ChaoticMusings

Anonymous wrote:

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Maddog wrote:

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Syl wrote:

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Digger wrote:

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Syl wrote:

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Maddog wrote:

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Syl wrote:

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Magica wrote:

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True Syl, life was different then.

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 It was, we had a lot less of the things that seem to be so important nowadays, and life was definitely harder, but we were used to it, so it didn't have such an impact.

Poor as we were, and I certainly was, I don't remember being hungry or cold.

Mind you, it was coal fires and home cooked food back then, not central heating in every room and expensive processed food.

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 That's the innocence of childhood. 

 

We aren't really aware of the stress our parents are going through, during hard times. They protect you from "life". 

 

It's much different when you're an adult. You can empathize more with others who are suffering. 

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 True, I didn't even realise we were poor.

Regarding the cold, we had fireplaces in each bedroom when I was growing up, they were never lit though, and I do remember icicles forming on the windows inside, we would break them off.

There was always a fire in the kitchen where we lived, and on special occasions one in the parlour as well.

I dont ever remember being hungry, but we ate very simple food.

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 We had gas fires in both downstairs living rooms and that was it.   My mum would put a paraffin heater in the bathroom when it got really bitter.    I remember ice and frost on the inside of the windows every morning in winter.   And you'd see your breath in the bedrooms.    Fuck me, it was really cold.    We never went hungry because we'd fill up with bread and butter, or toast.  But we never got sweets or biscuits or crisps unless it was the weekend.  We were all skinny and we were never ill.   

When the power cuts came, we'd have to go to bed and read by candlelight, or just go to bed and sleep.   I seem to recall that the lights went off around 9 or 10 and didn't come on til the next morning.   We never had fridges or freezers so that didn't really affect us.

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 You had a bathroom? We had a tin bath kept in the cellar.

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 Was this the 1960's or the 1860's?

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 It neither is nor was normal in Britain.  What you’ve got to remember is that these two come from very lower class urban stock.  They come from a big poor industrial city where back to back terraced housing was the norm.  Think Coronation Street.

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 True, I come from Salford, and Coronation street (the original one) was based on the streets I grew up in.

Not true I came from low class urban stock. It was circumstance, and an arsehole of a father, who abandoned his family, that saw us living there.

The good thing is, when you are down..the only way is up.

Maddog wrote:

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I've never seen Coronation street.

I've never seen a house without a bathroom either.

I know they existed in rural parts of the US in my lifetime..

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 These are similar to the houses back then.

Back to back terrace, outside toilets, small backyards. They were all pulled down in the late 60's early 70's.

 

 

Yes we lived in one in London, in the basement of a three story house.

-- Edited by Magica on Sunday 23rd of October 2022 04:22:05 PM

Maddog wrote:

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Syl wrote:

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Maddog wrote:

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I've never seen Coronation street.

I've never seen a house without a bathroom either.

I know they existed in rural parts of the US in my lifetime..

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 These are similar to the houses back then.

Back to back terrace, outside toilets, small backyards. They were all pulled down in the late 60's early 70's.

 

 

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 They needed to be. 

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 Yes they did, no inside toilet, much less bathroom, no hot water, or central heating, life was hard, poor people now would be rich in comparison.

But...the sense of community was far greater back then than now. In the community I grew up in, people shared what little they had, and everyone knew and helped their neighbours. when needed.

My childhood, and most of my teens, were happy.

Council house in a mining village in South Yorkshire. Three very small bedrooms with tiny fireplaces and a downstairs “parlour” with a back boiler and a (very small) sitting room. The fireplaces might have been cosy if we could have afforded coal! The toilet was outside next to the usually empty coal shed and toilet paper was torn up pages of The Daily Mirror hanging from a nail in the wall. And that’s a pretty good description of my home from 1939 until I left to join the RAF in the late 50’s. Shortages, food and clothing rationing, endless queues……but do you know what? We were happy and content.

And today? Former farmhouse in an idyllic village in the countryside, fabulous views, a few acres of land including ancient woodland, a Range Rover and restored classic Land Rover in the garage…..and most of the time I’m a miserable, grumpy old bugger!

Go figure……

Anonymous wrote:

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 Was this the 1960's or the 1860's?

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 It neither is nor was normal in Britain.  What you’ve got to remember is that these two come from very lower class urban stock.  They come from a big poor industrial city where back to back terraced housing was the norm.  Think Coronation Street.

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 Who are you referring to?  What makes you think being poor is something to be ashamed of?  Anyone can be poor, from the highest to low, it's all about circumstances and luck.   We actually lived in  a large 5 bedroomed detached house when I was a kid and it wasn't in the city.   Which made it even worse for cold in the winter.   And you're wrong about it not being the norm in the 1960s and earlier for people not having central heating.   Hardly anyone did.  The only ones who did before we got North Sea Gas was oil fired central heating.   Ensure you do your research when trying to be a smart arse.

 

 

 

 

Digger wrote:

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Syl wrote:

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Maddog wrote:

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Syl wrote:

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Maddog wrote:

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I've never seen Coronation street.

I've never seen a house without a bathroom either.

I know they existed in rural parts of the US in my lifetime..

---

 These are similar to the houses back then.

Back to back terrace, outside toilets, small backyards. They were all pulled down in the late 60's early 70's.

 

 

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 They needed to be. 

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 Yes they did, no inside toilet, much less bathroom, no hot water, or central heating, life was hard, poor people now would be rich in comparison.

But...the sense of community was far greater back then than now. In the community I grew up in, people shared what little they had, and everyone knew and helped their neighbours. when needed.

My childhood, and most of my teens, were happy.

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 Never had to use an outside lav, thank God.   I can only imagine the torture in the winter.

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 The cold didn't bother me, neither did the newspaper, torn into squares, hanging from a nail on the toilet door, like Fred said.

What bothered me was the huge spiders my horrible sister drew on the toilet walls.

 

Syl wrote:

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The spoiled little brats that are chucking paint, mashed potatoes and chocolate at works of art, have never had a cold day in their protected little lives.
They have no idea what they are protesting against, cosseted little idiots.

Maybe the hard winter that's predicted will wisen and toughen a few of them up....though I doubt it.

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 I'm surprised nobody has taken a swipe at them.    They all need a good slap.

Digger wrote:

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Anonymous wrote:

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 Was this the 1960's or the 1860's?

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 It neither is nor was normal in Britain.  What you’ve got to remember is that these two come from very lower class urban stock.  They come from a big poor industrial city where back to back terraced housing was the norm.  Think Coronation Street.

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 Who are you referring to?  What makes you think being poor is something to be ashamed of?  Anyone can be poor, from the highest to low, it's all about circumstances and luck.   We actually lived in  a large 5 bedroomed detached house when I was a kid and it wasn't in the city.   Which made it even worse for cold in the winter.   And you're wrong about it not being the norm in the 1960s and earlier for people not having central heating.   Hardly anyone did.  The only ones who did before we got North Sea Gas was oil fired central heating.   Ensure you do your research when trying to be a smart arse.

 

 

 

 

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 What? You seem triggered. Too many home truths?