poppet2 13 #1 Posted May 31, 2020 Just watched an old black & white film, in which women were doing this? When & why did it stop? Share this post Link to post Share on other sites Share this content via...
zach 209 #2 Posted May 31, 2020 I remember it being a common sight when I was staying at my nans house (Upperthorpe) during the 60s and early 70s. They would also sweep the path outside their houses. In answer to your question, I don't know. Maybe it was "the done thing" back then. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites Share this content via...
Padders 2,667 #3 Posted May 31, 2020 Mother used to send me to the Ragman for a piece of donkey stone to donkey stone the steps. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites Share this content via...
pattricia 551 #4 Posted May 31, 2020 1 hour ago, poppet2 said: Just watched an old black & white film, in which women were doing this? When & why did it stop? Don’t know when it stopped but more women stayed at home then, so had more time. It was their pride and joy scrubbing their step then putting donkey stone round the edge. If a woman didn’t scrub her step she was considered a dirty cow. When we moved into our first council house, after one week I heard our next door neighbour saying to another neighbour” That new family that’s just moved in, would you believe it ! She’s not even scrubbed her front step yet !” Share this post Link to post Share on other sites Share this content via...
cressida 1,473 #5 Posted May 31, 2020 I use a Dettol spray on the doormat as the letterbox is very low on our front door. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites Share this content via...
hauxwell 210 #6 Posted May 31, 2020 (edited) My doorstep is made of wood, could be the design of new build houses over the years as one reason why people stopped cleaning them. Also I agree with Pattricia when she said women had more time because they stayed at home. Edited May 31, 2020 by hauxwell Share this post Link to post Share on other sites Share this content via...
muddycoffee 10 #7 Posted May 31, 2020 The most obvious question is why did people do this in the first place. Hard labour for the sake of it. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites Share this content via...
gene 10 #8 Posted May 31, 2020 It was pride in having a nice clean doorstep and windowsills with nice clean nets to the windows. The house may have been poor inside but cleanliness cost very little. They also used to sweep the pavements and swill them down. Same as today - some keep their fronts nice and tidy and clean their front doors and windowsills even if they are PVC - others do not. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites Share this content via...
raymondo1952 11 #9 Posted May 31, 2020 There were White cardinal cream and red cardinal cream what people used for their window sill and door step Share this post Link to post Share on other sites Share this content via...
Longcol 566 #10 Posted June 1, 2020 15 hours ago, Padders said: Mother used to send me to the Ragman for a piece of donkey stone to donkey stone the steps. Lol - back in the 80's I reckon I bought the last piece of donkey stone in Sheffield as a wedding present for the lass who was getting wed to my best mate. I know, I was too generous 🙂 Share this post Link to post Share on other sites Share this content via...
Longcol 566 #11 Posted June 1, 2020 6 hours ago, raymondo1952 said: There were White cardinal cream and red cardinal cream what people used for their window sill and door step Didn't they call that "red lead"? I remember as a kid some 60 years ago in a quaint pit village near Doncaster some folk having red (edges) and white (middle) to their doorsteps. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites Share this content via...
speleo1 10 #12 Posted June 1, 2020 They stopped doing it at the same time they stopped sweeping outside paths and tidying their gardens or cutting the edges back,there is some Untidy people out there. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites Share this content via...