What 5 things couldn’t our mothers have done without ?

Joannapiano: the people’s friend was most definitely something my gran couldn’t have lived without, along with The Sunday Post which were wrapped up on a Monday morning to be sent off to my aunt in Australia.

Her church and faith
Her family.
Talking
People to charm.
An iron.

Help in the house
Motor car
Washing machine and line
Floor polisher. We had mats and runners on wooden floors, lino in the kitchen. Mats and carpets were dragged outside on a sunny day and to be swept.
Sewing Machine or Knitting machine depending on the seasons
If a sixth, then her Patience cards

At different times of her life, in no particular order:
Chanel No 5
Woodbines in packs of 10
Sewing machine (a treadle which, she said, kept her ankles slim)
The Thor washing machine
Her late-life love after nearly 30 years of widowhood. We loved him too.

Nearly all of above as MissAdventure except ironing not if she could get someone else to do that!!

A hat for everyday wear.
Outside coal bunker near back door.
Leather shopping bag.
Co-op Dividend stamps (saved for treats).
Huge soup pot.
Daily milk delivery.

Her bicycle;
Her cookery skills, turning very little into much;
Keeping the chickens safe from the fox;
Thankful for the chickens;
My father.

Woodbines (she gave up later)
A corner shop
Burnt end of a match to do her eyebrows
Dark red lipstick
Industrial strength hair lacquer/white T shirt (summer uniform)

Players No6
Dogs (many over the years never less than 3 at a time)
The garden
Getting a bargain
Her car

A ‘blue bag’, to put in the white wash to keep it pure white. She smoked Park drive, and her sherry. She would walk up to the post office where they sold ‘sherry from the wood’. You took your own bottle and the filled it from big barrels behind the counter. Both habits that killed her in the end. Her two older sisters who looked after her, spoiled her and financially propped her up.

Cigarettes
Sewing machine
Books
Knitting (wool/needles etc)
Newspaper

My father.
As soon as he died she wasted away.
It only took a matter of weeks. 15 or 16.

My dear parents. They so loved each other.

Oh, that's sad to hear.
It's now considered possible to die from a broken heart.

Thank you MissAdventure They were both early 70s.
She had stomach cancer maybe 10 years before but was apparently clear.
It came back immediately he died and she just let it wash over her.

Hers was a very quiet, gentle death. She was happy to go.

How very sad for you, as beautiful as it is to hear tales of true love.
Were they childhood sweethearts?
Sorry, I'm nosy, I know.

No. My mum was "bullied" into saying yes apparently...

He decided he wanted nobody else and she kept saying "wait a bit" till one day at the back of a busy bus he threatened to shout out that she kept making him wait.
So she said "yes" at last and he called that out instead.

She was easily embarrassed so i can see that would work - but they were devoted to each other.
I don't remember having ever asked her why she kept him waiting.

Now I wonder why, too.

Sensible to be sure, I guess.

I really enjoy hearing about ordinary people's lives, and loves, and stories, so thanks for that little view into their life together.

A wonderful glimpse into a vanished past and I am reminded of things in had forgotten. My mother smoked Du Maurier cigarettes, so much more stylish than most but just as damaging and the ex-nanny who minded me in school holidays was an avid reader of People’s Friend; by the time I was six I read out the stories to her after lunch when she had a little rest - wildly unsuitable and plainly made me the romantic I became.

My Mum did without most things but she loved her Evening In Paris perfume, to me it smelt disgusting.

I'm sure my mother used to take a roll of dusters with her wherever she went.
Along with, as my DN said once, her magnifying glass.

She could spot a speck of dust from a mile off.

Jane43

My Mum did without most things but she loved her Evening In Paris perfume, to me it smelt disgusting.

Oh yes, those tiny blue bottles!

My dad
My brother
Me
Her cigarettes
Youth Dew Perfume
Hotpoint Countess washing machine
Woman/Woman's Own
Being very affectionate
The dog

The wireless (I don’t think she ever said radio) for The Third Programme and Mrs Dale’s Diary.
Me - she had always wanted a daughter.
Her sewing machine.
Ideal Home and Homes and Gardens magazines.
Coffee.

her 'basic' make up including face powder, vitapoint her hair always smelt lovely and her soft pink lipstick
her weekly hairdresser apt for a set
twin tub washer
her friends always around and mum was a great one for parties any excuse out would come the Martini and pineapple and cheese on sticks
her holiday to Weston super Mare yearly

Her combo washer spin dryer which replaced the wringer washer.
Garden
Her canner to preserve the bounty from the garden
Radio
Her car as we lived 3 miles out of the village.