Jump to content

Before bathrooms

Recommended Posts

We had a toilet block at the top of our yard it used to freeze in the winter we used to put a parrafin lamp in it to try to stop it . Used to sit on the throne with my snake over my shoulder . GREAT TIMES

Share this post


Link to post
Share on other sites

We had an outside toilet at our house in Hinde House Lane & used a paraffin lamp to try to stop freezing in winter often unsuccessfully ! The back boiler behind our back room fire blew up on 6 Feb 1956 ; thankfully dad was defreezing the outside toilet at the time otherwise, if he had been inside he may have been killed. Fire Brigade came & boarded up the windows etc including using my trainset board on a window which upset me! It turned out to be a good thing as we finished up getting an inside toilet from the insurance.

Share this post


Link to post
Share on other sites

We used an old miners lamp in the privy which my grandad kept when his pit closed, worked a treat and now it’s in our lounge polished up and gleaming.

Share this post


Link to post
Share on other sites
We used an old miners lamp in the privy which my grandad kept when his pit closed, worked a treat and now it’s in our lounge polished up and gleaming.

Our toilet was across the yard, dad used to light a candle in there in winter, old newspapers for toilet paper, some huge spiders in there.

Share this post


Link to post
Share on other sites
Our toilet was across the yard, dad used to light a candle in there in winter, old newspapers for toilet paper, some huge spiders in there.
Yep, sounds all too familiar - but we were posh, we had a Tilley lamp instead of a candle!.:) I'd forgotten the spiders but you're dead right Billam. Here is a photo of the back of our long-gone house.

Share this post


Link to post
Share on other sites
Our toilet was across the yard, dad used to light a candle in there in winter, old newspapers for toilet paper, some huge spiders in there.

Ours too, in Carter Place.There were 4 in a row.

 

Sometimes in the winter they would freeze up, and you had to take boiling water to them.

 

But there was always a poe at the top of the stairs for the old folks and the kids. Older kids weren't allowed to use it, but on a cold night, sometime we cheated. It was dangerous, too, because there was no light at the top of the steep stairs. (My aunt Gertie fell down the stairs (not uncommon in those days) and broke her neck. At number 13, we just had one gas mantle between the kitchen and the living room.

 

We bought the mantle elements from Poulters around the corner, and it was tricky to stand on a chair to tie one on the gas light, they were very fragile.

 

But then we graduated to electric light, and had to learn how to go into the pitch black cellar to take out the fuse and screw some new fuse wire into it, to get the light back on.

 

"The good old days"?

Edited by trastrick

Share this post


Link to post
Share on other sites

The toilet walls and ceiling were white washed in those days .we used to draw on it with the candle then our step dad caught us we had to rewhiten i

Share this post


Link to post
Share on other sites

As kids we used to hold a cheap plastic magnifying glass to the keyhole inside the outside loo and it would project a full colour picture onto a piece of white card although upside down!.Only just remembered this as well as the freezing cold mornings sat on the throne after leaving my warm bed,the good old days?,I don,t think so!.

 

---------- Post added 28-09-2018 at 10:40 ----------

 

Sunday night was bath night,the large tin bath was placed before a blazing fire in the kitchen of our old cottage!.It was filled with boiling water from pans on the Yorkshire range and the electric cooker up to 3/4 full,my little bro and I waited in the living room whilst our twin sisters bathed first!.After they finished and dried and put on their pyjamas it was mardy arse first in me last by which time the bath was like a swamp!.After everything was put away my siblings loved to turn out the light making the kitchen pitch black and silently creep about trying not to bump into each other,this went on for a while until someone got poked in the eye with an outstretched hand and loud crying ensued brought to a halt by dear old dad bursting in and ordering us all to bed,he really didn,t like kids making a racket,just the same the following week we did it all again!.

Share this post


Link to post
Share on other sites

our bath hung outside near the back door. My mum would fetch it in and put it in front of the fire then fill it with water from the Yorkshire ranch. The worst thing was emptying the bath on the back yard

Share this post


Link to post
Share on other sites

Just as an aside when would houses have been built with internal bathrooms/toilets at the earliest?

Share this post


Link to post
Share on other sites
Yep, sounds all too familiar - but we were posh, we had a Tilley lamp instead of a candle!.:) I'd forgotten the spiders but you're dead right Billam. Here is a photo of the back of our long-gone house.

We used to visit my grandad,s farm at Thurlby near Newark. There was no electricity, a handpump in the sink for water, just up a flight of stairs was the toilet, it was a long piece of wood with two holes that you sat on, I had this awful thought of two people side by side using the toilet but I loved staying there.

Share this post


Link to post
Share on other sites

I can't honestly remember our bath at home. I do remember my Nans though. She lived near upperthorpe baths. The toilet was in the yard with torn up bits of newspaper. The bath was a tin one that was put in front of the fire. As I was the youngest, I got the used water, my sister got the clean stuff! I can't remember the name of the road, all I remember is that it was a steep cobbled hill. As for a date, mid to late 60's.

 

My Daughter still thinks I'm making it up. She thinks tin baths went out in the 1800's :hihi:

Share this post


Link to post
Share on other sites

Create an account or sign in to comment

You need to be a member in order to leave a comment

Create an account

Sign up for a new account in our community. It's easy!

Register a new account

Sign in

Already have an account? Sign in here.

Sign In Now
×
×
  • Create New...

Important Information

We have placed cookies on your device to help make this website better. You can adjust your cookie settings, otherwise we'll assume you're okay to continue.