House Essentials in the 40s/50s

I was talking to someone about the stuff we had around the house when I was growing up.

We had fun reminding each other of the absolutely essential stuff that we all had, either bought or made by hand. Things I had completely forgotten, but indispensable at the time.

Things like 'obinfoot (last), hatchet (not axe), nippers, darning needles, poker and such.

Anybody care to add?

I was talking to someone about the stuff we had around the house when I was growing up.

 

We had fun reminding each other of the absolutely essential stuff that we all had, either bought or made by hand. Things I had completely forgotten, but indispensable at the time.

 

Things like 'obinfoot (last), hatchet (not axe), nippers, darning needles, poker and such.

 

Anybody care to add?

Tin Bath tub. For the weekly overall wash. The Mangle for wringing out the

washing.

Small paraffin lamp in the outside toilet to stop pipes freezing in winter.

Fireguard for the coal fire.

Rubbing board, dolly, posser, and bluing for washing clothes.

Tea strainer for loose leaf tea.

Stone cold slab in the pantry to help keep food cool.

Clothes rack on the ceiling in the kitchen for drying clothes.

Long handled toasting fork to make toast in front of coal fire.

Potty/poe for under the bed.

Small paraffin lamp in the outside toilet to stop pipes freezing in winter.

Fireguard for the coal fire.

Rubbing board, dolly, posser, and bluing for washing clothes.

Tea strainer for loose leaf tea.

Stone cold slab in the pantry to help keep food cool.

Clothes rack on the ceiling in the kitchen for drying clothes.

Long handled toasting fork to make toast in front of coal fire.

Potty/poe for under the bed.

Ah, the toasting fork, usually hand made from sturdy wire. Thanks for that!

Ah, the toasting fork, usually hand made from sturdy wire. Thanks for that!

And the 'Green 'Un'.

My grandparents had a mangle thingy to make their own minced meat.

A gas burner thing on the kitchen wall for hot water.

A standard lamp.

An iron that had to be heated on the range.

A piano.

Green soap and scrubbing brushes.

A Ewebank.

A thing for beating rugs.

Hand made rag rugs, we had to cut up old worn out coats for my mother to make them. I made some myself a couple of years ago (not from old coats tho'). We still have the hobbin foot and feet and use them as door stops.

Mattresses with big steel springs .

I could hear Mr and Mrs Cockers squeaking and growning from three doors away.

Itchy Army blankets on our beds.

Ginger Beer plants that went on fermenting for years ...................

Squares of cut up newspaper hung on string behind the toilet door.

Blocks of green Fairy household soap, with the baby wearing a nappy walking imprinted on it, seems we used the same block for years.

Milk Checks from the Co-Op to pay the milkman.

Small external parking lights run from a separate battery which you had to attach to your car ( if it was left on the road after dark.)

Stoneware Dripping Pots which were constantly topped up from the meat joints..Delicious !

Rolls of wallpaper which you had to cut the white strip off each end and then re-roll it as it would be upside down !!

Rice puddings in crazed dishes with a thick brown skin on the top .

And that was thi tea.