The Jerry Under The Bed.

[SheShe]

My mum had a Parnell washer that was magic in everybodies eyes but still used her mangle well into the early 60s when she bought a creda debonair spinner.

I got the mangle when I got my first home and had no washer:)

[poppins]

Do you remember the mangles that sat outside till ready for use. They would grab your fingers if you weren't careful when you put clothes through them. My Aunt owned one of the first electric washing machines in the area, almost every time she used it it blew a fuse, driving my uncle into a frenzy. He'd blame her for it, even when you told him that the fuse wasn't big enough. So he tripled the fuse wire, and the thing caught fire. Those outside lavs were OK till you got a major freeze up for days. My mother made the best yorkshire pudding I ever tasted when it was cooked in a fireside oven, never the same when she went to gas. The only electric outlets you had were the light bulb sockets.

 

Yorksdhire puds were never the same with gas, the gas went down so low every Sunday afternoon with every one cooking at the same time you couldn't get the oven hot enough.

[Texas]

'Bleazing'. Now that's a good word Plaintalker.

[thai]

Remember everything mentioned. I now have a po,which i use as a plant pot. The yorkshire range wish i had one now.

[lazyherbert]

This is one for you Jabbers,and true.

Four of us lads slept in the same room in the attic with one of those little parrafin lights because there was no electricity up there.During a session of fighting and messing about in general the parrafin lamp got knocked over.It smashed on the bare floorboards and set alight the floor.With no more ado my older brother threw the bucket full of liquid:hihi:onto the fire to put it out.It did the job but the smell after was something chronic.Result, good hidings all round for everyone.

[Jabberwocky]

Ive smelled pee after its put out a fire (Dont ask!) and its a horrible stench. I bet it hung around for days too

[me-and-pippo]

Do you remember the mangles that sat outside till ready for use. They would grab your fingers if you weren't careful when you put clothes through them.

That reminds me of a rhyme, we used to sing as kids in the 60's ..

 

"Have you ever had your ****s in the mangle

Some silly bugger turned the handle

Your ****s went pop

It paralyzed your ***k

Have you ever had your ****s in the mangle"

[BLITZER]

There were 5 houses in our yard,but only 3 lavs,so 2 of us had to share. Rushing out to go, and finding someone already in - torture. Watching out to see when they came out and then quickly going in,then wishing you had'nt! Sheer bliss when 2 new lavs were built and each house had one,and we had one of the new ones. Then there was the morning parade of the enamel buckets as the contents of the overnight po's were brought to empty into the lavs. Oh yes,we really lived it up in those days. Further joy came when we were connected up to electricity,my brother and I would fight over who switched the light on. Monday mornings,the entire house was permeated with the smell of washing soap,and the "kitchen" was wringing wet from steam generated from the gas boiler. When you went out,you would have to navigate your way down the yard,trying to avoid the lines of washing that were strung out across your path,especially when it was windy, and you would get someones wet bloomers in your face. Arrgh!

[Joto]

When me and hubby finally got a home of our own, it was with an outside loo. We did have our own though, what I want to know is how did they work out whose turn it was to clean them, when two families or more shared?

[euclid]

I too can remember po's and tin baths,going up the back yard in the dark for a number 2 frozen stiff,one up one down terraced houses,listening to the gas mantles hissing inside the house,as well as the trams running past outside.Hot water bottles made of pot and bricks warmed up on the fire then wrapped in an owd blanket,going to the slipper baths on glossop road for a really good washdown,(or a swim!)then calling at the little shop on Devonshire/Division street for some hot pikelets covered in butter.When we moved from sheff,we went into a house(a semi if ye don't mind!)not only with an indoor lavvy and electric,but a garden too,the only grass around us was growing out of the kerb,yes paradise,and a time of unlocked doors,we'd nowt to pinch anyway,in fact they'd probably have LEFT us summat!.About the the drying rack on the pulleys,does anyone know if these can still be purchased,and where could i buy one.