For those who don't know, these stories were performance pieces written by Povey, which he read out on BBC Radio Stoke in the Seventies. Taking place in Longton in the 1950s and told from the author's perspective, they relate to the misadventures of his neighbour, the cantankerous pensioner known only as Owd Grandad Piggott.
The title character is no role model: He smokes, drinks to excess, is incredibly foul-mouthed, generally unkempt in his personal appearance, and always in trouble with the law. He's the kind of person you love to hate. It's always great to hear him getting his just desserts.
There are few other characters who appear throughout the stories. These include Nana Piggott, his long-suffering wife, the pub landlord Tommy Dawkins, and Club Paper Jack, the man who would do anything for money except work. He's kind of like Del Trotter in that regard. The author sometimes gets involved too, often to make snarky responses to Piggott's complaints.
So, what happened?
Well, it was difficult for Owd Grandad to get much fanfare outside of Stoke-on-Trent, mainly because the stories required a strong understanding of the local Potteries dialect. But he might be fading away within Stoke too, as fewer people can relate to growing up there during the 50s. On top of that, the running themes of domestic violence may not sit well with a modern audience.
I think it's a neat little series, if you can get your hands on it. A few of the stories are available on YouTube from this channel here: https://www.youtube.com/user/Rasputin63xxx/videos
They're worth a listen, if you can understand them.
Well, that's about it. I didn't really have much else to say. I'll see you next time.
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