An Aunt and Uncle had a drycleaning shop, and also did alterations to clothes. Most days my Aunt would be sat at a small machine in the window. This machine 'repaired' ladders in nylon stockings. Such expensive items, could not just be disposed off when something got caught and damaged them.
I can well remember that 'Jack Frost' would visit INSIDE windows as well as outside. Used to try to get dressed in the winter months UNDER the bed blankets.
Only one fire in the house - in the'Lounge' in the evenings. Had to be cleaned out and reset each morning with wood and a few pieces of coal. Then, when lit, 'drawn' with a large sheet of newspaper. Used to love it when this caught fire and went up the chimney!!!
Chilblains every winter, clothes worn the whole week, had to be careful to keep them clean. My Mum also went out to work, so all laundry was sent to 'bagwash'.
We had to use ration book when doing the shopping. When we were re-housed from London to a Council Estate, with houses but no infrastructure for several years, my Mum and the other women along our road used to take it in turns to sit up to wait for the visit from the Butchers van which often did not get to us until very late at night. Meat Safes were fine in the winter, but were not really any good in the summer months, except for keeping the flies, etc off the food. Shopping had to be done on a daily basis.
OH.......the so-called Good Old Days - phrase only sued by those who did not actually live through them, or - had lots of money.
