in grannys day

Austin_Allegro

Back in the pre war days washing was done with the kitchen copper, or if you didn't have one you went to the steamie (communal washroom). The middle classes, who could afford it, had servants to do the washing or if not they sent it to private individuals or to big (usually Chinese) laundries (my grandmother did this right up until the 80s).

In the 50s launderettes started to open and were considered a blessing for working class housewives. Then by the 70s/80s the growth of HP and credit meant that automatic washing machines were within reach of most people.

spendaholic

Actually, my mom had to go and work in a laundry because the money was better than them having to fork out for secretarial college for her. The laundry's still there too, specialising in industrial laundry.

Loadsabob

My 86 year old Gran still does most of her washing by hand, only using the machine for bedding about once a fortnight.

She's absolutely brilliant, still cooks everything from scratch (I'm awaiting her macaroon recipe!), walks to town regularly, puts the washing out to dry, sweeps the carpet (not vacuum!), is always on the go around the house...

And I think that's probably WHY she's 86 and so sprightly and healthy. She's having a bit of trouble with her eyes, so the knitting for charity has had to stop, and the mending these days is a little tricky. But she does her puzzles to keep her mind active.

She's an absolute joy! My childhood memories are full of her cooking. She was always busy around the house - my Grandfather too, he was a real help to her. Until they retired they ran a cafe together and took in B&B guests, too, so it wasn't that my Gran just stayed home while her husband went out to work - she worked full time as well as running the house.

I guess they just didn't expect life to be easy, like a lot of people do today (Not us lot of course!!!). They didn't co-ordinate their routines and meals around the TV schedule (my Mum does that now!)...a hard working way of life, but yes, as Ticklemouse points out, much simpler...

I think we're sometimes a bit poorer for all our gadgets!

mink35

My grandma lived in a little two up/two down terraced cottage and at the end of the row were the 'copper' wash-houses. They were only allowed to be used on a Monday (don't know why) hence the Monday wash day. Everything was washed on the hottest wash possible but I don't suppose that mattered in the days of cotton, cotton and more cotton! She had a dolly tub for the tough stains before the wash and a mangle that she put everything through about 5 times :eek: I think this would be in the late sixties/early seventies before they decided the row of houses were too old and knocked them all down! All morning while she was washing she had dinner (lunch) on the cooker on the low setting - leftover spuds/veg from Sunday frying then served with cold meat (mmmmm)

Ticklemouse wrote:

Main bedroom
Mum - bed, 2 wardrobes, dressing table, bedside table
Me - bed, built in wardrobes (all full) 3 asstd dressers/drawers, 2 bedside cabinets, armchair, exercise equipment, ironing board, tv/dvd, sky box, video,

Blimey - your bedroom must be huge!! I'm so jealous

Galtizz

Loadsabob wrote:

She's absolutely brilliant, still cooks everything from scratch (I'm awaiting her macaroon recipe!)

Sorry to be a bit morbid but I had to point this out to everyone who has Grans and Nans who are still able to cook from scratch.

Don't forget to get them to tell you the secret recipes for everything.

My Nan used to make the most fantastic meat pies (we found 1 each in her freezer when we were clearing out her house and we savoured them because we knew we would never get to eat pies like that again) she now has Alzheimers and is as daft as a brush, she hasn't got a clue what went into her pastry to make it taste so good and she'd tell you to put meat and gooseberries in it because she forgets 1/2 way through if she was telling you how to make a savoury or a sweet pie (and that's on her good days). Unfortunatly, by the time I had discovered how much I loved cooking from scratch it was too late

So, my challenge to you all for this week or the weekend is to buy them a hardback notebook and write it out or give the book to them and ask them to write out all of their secret recipes for you. Alot of the recipes will be in their heads so make sure it is passed on so that you can pass it on too. It's never too early to do this, get your Mums to write down any recipes they know too. If you are a Mum or a Nan write one for your children/grandchildren to pass on when they are old enough. It will be a really treasured recipe book and, eventually it can be, using Queenies idea, a modern heirloom

mink35

That's so true Galtizz! My grandma died when I was 22 and recently moved away from home. She made the best scones I've ever tasted (she used to sour her milk deliberately) and chutneys and marmalades that no-one knew the recipes to. Most of the time she just used to throw things in by hand but if I had had the foresight to know she was not going to be around much longer it wouldn't have taken much to weigh her handsize of flour, sugar etc!

Loadsabob

Galtizz,

you read my mind!! I know, it may sound morbid, but I do think of these things. So be able to re-create anything my Gran made will be a wonderful way to remember her one day (she reckons she may have another ten years in her, but doesn't want to live to be 100, she thinks she'll have had enough by then!!).

I have this kitsche old notebook that I started writing recipes in when I was about 11. My Gran wrote a lot of her recipes in there, including her perfect bun recipe, which I have never yet tried to replicate, but am going to very soon! This site promted me to look out and revive / renovate this book.

Unfortunately, I was an over-zealous 11 year old and instead of writing valuable recipes, I filled many pages with dodgy recipes I liked the look of in magazines (one uses dairylea, cream crackers, baked beans and sausages!!)! Anyway, I'm now replacing those pages and sticking other entries in, of the REAL treasures...including the 70s magazine rissotto I grew up on, fondue recipes from a Swiss friend, and the happy-accidents I create and would never remember a second time!

Great idea! I love it! I really should put my Papa's Ukranian pasties recipe in there...but the onions are simmered for hours in lard, and my Dad says they'd never work the same in vegetable fat!!

catznine

mah_jong wrote:

Blimey....I MUST be really old.....

When I got married I had no washing machine...just a belfast sink (before they were fashionalbe, in other words before they ripped them out to put in stainless steeel ones in!!!!)....... and a wringer. When was that ....... the 70's.......Ok I am really old.

But not a granny........

Oh heck! Me too! :eek:

Ticklemouse

mink35 wrote:

Blimey - your bedroom must be huge!! I'm so jealous

Well, only by british standards. Have you seen that extreme makeover home edition prog. They think anything under 15 x 10 is tiny

Oh, it's 25 x 10 BTW (It's an extension, I don't live in a palace)

I've just remembered, my gran had one of those dolly tubs and a washboard in her garage, that I can just remember being used. My dad grows plants in it now And those big wooden tongs - lethal in the wrong hands

Lillibet_2

My Nan cooked on the same second hand gas cooker, no preassure/slow cooker or microwave, for 25 years, she eventually replaced it (with another slightly newer 2nd hand one) as she was concerend that it would go wrong & she wouldn't be able to get the parts. Who did she get rid of it too? Me! I was just moving into my first unfurnished flat & grateful for anything I didn't have to buy, I kept it for a further 8 years & it cooked beautifully. Only got rid of it as we were having a new kitchen fitted & got a fitted cooker free, the new one, althgouh fan assisted electric & more efficent, don't cook cakes as well or as evenly as that old one, which went to the salvation army & who expressed delight at the condition of such an old relic (all my Nans hard work, she kept it spotless. Unfortuantely I cannot claim to have been quite so fastidious). I am certain that my new cooker won't last nearly as long as that old faithful & I can't imagine many modern cooks/housewives/food prepares being satisfed with the same model for so long.

My mum only got a washing machine the year I turned 3 (1978 for those who are interested) & just after I came out of nappies. My parents lived with my mums parents, sharing a big victorian house, they each had own kitchen, bathrooms etc & lived seperate lives but were on hand if the others needed anything, for company, baby sitting etc. A real old fashioned arrangement which only ended after my Nan died & my Grandad re-married. You can't imagine many familes doing it now