My family

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.

"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.

My Family...

My father..

the mangle..

next page...

My great-great grandparents..

My Mother & Father..

Previous page.

My Home.

Webcam for kids.