Nostalgia Is Not What It Used To Be.

[kanny 20,712]

 

 

I've said this before my dad's side were Romany barge gypsies running coal along the trent i dont claim any gypsy heritage i was brought up as a normal country boy my granddad and grandmother were the last...no crown Darby in our house lol but its plain to see in all my dad's side.

I bet they could tell some stories, mate......

I wish I had found out more about there life's when I had the chance ... there long gone now.

[terryd 8,605]

I remember the old tin bath well and sharing the grand parents bath water the joys lol. That kitchen cupboard brings back memories we had a yellow one. Cracking things could do with one now better than the rubbish we have in the kitchen now

[Blackbriar 8,569]

 

 

I've said this before my dad's side were Romany barge gypsies running coal along the trent i dont claim any gypsy heritage i was brought up as a normal country boy my granddad and grandmother were the last...no crown Darby in our house lol but its plain to see in all my dad's side.

I bet they could tell some stories, mate......

I wish I had found out more about there life's when I had the chance ... there long gone now.

That's a shame, mate.

I got a book out the library once about the barge families.... fascinating stuff !

Whole families born on the barge and spent their whole life on the canal - from what I read, a fabulous community spirit, but a bloody hard life I would imagine !

[Blackbriar 8,569]

I remember the old tin bath well and sharing the grand parents bath water the joys lol. That kitchen cupboard brings back memories we had a yellow one. Cracking things could do with one now better than the rubbish we have in the kitchen now

When it came to us kids, I had the benefit of being the oldest...then my eldest sister. By the time it was my brothers turn, I reckon he was cleaner before he got in the water !

[kanny 20,712]

 

 

 

 

I've said this before my dad's side were Romany barge gypsies running coal along the trent i dont claim any gypsy heritage i was brought up as a normal country boy my granddad and grandmother were the last...no crown Darby in our house lol but its plain to see in all my dad's side.

I bet they could tell some stories, mate......

I wish I had found out more about there life's when I had the chance ... there long gone now.

That's a shame, mate.

I got a book out the library once about the barge families.... fascinating stuff !

Whole families born on the barge and spent their whole life on the canal - from what I read, a fabulous community spirit, but a bloody hard life I would imagine !

Yeah the grandparents were born on the water but with trains taking over the barges it all went tits up ...one of my dads sisters (aunty) is still alive and local i really should make the effort to go see her for a chat before it's to late ...they became quite a fragmented bunch which is a shame really.

[forest of dean redneck 11,714]

 

Those of us who are "of a certain age" will recognise one of these....2902f3d06d73df31cb5c0bb1763ed760.jpg

 

i was just talking to vin about those kitchen cabinets,,,we had one in our kitchen till 92 when i mooved out

We had ours from about 2006-2009 lol

Me gran had a home built sink unit with the curtain underneath.that was 80/90s . They also had a b/w portable in kitchen . Can't remember if they still had the old valve set tv in living room though.

[stumfelter 3,034]

 

 

I've said this before my dad's side were Romany barge gypsies running coal along the trent i dont claim any gypsy heritage i was brought up as a normal country boy my granddad and grandmother were the last...no crown Darby in our house lol but its plain to see in all my dad's side.

I bet they could tell some stories, mate......

I wish I had found out more about there life's when I had the chance ... there long gone now.

That's the trouble, when your young your not interested in what the grandparents did and when your older and are interested it's too late to ask.

[Blackbriar 8,569]

 

 

 

 

I've said this before my dad's side were Romany barge gypsies running coal along the trent i dont claim any gypsy heritage i was brought up as a normal country boy my granddad and grandmother were the last...no crown Darby in our house lol but its plain to see in all my dad's side.

I bet they could tell some stories, mate......

I wish I had found out more about there life's when I had the chance ... there long gone now.

That's a shame, mate.

I got a book out the library once about the barge families.... fascinating stuff !

Whole families born on the barge and spent their whole life on the canal - from what I read, a fabulous community spirit, but a bloody hard life I would imagine !

Yeah the grandparents were born on the water but with trains taking over the barges it all went tits up ...one of my dads sisters (aunty) is still alive and local i really should make the effort to go see her for a chat before it's to late ...they became quite a fragmented bunch which is a shame really.

