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Old Lob (originally posted in 2010)

[2010]

Has anyone out there ever heard of “Old Lob”?

Comments:

Old Lob was considered old fashioned when I was learning to read in the 50s, but we thought they were a lot less naff than Janet and John
# posted by Limblog : 1 January 2012 at 22:32

Remember the goat who used to say "Go away" to everyone? What was his name? There was Percy the chick, Dobbin, and I think, the horse...
# posted by Limblog : 1 January 2012 at 22:33

Just posted the full-size scans from Old Lob — so all is revealed, as far as the names are concerned. I don't think I'd ever heard of Janet and John till I met my wife-to-be Janet, then everyone exclaimed, "Oh, Janet and John!"
# posted by John Edward Cooper : 1 January 2012 at 23:03

I certainly do remember Old Lob, John.
I've just posted a poem about it on my poetry blog: gglazaruspoetry.wordpress.com
My name's Gill Lazarus and I learned to read with Old Lob.
My email isn't as shown below, but lazpress@hotmail.com
# posted by Gillian Lazarus : 17 September 2014 at 18:40

Yes, an early influence was Percy - or 'Percy the bad chick' as our teacher referred to him! It was only recently that I came across this old book and realised that it was 'teacher bias' that christened him thus! The guy is an unsung hero! Original, unique, independently minded, out to test life for himself! (Lucky Mother Hen pre-dated DNA testing). https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oujgxgE0WZQ
# posted by richard : 31 May 2015 at 19:16

posted by John Edward Cooper # 5/27/2016 11:01:00 pm

Comments:

Hi, I have been looking for ever for Old Lob and the characters. I learned from using these books at Hillington Primary School in Glasgow. My memory gets hazy but it leads me to believe that this was created by Mr. Gunn who was headmaster at Hillington and received and Honour from the Queen for this method. My primary school teacher was Miss Morton. I hope this message reaches you. If so my e-mail is jm.mclean@sympatico.ca.

# posted by

Unknown : 7 February 2017 at 12:48

I learned to read with Old Lob in 1955. So lovely to know that other people remember him and Percy the Bad Chick.

# posted by

Saraja : 7 February 2021 at 16:06

I know this is a late late post
So glad to see this I learned to read with old lob in gillmoss primary school in Croxteth Liverpool I blame this for my bad spelling and reading but brought back fond memories of old lob though I was goi g mad because when ever I mention it to other people they look at me like I gave 2 heads ha ha

# posted by

John L : 30 March 2021 at 23:19

Yup, I remember old lob, but I also remember some green character cards with the animals / people on but no one else seems to mention these ! They were light green and about 1inch by 3 inch. I learnt to read off these before I went to school aged 5 in 1956 and could not understand why other children could not read when they got there. Mind you some of the children could not use a knife and fork and were often scolded for eating dinner with their spoon or fingers. Different priorities in the 50s I guess.

# posted by

Unknown : 22 September 2021 at 09:54

I learned to read with these books...George Watsons college Edinburgh...mid fifties.

# posted by

Ian Bertram : 22 January 2022 at 20:22