My birth

[Viktoria]

Yes, the oranges were wrapped too,you have jolted my memory, we used those too when tissue paper ran out ,yes.
We would have a lot of those ,our shop was a green grocery shop, fruit and vegetables.
Viktoria.

[Pennines]

I had forgotten about that Izal toilet paper - but I do remember those squares of newspaper on a string. Can you imagine the colour of that part of our anatomy from the newspaper print!!

We haven't mentioned chamber pots under the bed! We called them 'jerry's' for some reason.

I also recall the posser, dolly tub and mangle. In addition the rack hanging from the ceiling above the coal fire, to dry the clothes.
When we moved to the countryside - we didn't have electricity - and used gas mantles for light. Electricity came whilst we lived there and I recall the utter joy of just being able to switch on a light.

How spoilt we are today with all the mod cons we have AND we take them for granted.

[Top-of-the-hill]

  Treetotal had an outside tap and a copper in the yard, so our inside tap and copper in the scullery were luxuries!
   Pennines - "When we moved to the countryside - we didn't have electricity - and used gas mantles for light."  Was that laid on gas or bottled gas?

[Viktoria]

During my stay in Shropshire as an evacuee ,we did not have any water supply except a rainwater barrel ,soooo soft for washing us and clothes.

Drinking and cooking ,a spout with water run off the local lead mine!
Crystal clear ,icy cold and delicious.
We collected it by buckets on a wooden yoke on our shoulders with a bucket each side on a chain .
It served the Shropshire hamlet for well over a hundred years then it was condemned,( lead) the fluoridated replacement is hard and tasteless.

On return visits and chatting with those people still alive from my wartime childhood there, we lament the loss of that water.
It is funny, in that such tasks were seen as fun,on return visits I would ask if I could fetch water, chop morning kindling,gather sticks,go for the milk to the farm,feed the pig and the chickens., collect eggs.

Viktoria.

[Pennines]

Top of the Hill - I'm afraid I don't know if it was bottled gas or laid on piped gas! How awful is that. However I was quite young when we moved up there (about 5) - so I didn't know anything clever about how things worked.

(I think I contacted you sometime ago as your user name is Top of the Hill - and I lived at 'Top' O' Th' Meadow', as that child. We didn't bother with unnecessary letters!!)

[coombs]

My mum and dad technically had 2 and a bit children. She had a miscarriage once at Brands Hatch in Surrey and had to go to the toilet to give birth to a small fetus. Probably inbetween her 1st and 3rd month.

My hospital card does not have my first name, just "baby" and surname. Parents had not yet decided on a forename for me until about a week later yet my brother was given a forename straight away after birth and his hospital card says his forename.

[Top-of-the-hill]

  My daughter has a fairly old-fashioned name which I have discovered can be mis-spelled in various ways. Very shortly after her birth, with me still groggy, the nurse said - has she got a name? Yes, I said. "How do you spell that?" she said. Um

[Viktoria]

I have never heard that before “Two and a bit children “, but you never forget a lost baby.
I lost a non identical twin at about three months .
Was very breathless that morning and just getting over the awful morning noon and night sickness .
Went to town for new Whitsuntide clothes for my two boys ,knew something was wrong ——
A wonderful Doctor came from his holiday ,after phoning to see if any patient needed him.
Otherwise I would have been in for aD&C the next morning ,his Locum’s decision.
Otherwise I would have lost my daughter too ,so no grandchildren ,no Flash
Harry or Baby Kyra.
No scans in far off 1967, no one had any idea at that early  stage I was having twins.

That reminds me - I hope Annette is alright , I loved the photographs of the girlies.
A old spell forecast up here in The North - cold  this evening.

Just watching “ Dogs Behaving  ( Very) Badly “.
Graham is amazing.

Look after yourself folks .
Cheerio .Viktoria.

[coombs]

I have never heard that before “Two and a bit children “, but you never forget a lost baby.
I lost a non identical twin at about three months .
Was very breathless that morning and just getting over the awful morning noon and night sickness .
Went to town for new Whitsuntide clothes for my two boys ,knew something was wrong ——
A wonderful Doctor came from his holiday ,after phoning to see if any patient needed him.
Otherwise I would have been in for aD&C the next morning ,his Locum’s decision.
Otherwise I would have lost my daughter too ,so no grandchildren ,no Flash
Harry or Baby Kyra.
No scans in far off 1967, no one had any idea at that early  stage I was having twins.

That reminds me - I hope Annette is alright , I loved the photographs of the girlies.
A old spell forecast up here in The North - cold  this evening.

Just watching “ Dogs Behaving  ( Very) Badly “.
Graham is amazing.

Look after yourself folks .
Cheerio .Viktoria.

A friend once said her mother had "6 and a bit children" referring to her miscarried baby. I always see miscarried children as part of the family, as they need to be remembered.