My parents worked hard for most of their lives, my Father worked as a Miner down in the Coal pits with his Pony for many years. Then he joined the Fire Brigade, that took him through the Second World War, a bad time for everyone. My Cousin Fred was evacuated from London to our house for the duration of the war, we had a shelter in the back garden, which was half buried in the ground made from steel sheets, it was so damp everything turned mouldy within a few days. This is where we took refuge during the Bombing raids, though I doubt now whether the shelter would have saved us if a bomb had hit it. Dad of course was out during the raids dealing with fires, of which there many. |
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"Coventry" in the Blitz. |
Air raid shelter.. |
My Mother made chain for most of her working life, in the Outhouse, ( small building adjacent to the main house ) with a Forge and Anvil. She would start her day at seven A.M. and finish around seven P.M. in the evening, when she would then cook a meal for the Family. I had to help with the washing which was done in a wooden tub, using a wooden maid which beat the clothes as we lifted it up and down, I wasn't tall enough so I had to stand on a box, the clothes were then boiled in a cast iron tub that had an open fire beneath, then they were taken out with wooden tongs and put through a wooden Mangle, it took most of the day to finish the laundry, the ironing was done with an iron that had been placed on the open fire to heat. |
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My Family... |
My father.. |
the mangle.. |
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My great-great grandparents.. |
My Mother & Father.. |
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