Articles Conkers
The fruit of the Horse Chestnut tree 'Conkers'

WHERE HAVE ALL THE CONKERERS GONE? - Submitted Gerry 23 Sept 07

Walking along the Hinckley Road the other day, I noticed how many conkers (the fruit of the Horse Chestnut tree) were lying around. The warm start to the spring followed by the dismally wet summer has led to a bumper crop of really good sized conkers.

Many years ago, when my son was small, I can remember driving round to find a good supply as they soon disappeared (as they did until recently) collected by parents getting off their bikes, stopping their cars or going out on a' Conker Sunday' morning with the kids, plastic carrier in hand on the pretext of collecting them for the children.



Conkers were collected and a hole bored through the middle to allow a piece of string to be passed through secured by a knot. You would then challenge someone to a game of conkers, the object of the game would be to destoy your opponents conker seperating it from the string.

If you were successful then your conker would become a 'oner', as you progressed your conker would increase in 'value' by each additional win, graduating each time, two'er, three'er etc....

Secretly we were re-living our youth looking for the elusive *nine-er (*having smashed nine opponenets conkers) or more (I think I only achieved a three-er before resorting to the cheat trick of hardening by soaking the conkers in vinegar followed by a little heat treatment. Any high scorer was was always examined suspiciously and any caught doctoring the 'conkers' would always accept the decision with a little blush - how quaint these days.

Who can forget the delight of lining up your best conker before smashing your mates prized possession and then the horror of seeing your own disappear (always in slow motion) on your next opponents, ending up being splattered all over the floor.

Lets not forget the pain you felt when your 'mate' missed sending his prized possession cracking into your knuckles with such force that it brought tears to the eyes. Remember the shriek of 'JAGS' 'strings' or 'snags' after the two pieces of string that held the conker became entwined together, followed by the ensuing argument as the who shouted first would get an extra shot .

What has happened?? - POLITICAL CORRECTNESS GONE MAD!! YES THE NEW P.C. It is know considered to dangerous as local school authorities cannot allow the game in view of possible injuries sustained - I never saw anything worse than a bruised knuckle. Anyway, competition between kids these days is not allowed, they all have to be equal !

So no longer will your child's friends call round to see if little 'Johnny' or 'Joanne' that wants to paly a game of cheggars (conkers) - more likely they will go away and discuss ways of trashing the local parks, learn to write more obscene graffiti, or discuss the formation of a new gang.

Who knows, who cares these days? MAKE THE CALL 0800 555 111 Call Crime Stoppers

How times have changed.

Read more about 'How to play Conkers' a favourite children's (and adults) game

Visit the World Conker Championship website to find out more about the activity, held on the second Sunday in October every year.

 

Have you played, do you still play conkers? Tell us. on your FORUM. Why not save some for next years Gala and have a competition