I think our perceptions of being ‘poor’ and living in ‘poverty’ have changed considerably to what it meant back in the 50’s, 60’s and so on. I came from a poor family. Yes, we did have a tv at some point, but we had to put money in the back, so, no money, no tv. My mum sent us to the butchers for bones for the dog, as these were free, and she would boil them up to make stock for soup. Only then did the dog get a look in. If the electric ran out, we sat in candle light. Clothes were either handed down from someone or came from the WRVS store. We sold bits of furniture if we had a bill we couldn’t pay, then bought something else if we ever had a bit of extra money. Neighbours helped each other out if things were really bad. Yet, we never really felt hard done by, it was accepted that some folk were poor and some were rich. My own daughters rarely got ‘new’ things for Xmas if they were going to cost a lot, we would by second hand toys or record players. I think the problem today is that everyone is told they are as entitled to have everything new as someone who has the money to buy stuff for themselves. I have known ‘poor’ folk turn their noses up at the offer of free things from others, stuff that I would have taken gratefully even when I was a bit better off. Society has probably changed more in the last 2 or 3 decades than it has for a long, long time. Not always for the good sadly.
