Figure 1.-- |
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We'd make the fire in the morning and take turns going outside to collect the coal or coke for the fire which not only provided the heat but also the hot water. Later we had a house with electric heaters and thought that the height of luxury especially as it used to be horrible having to leave a warm spot in the living room to go out in the cold and dark to fill the coal scuttle. I would have been about 12 before we had a house with gas central heating.
Mothers did not usually go out to work but mine had a part-time job during school-time on the Station and later in a local shop. from 11 I had my own house key but was never left alone for longer than an hour at that age.
I can't remember having to get changed after school until I was 11 when it was expected by my Mum. All underwear and socks had to go straight in the wash along with shirts. School trousers tended to last several days. PE kit had to go in the wash after use that day. Washing was done in a tub washing machine. I think automatics were starting to appear but were very expensive and we certainly did not know anyone who had one. Drying was done on the line or on stands by the heaters or near the fire. One of our jobs was pegging out and bringing in the laundry.
All mealtimes were eaten around the kitchen or dining-room table. Sitting in front of the TV eating was not something we did until I was in my 20's. At school we would also sit at a table to eat, even snacks. We were not allowed to eat in the street other than ice creams. There were a steady stream of ice cream vans doing the rounds on an evening and weekends with various cornets, lollies and specialities like screwballs which included some bubble gum in the bottom. We were never allowed chewing gum so this was one way of getting some! At the NAAFI we would buy Lucky Bags with our pocket money. these would include various 'penny' sweets, sherbet, a plastic toy and a bar of chocolate such as fudge. We escaped washing and drying after meals as our parents did that together but most children had that as one of their jobs. prior to that upstairs rooms were heated with paraffin heaters on the landing and we had electric blankets on our beds to warm them before we went up. Try as we might socks were not allowed to be worn in bed! We never had double glazing until I was at least 14 or 15 years old.
We'd make the fire in the morning and take turns going outside to collect the coal or coke for the fire which not only provided the heat but also the hot water. Later we had a house with electric heaters and thought that the height of luxury especially as it used to be horrible having to leave a warm spot in the living room to go out in the cold and dark to fill the coal scuttle. I would have been about 12 before we had a house with gas central heating. We never had double glazing until I was at least 14 or 15 years old.
Mothers did not usually go out to work but mine had a part-time job during school-time on the Station and later in a local shop. from 11 I had my own house key but was never left alone for longer than an hour at that age.
I can't remember having to get changed after school until I was 11 when it was expected by my Mum. All underwear and socks had to go straight in the wash along with shirts. School trousers tended to last several days. PE kit had to go in the wash after use that day. Washing was done in a tub washing machine. I think automatics were starting to appear but were very expensive and we certainly did not know anyone who had one. Drying was done on the line or on stands by the heaters or near the fire. One of our jobs was pegging out and bringing in the laundry.
We were not allowed to eat in the street other than ice creams. There were a steady stream of ice cream vans doing the rounds on an evening and weekends with various cornets, lollies and specialities like screwballs which included some bubble gum in the bottom. We were never allowed chewing gum so this was one way of getting some! At the NAAFI we would buy Lucky Bags with our pocket money. these would include various 'penny' sweets, sherbet, a plastic toy and a bar of chocolate such as fudge. Another English reader, Bill recalls similar experiences.
All mealtimes were eaten around the kitchen or dining-room table. Sitting in front of the TV eating was not something we did until I was in my 20's. At school we would also sit at a table to eat, even snacks. We escaped washing and drying after meals as our parents did that together but most children had that as one of their jobs.
After our bath we would get ready for bed. I remember having some heavy
cotton material pyjamas with prints on the top part and also lightweight
cotton ones in pale blues, beige etc. Shane had the same cotton pyjamas but
never wore the shirt. When in Cyprus neither of us wore anything to bed as
it was too warm. We both had big full length woollen dressing gowns and
fabric rubber soled slippers. We’d watch TV curled up on the sofa, damp
freshly washed and combed hair with mugs of hot chocolate until our bed
times. My bedtimes used to go by my age ie 6pm at 6 years, 7pm at 7 years
and so on. I was always in great anticipation of being 12. From around 8
my bedtime seemed to stick at about 8.30 if my memory holds true. Shane
would get an extra half hour except on Sundays when we both went at the same
time. He did not like that but had no choice as it was the start of the
school week the next day. We always read or were read to before lights out.
The upstairs rooms were heated with paraffin heaters on the landing and we had electric blankets on our beds to warm them before we went up. Try as we might socks were not allowed to be worn in bed! An hour or so before bed one of us would go upstairs and turn on the
electric blankets to warm our beds; before we had those we had hot water
bottles. There was usually a paraffin heater either in the room or on the
landing as well. There was no such thing as central heating and married
quarters definitely did not come with double glazing. We were lucky in that
we usually had our own rooms but we sometimes shared and on some cold and
stormy nights would make our way to share the others bed as well! My
parents used to foster so sometimes we had other children stay with us for a
few weeks or a few months. Sometimes this was good as it meant new people
to play with and others it was terrible because we’d not like the newcomer
or be evicted from our own rooms; especially if there were girls staying or
the ages meant that either the older or younger ones needed the larger of
the two kids bedrooms. Really petty things but huge when you are little. I
remember that some of the children would arrive with only the clothes they
were wearing. We had two boys just slightly younger than me stay for two
months whilst their Mum was in hospital and they had to borrow my clothes
until they could be taken into town to get some of their own. They were
really excited as they had never had new clothes before. I remember one
girl who stayed with us nearly a year with her little brother. We all hated
her but it was deserved as she would constantly call us names, kick us under
the table at mealtimes, hit us or nip our legs. She was the only one I
remember be happy to see leave.
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