump there. Tons of bottles to look through. Car battery in glass? I never knew it existed. Lots of neat finds and I like how you recycled them.

[@Sifinds]

Thanks Sal!

[@louisealjaradat5063]

I could imagine you Si taking some of the slag glass stuff back and cutting it too like like crystal shapes ,polishing it up. Obviously not the mega heavy chunks lol

[@Sifinds]

It’s crossed my mind lol

[@mrpagrant]

That half of a green bead would make a great eye for one of Nicolas' glass fish!

[@Sifinds]

It would!

[@richardwarnock2789]

Simon the glass finds are really great Thank's!!!; )

[@Sifinds]

My pleasure

[@peterbarton9856]

That glass slag is great for putting into tropical fishtanks as a rockery as it's easy to clean and added colour to the tank.

[@Sifinds]

Great idea

[@annettefournier9655]

Thanks Si. Out and about again? Lovely glass everywhere. The clear poison bottle not a keeper? I would have taken all the stoneware. Lol.

[@Sifinds]

It was plain, i left it for another

[@flakescarred4life901]

OH MY! I'm a flintknapper ( make arrowheads) and am always looking for flint and other knapping material. Most of the time i have to buy my material online and end up paying for junky bland rock! All of those AMAZING huge chunks of colorful glass slag would be a dream come true for me!!! I could make some awesome knives, spears and arrowheads out of that stuff! Plus there is so much of it, that it would keep me busy for years! One mans trash is another mans treasure! Such a true statement!!! You should have a go at flintknapping seeing as how you have an endless supply of amazing material!

[@Zandain]

Yummy, mucky, squishy video! Loads of bottles, jars and slag glass! That stuff looks really cool.. Thx, love from Denmark 🌸💕

[@Sifinds]

Thanks!

[@maarinabudd]

Good to see you out on the foreshore again Simon! One of the two rubbish incinerators on the south side of the water, -the glass slagg gets deposited from it as they cannot use it once it is burnt as it is mixed, the metals are extracted for recycling and they use the ash for making building breeze blocks. The incinerator was built to substitute the old Rainham Marsh Landfill site (now full) and to generate electricity for London and the surrounding area. The old landfill site has now been grassed over to form a wildlife reserve. The rubbish is topped with spoils of soil and clay from the crossrail project. Unfortunately, further down and with the lack of a seawall parts of it are now being exposed to the thames foreshore.

[@Sifinds]

Ah, ok thanks for the info! Always a fountain of knowledge - thank you!

[@melaniebones]

Very interesting thank you 👍

[@JS-wc4xs]

Can the glass Slag b used a carving medium?

[@maarinabudd]

@@JS-wc4xs I wouldn't like to say that you could carve it as some of it would be more brittle than other bits but it would come up well if it was polished or small pieces were perhaps tumbled.