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Mr. Dennis Malin has often contributed his memories of older times to 'Local Past'. With, perhaps, his tongue in his cheek, he entitles his latest thoughts as
Progress has made the things that were everyday necessities in the home in my childhood into antiques, their use made redundant.
The kitchen had its large sink and the 'copper' in the corner in which to boil the washing or heat the water to use in the tin bath in front of the old log fire. The' wooden 'dolly' was there to pound the washing and the mangle to wring it dry. The 'flat iron' was warmed in front of the fire to get rid of the creases. The meat spit roasted the joint: the oven was adjacent to the grate. In the hearth there was a companion set of brush, shovel and poker, with a trivet to stand the kettle on.
At night there was the oil lamp to light the room, or maybe, a candle in a brass candle-stick or a small enamel candle' holder. The copper warming pan or stone hot water bottle helped to warm the four-poster bed: if you were poor, the oven plate or a house brick wrapped in a cloth had to make do.
Most cottages had their own baking ovens for bread and a cellar that acted as a natural refrigerator.
It must be difficult for the young to imagine that all these collectables were once in common use.
I am typing this: in the old days I had a glass inkpot and a fountain pen and the crock teapot would be brewing by the fire: no tea bags but a couple of spoons of good old Mazawattee brand tea.
Nothing to do with the above but I have often heard people refer to a person in authority as the 'head sarrag'. Has anyone any idea of the origin of this expression?
© D. Malin 1992