What do you rmember?
I remember when the extremely bitter tasting “Cascara” was given by the spoonful as a purgative. Whoever thought of the idea must have been a sadist.
I remember when the coal fire with its oven and hob (Kitchen range) was more common than the gas cooker, there were no electric cookers to be heard of.
I remember, the iron kettle on the hob was always kept full by the efficient housewife. Then, visitors never had to wait long for a cup of tea.
I remember the “pea-soupers” (fogs), sometimes so dense that one easily became disorientated if they dared to venture outside.
I remember when shops did not sell sliced bread, bread was bought from the confectioners or the bread shop. Unlike wrapped sliced loves it quickly became hard. The hard bread was saved to make the bread pudding, very acceptable to most children.
I remember when there were no tills in the large Lewes’s stores. They had a system where the bill and cash tendered was put into a small cylinder and then inserted into a vacuum tube that went to a central depository who returned the receipt and change the same way.
I remember the old ritualistic “Washday Mondays” when the coal fire under the “copper” (boiling bowl) had to be lit.
The washing equipment was: -
Scrubbing brush.
Dolly tub
Dolly legs.
Dolly blue
Rubbing board.
If they had non of that gear then they were visitors to the washouse.
I remember when the word television wasn’t even invented. Also Supermarket.
I remember when we would see sides of smoked bacon hung up in the grocer’s shops,
I remember when the bicycle was far more popular than the motor car.
I remember the “Dairy’s“ where we always obtained fresh milk or cream, fresh eggs and butter.
I remember the children’s comics, Dandy Beano, Tiger, Funny Wonder.
I remember when a great many of the working people’s houses did not have either a bath installed or hot running water and gas lighting was their source of illumination. Easily broken mantles were their trouble.
I remember when meals were mostly taken with the family seated at the table, Sunday dinner was ritualistic and the best meal of the week.
I remember the reliable knocker-up woman who had her long stick with a thin cane tied on the end.
She would rattle on the ordered bedroom window until a face appeared at the window. She was usually paid three Pence per week. Alarm clocks were notoriously unreliable.
I remember when motorcars had no means of heating in them.
I remember when we would be given a half day’s holiday on “Empire Day”.