jeff

on the subject of maggot vending machines, the anglers’ space-ship, a life saver. i am putting together a national map of their former whereabouts. important government work etc. official secrets act. the manufacturer’s name for them was ‘rotomatic’. they were launched in the sixties and promoted by sid james who put maggots in barbara windsor’s knickers as a courting ritual. rotomatics offered everything from maggots to lobworms. there was one on tollington park road in finsbury park and i had an e mail from somebody who saw one in southend. they were invented by a company in eastbourne because the sunday trading laws meant tackle shops were always shut on sundays and saturday workers could often not get bait. some shops got round the law by opening up and selling apples and sneaky half pints under the counter. a fully working one is worth about three hundred notes but is essentially priceless. rumour has it sid james was buried with one.

i kid you not.

j