Dont leave it too late, mate. I'd love to be able to go back and speak to uncles, aunties, grandparents etc. I recently found out that my dad's grandad was a fighter in the boxing booths on Goose Fair - would loved to have met him........

 

When you visit her, I'm sure theres a few here who'd love to hear the lady's stories.

[gnasher16 30,441]

Net curtains TC?? is it a regional thing,not seen em round here since the seventies lol

Thats what i thought.....never mind can you still buy bags of blue can you still buy net curtains !

[walshie 2,804]

Those of us who are "of a certain age" will recognise one of these....

 

2902f3d06d73df31cb5c0bb1763ed760.jpg

 

My granny had one of those. Identical right down to the colour. Always used to smell of tealeaves.

[dytkos 17,819]

 

Those of us who are "of a certain age" will recognise one of these....2902f3d06d73df31cb5c0bb1763ed760.jpg

 

i was just talking to vin about those kitchen cabinets,,,we had one in our kitchen till 92 when i mooved out

 

Were called a kitchenette round our way

 

Cheers, D.

[Mister Gain 1,764]

Can recall bath time in 50's having a scrub down in the kitchen sink in a couple of inches of tepid water, kitchen was referred to as a scullery. Always tried to be first for the scrub as by the time the 3rd one got in the sink the water was cold, if you was lucky mum would have the kettle on for a warm top up. Was better if the coal fire was heating the water as top ups were easier, but that didn't usually get lit until later.

When my son visited in 2014 the granddaughter got her baths in the sink and thoroughly enjoyed it.

 

 

Loads of houses around here have net curtains up, as do we. Don't want every fcuker peering in.

I do remember 50's 60's the net curtains would get stuck to the inside of the windows with ice, and when you crawled into bed the linen sheets were freezing cold and took ages to warm up and we would sometimes get an overcoat on the bed in lieu of an eiderdown.

 

With me, this nostalgia thing has only come about relatively recently, last few years. When I was about 13-14 I used to dread coming home from school in case my old nan was visiting as I would get the job of walking with her and seeing her across the main road, as her eyesight was failing. She used to move at the pace of a sloth and it lost me the best part of an hour with my mates. I always used to question my mother as to how she could come round on her own but not go back on her own and my mothers answer was always the same "you'll be old one day", which wasn't exactly an answer.

Would like to have spent a bit of time questioning my nan, and my mother, about their pasts but it's too late now.

I have spent a few years trying to find any photos of the tenement my nan used to live in in Deptford, I recall visiting it at a very young age. Last week I found a colour photo that a bloke took in 1970, and it took me right back to the 50's. Thing is, who would want to waste valuable film and money to process that film just to take a photo of a manky old tenement block, indeed, who would have even owned a camera. Bit different nowadays with smartphones and digital cameras where you can click away, should be plenty of info for future generations if they are interested. Any of you old Deptford boys recognise this, it's now a park. The old girl used to live 3rd entrance from the far end, 1st floor right hand side. They had a designated washing day and hung the washing out on the roof to dry, also had a designated day to clean the communal stairs. There were 7 blocks of varying sizes and 2 of them were destroyed by a V2 in 1945 with the loss of 53 lives, mainly railwaymen and their families.

 

 

 

Me and my brother used to have to go and get a short back and sides from and old guy who had turned his air raid shelter into a small barbers. It used to cost 3d.

 

Here's one of me in a school photo (1959 I think) with said short back and sides, sporting my best jumble sale shirt, elasticated tie and hand knitted pullover (sweat-shop made cheap clothes hadn't been invented then LOL). Wherever you went you were never far from the clacking of knitting needles.

 

Edited November 24, 2016 by Mister Gain

[terryd 8,605]

lucky sod having a decent hair cut

[johnny boy68 11,726]

A bit of vinegar will get your nets like brand new.

[beast 1,884]

Wright's Coal Tar soap ! Used to love the smell of that !!

 

When my daughter was little, she got a few chest infections, and we used to burn coal tar oil in a candle vaporiser thingie. The whole house smelt of it....... gorgeous !

 

(And I'll bet nobody washes the kids in the kitchen sink any more, either.....)

i still use wrights now. and i still wash my baby in the sink...