Things that used to be common place in people’s homes

[johnnychips]

Pissoirs or pastis, not sure which smelled or tasted the worst.

I’ve started a new thread about things you don’t see outside any more, including the British pissoir equivalent.

Things you don’t see outside any more

Following on from the ‘Things that used to be commonplace in the home’ thread, shall we continue with the nostalgia? This was inspired by this quote: Ah, the pissoir. Something that used to provide a whiff of old France, although that wasn’t the only thing it provided a whiff off. and I...

www.railforums.co.uk

 

[yorksrob]

My last house in London had a large bathroom and separate loo. The bathroom contained a bidet, the only one I've ever had, which had been put in by the previous occupants. It'a very civilised object in my view, and goes a long way to disproving the old jibe against the French about their unsavoury ways e.g. the pissoir.

Although there's nowt wrong with the concept of the pissoir IMO. Beats holding it in anyway

 

[WesternLancer]

Not necessarily, i asked my mum about my nan's council house and that (built late 40s) always had the bog in the bathroom

I guess it perhaps varied from area to area. I was basing it on council homes I've seen - go in a lot for work reasons.

 

[Devonian]

...the old jibe against the French about their unsavoury ways e.g. the pissoir

Harwich for the Continent/Paris for the Incontinent. It's not entirely fair to pin the pissoir on the French: though the French tried masonry urinals first, the cast iron urinal was an export from Glasgow and countless were in use in this country too. There are more pissoirs in Bristol than Paris.

Having said that, the low status of bidets in this country allegedly comes from their association with French ladies of the night: if you knew what a bidet was for, it suggested that you fraternised with the wrong people...

 

[Gloster]

Harwich for the Continent/Paris for the Incontinent.

The version I know is Harwich for the Continent, Frinton for the incontinent. This has the advantage of geographical proximity.

 

[Busaholic]

The version I know is Harwich for the Continent, Frinton for the incontinent. This has the advantage of geographical proximity.

Folkestone for the Continent, Eastbourne for the Incontinent if you came from South of the Thames.

 

[Gloster]

Am I the only one who goes around unplugging all the electrical equipment at night? Admittedly, I have very little power-guzzling equipment and the habit was ingrained in me in the era when just about the only things that had to stay on were the fridge and electric-heaters.

 

[najaB]

Am I the only one who goes around unplugging all the electrical equipment at night?

You're probably one of a very few people who still do that. At most, people might turn off the switch on the outlet.

Admittedly, I have very little power-guzzling equipment and the habit was ingrained in me in the era when just about the only things that had to stay on were the fridge and electric-heaters.

I've never understood if the origin of this practice was energy saving, or a lack of trust in electricity not to burn the house down in the night. I know a lot of people used to turn things off before leaving the house.

 

[takno]

Am I the only one who goes around unplugging all the electrical equipment at night? Admittedly, I have very little power-guzzling equipment and the habit was ingrained in me in the era when just about the only things that had to stay on were the fridge and electric-heaters.

This was always a fire prevention measure for most people. The advice now is to turn off things which aren't meant to be left on. TVs and microwaves are fine. Heaters, toasters, kettles ideally should be off, although they're pretty robust. The worst appliances to leave running seem to be tumble dryers, dishwashers and washing machines in roughly that order

 

[PG]

Can't remember if this has been mentioned already - light bulbs suspended from the ceiling by just a twisted pair of wires with clear plastic insulation but no outer insulation round them.

 

[DelayRepay]

Am I the only one who goes around unplugging all the electrical equipment at night? Admittedly, I have very little power-guzzling equipment and the habit was ingrained in me in the era when just about the only things that had to stay on were the fridge and electric-heaters.

My mum goes round the house unplugging everything if there is a thunder storm.

My dad used to unplug the microwave when it wasn't in use. He said it was to save power - the microwave had a clock which wasn't needed as we already had a clock on the kitchen wall. He also used to take the batteries out of the kitchen clock when we went on holiday to extend their life.

 

[Gloster]

I've never understood if the origin of this practice was energy saving, or a lack of trust in electricity not to burn the house down in the night. I know a lot of people used to turn things off before leaving the house.

It has always been safety: a fire due either to overheating, short-circuit or power-surge. Admittedly, I don’t have much (no TV, computer set-up, entertainment centre, etc.), but I would turn off the washing-machine, tumble dryer and (never used) dishwasher in my new house if I could find the switches (I never use the first two unless I am in).

 

[dgl]

Also some older CRT TV's which were designed to come on quickly would keep the heater of the CRT on, so unplugging would have saved energy (assuming there was no seperate stand-by mode.

 

[takno]

Also some older CRT TV's which were designed to come on quickly would keep the heater of the CRT on, so unplugging would have saved energy (assuming there was no seperate stand-by mode.

