What happened to pipes?

[Val and George]

Sorting through some family photo's to put into the family history folder I came across one of my Mother's brother smoking his pipe - taken about 40 years ago. It got me thinking: You never see anyone smoking a pipe these days. Did pipes just die a natural death? I certainly don't remember any bad publicity promoting the evils of pipe smoking such as we have today for cigarettes. Did they just become 'unfashionable'? or too costly?
Can anyone enlighten me please as I think I ought to add a postcript to the history folder in case future generations ever wonder just what it was that Uncle had in his mouth! Thankyou - Val

[garstonite]

morning Val...I can`t say why people stopped smoking pipe tobacco ,possibly the flavouring and toasting of the tobacco meant it being more expensive,but I do know that one of Britains largest pipe tobacco factories here in Liverpool was Ogdens..this closed down about 1988-90..there was talk at the time of a massive housing estate being built there..I presume this happened but not sure....allan

[Guy]

Pipe smoking was condemned due to cancer of the mouth which often occurred on the lower lip where the hot pipe stem rested.
Pipe offered no protection as they did not use filters as cigarettes did (filter cigarettes grew in popularity for a while before being condemned also).

Cheers
Guy

[Merry Monty Montgomery]

I agree that the health issues would cause a decline in pipe smoking, but there are probably a lot of other subtle reasons too (after all, some elements of society abuse their bodies with other substances, but wouldn't be seen with a pipe!). I should think as much as anything else it's an "image" "problem".

I think this article is quite interesting:

Bowled Over No Longer

[Jessbowbag]

alive and well here in Northants

Smokers keep pipe festival going despite ban - Northants ET

[Jill on the A272]

At the "London's buried bones" exhibition I visited recently there was a skull with an obvious sign of pipe smoking - a cleft worn in the teeth where the habitual clay pipe smoker rested his pipe.

[Olde Crone Holden]

I know two pipe smokers!

OC

[WendyPusey]

I know of two pipe smokers here on the Island, and I've seen several round the towns and villages, mostly older men.

[Nicky L]

My father (84) still smokes a pipe.
He used to work for Wills, where all the staff had a free tobacco or cigarette allowance!

[Joan of Archives]

My Granddad used to smoke a pipe. I still have fond memories of him doing so even though I am a non smoker & whenever I smelt pipe smoke it would remind me of him.

I haven't seen anyone since smoke a pipe though!

[Muggins in Sussex]

In the small town where I live there is stilll a shop called "The Pipe Shop" - I had a look at it today - it has a wide range of pipes from £8.95 upwards - more expensive ones come in satin-lined cases - there is also a range of pipe-smoking paraphinelia - including gadgets to compress the tobacco in the pipe bowl -

So I guess the industry still survives.

BTW I used to know a solicitor who was a pipe-smoker - and female to boot

[Little Nell]

My Dad smoked roll-your-owns, but his brother, my Uncle Sam, smoked a pipe. He's the only person in my family that did.

[Val and George]

I can't believe I debated for ages about whether or not to post such a 'frivolous' question. I am glad I did as your replies were all so informative, and the websites you suggested were really interesting. Thankyou all so much for your input, I shall be writing up a short article about pipes to add to my family history. Many thanks - Val

[yummy-mummy-amy]

my daad smoked a pipe up until his death in 06. and i no of 2 ppl that stil smoke them.