As I understand it the problem with stand-by on some really old TVs was that they didn't have a separate power supply, so in order to run the standby electronics they basically kept the whole machine running the entire time. The cost of that wasn't especially noticed by households who could afford to rent a decent telly, not in a world where 100w bulbs were standard and poor insulation meant that any excess heat was welcome for most of the year.

The main problem is that we're talking about TVs that barely even existed in this country in the first place, and yet as recently as 5 years ago campaigning groups and the media were still using appliance power consumption figures that were 30 years out of date. It's not that useful telling people they are saving the planet by unplugging an LCD telly rather than keeping it on stand-by.

 

[dgl]

As I understand it the problem with stand-by on some really old TVs was that they didn't have a separate power supply, so in order to run the standby electronics they basically kept the whole machine running the entire time. The cost of that wasn't especially noticed by households who could afford to rent a decent telly, not in a world where 100w bulbs were standard and poor insulation meant that any excess heat was welcome for most of the year.

The main problem is that we're talking about TVs that barely even existed in this country in the first place, and yet as recently as 5 years ago campaigning groups and the media were still using appliance power consumption figures that were 30 years out of date. It's not that useful telling people they are saving the planet by unplugging an LCD telly rather than keeping it on stand-by.

Quite, my mum was adament that TV's still used a lot of power when on standby, even when shown the specs for a small Toshiba CRT that stated, 33W on, 3W in standby. Modern LCD's can be less than 1W.
Plus some TV's/STB rely on over the air updates and so shouldn't be turned off/unplugged if these are to happen.

 

[takno]

Plus some TV's/STB rely on over the air updates and so shouldn't be turned off/unplugged if these are to happen.

Is that the bit where they update the TV guide to a confusing new layout every 3 months, and randomly insert ads into umexpected new places in the UI? Frankly if it prevents that I'll unplug the stupid thing every night without fail.

It's strange to have moved from a world where TVs were so expensive that you literally had to rent one, to a world where they are so cheap that everybody buys them, and yet the manufacturers act like you're just renting it.

 

[najaB]

and randomly insert ads into umexpected new places in the UI?

You get advertising in your TV's UI?! Never seen that before.

 

[takno]

You get advertising in your TV's UI?! Never seen that before.

It used to just be one of the less prominent manufacturers, but I think it's even spread to Samsung now. Ghastly

 

[Peter Sarf]

I had a Stoplock Classic. You can still get one for £30 at Amazon

One day, I lost the key and found that it only survived 30 seconds when I levered a screwdriver into the hinge.

Of course when steering wheel locks were common few cars had immobilisers and car locks were hardly what you would call secure!

I have a steering lock on my old car as a deterrent. A couple of fellow owners had their cars written off just because the ignition and door lock had been wrecked. The thief never got past the immobiliser. Theory was that it was just a joy rider and not a professional thief so just need a visible deterrent to make them not bother. A determined thief will get your car one way or another but not leave a written of wreck.

By 1908 most houses were being built with indoor plumbing of some kind. I don't think indoor toilets were at all unusual. The fact that outdoor toilets in cities persisted until after the war was largely due to older, poorer slums.

Where conversions have happened, it's pretty variable depending on the type of house, and often you'll find that the original structure of the house has changed completely. The kitchen, which was usually just the range in the main living room of poorer houses, has often been separated. In larger houses servants quarters have been brought into the main house, and the house may have been subdivided into flats. In poorer houses various subdivisions will have been joined into single houses or flats. Cold presses, where food was stored away from heat, and coal bunkers have been converted to utilities, toilets and bathrooms. Some houses will have had sculleries, which is halfway to a bathroom anyway.

Usually would have been a bedroom.

Std practice when modernising homes in late 60s onwards (after govt policy moved away from wholesale demolition) was to build an extension on the back of the house for a bathroom or larger kitchen with bathroom above etc.
One of my now retired colleagues, as a then new housing officer c1970 aged about 21 told me one of his early jobs was to be sent out to a street of older terraced homes and told by his boss to make a recommendation as to whether the whole street should just be demolished or if the houses were good enough to be worth giving grants to to fit indoor bathrooms/toilets/ "Good enough" meant will the house generally last another 30 to 40 years.

My 2 up 2 down has a 1930s kitchen added to the rear and a 1970s bathroom+loo on the end of that. I was told the slum act of the 1979s meant houses had to be upgraded. Some roads, with otherwise identical houses, got the bathroom on top of the kitchen presumably while they were being updated in the 1930s.

Am I the only one who goes around unplugging all the electrical equipment at night? Admittedly, I have very little power-guzzling equipment and the habit was ingrained in me in the era when just about the only things that had to stay on were the fridge and electric-heaters.

My better half is always moaning at me for unplugging things. All those transformers add up and spend most of their life doing nothing but ageing. She also has a go at me for forgetting to leave the bathroom door open - I endeavour to close it !.

 

[najaB]

She also has a go at me for forgetting to leave the bathroom door open - I endeavour to close it !.

All things being equal you're better to leave it open than close it - helps to reduce dampness.

 

[Peter Sarf]

All things being equal you're better to leave it open than close it - helps to reduce dampness.

The thing is there is a big vent in the bathroom above the window and an extract fan triggered by damp air. So I prefer to get the damp out that way and not let the cold into the rest of the house !.

That is something we never had in the past - a humidity sensing extract fan.

 

[najaB]

The thing is there is a big vent in the bathroom above the window and an extract fan triggered by damp air. So I prefer to get the damp out that way and not let the cold into the rest of the house !.

Ah, if you've got a humidity-controlled fan then by all means keep the door closed!

 

[takno]

My better half is always moaning at me for unplugging things. All those transformers add up and spend most of their life doing nothing but ageing.

Modern switch mode power supplies don't really use a discernible amount of power when they don't have anything plugged into the other end. There's a very small reduction in fire risk though, particularly if you own dodgy unbranded or fake power bricks.

 

[david1212]

...
I've never understood if the origin of this practice was energy saving, or a lack of trust in electricity not to burn the house down in the night. I know a lot of people used to turn things off before leaving the house.

For me a lack of trust particularly modern switched-mode or capacitor plug-top power supplies e.g. phone chargers. They are made so cheaply and has a sample of all been fully independently safety tested? I would never have a mains socket with integral USB charging ports.

.....
All those transformers add up and spend most of their life doing nothing but ageing ......

Indeed the older transformer based power supplies generally have a higher standby power draw but also last longer.
While integral the transformer based power supply in my clock radio bought with my 18th birthday gift money is still going approaching 40 years later. A few years younger is my intruder alarm.
Powered 24/365 I would be surprised if a switched-mode or capacitor power supply lasted even 10 years.
Back 10+ years ago I revived several top end video recorders by replacing all the power supply capacitors. I have revived the sensor unit for my PIR exterior light twice by replacing the capacitor.

 

[Peter Sarf]

Ah, if you've got a humidity-controlled fan then by all means keep the door closed!

Thanks for reassuring me. Now can you pop round and explain it to her indoors !. There's an old expression - maybe ?.

 

[WesternLancer]

Large quantities of everyday household items with 'Made in England / Great Britain' written on them.

Clearing an older relatives house maybe 10+ years ago now, where much of the 'everyday' items eg crockery, cutlery, kitchenware, blankets and fabric items etc was probably bought before the mid 80s at least and a fair bit in the 1960s or 70s with some even older - I was taken aback by how nearly everything was listed as British made - even relatively low cost to manufacture items like spud mashers, soup ladles etc etc as well as electrical appliances and that sort of thing. Clearly 'pre globalisation' for sure.

 

[Peter Sarf]

Large quantities of everyday household items with 'Made in England / Great Britain' written on them.

Clearing an older relatives house maybe 10+ years ago now, where much of the 'everyday' items eg crockery, cutlery, kitchenware, blankets and fabric items etc was probably bought before the mid 80s at least and a fair bit in the 1960s or 70s with some even older - I was taken aback by how nearly everything was listed as British made - even relatively low cost to manufacture items like spud mashers, soup ladles etc etc as well as electrical appliances and that sort of thing. Clearly 'pre globalisation' for sure.

And I always think probably better quality than a lot of the disposable junk we buy nowadays. Mind you of course anything bought that long ago that was poor quality will not be there 30 years later to prove me wrong.

And then we had the era of made in Hong Kong then made in Japan. Not much actually comes from Japan nowadays - remember 1970s - 1980s HiFi separates, still got mine.

 

[WesternLancer]

And I always think probably better quality than a lot of the disposable junk we buy nowadays. Mind you of course anything bought that long ago that was poor quality will not be there 30 years later.

Yes points well made - generally better quality yet still everyday items (but I suspect quality not truly good enough to justify a higher cost when foreign competition could start to or almost match the quality, but at much lower production costs) - along with an owner's attitude that once you bought something - pretty much anything - you needed to look after it - not just throw it away and get another one for a modest price when said thing looked a bit tired.

 

[adrock1976]

Cutlery stamped with "Made in Sheffield".

Nowadays, the box that the cutlery sets come in usually have "Made in Poland/China", etc.

 

[PG]

And then we had the era of made in Hong Kong then made in Japan.

I've childhood memories of stuff appearing in shops with "made in Taiwan". Of course I hadn't a clue where that was or its significance to local jobs etc.