Mud everywhere
By Joan Manning
I moved in around August 1951. There was mud everywhere as one mopped and mopped to keep it outside. Nearest shops and bus stop was Little Oxhey Lane so door to door salesmen called frequently. We all had ration books and I remember joining long queues at the butchers for 2p corned beef and trying to get a big marrow bone to make soup for very young children.
There were no schools and my children had to go to Beecham Group School by coach. I remember there being great hardship due to the unemployment forced by moving from London. There was no TV’s, cars,washing machines or fridges. The homes were very cold with just coal or coke to heat the houses.
This page was added on 21/10/2009.
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I was born in Blairhead Drive in June 1952 & as a child can remember the ice on the inside of the windows in the mornings & my older sisters lighting the fire when we came home after school. My parents moved there in 1950 & my sisters say they were bused to another school as Little Furze wasn’t opened until September 1952. I remember the lino & rag rugs on the floors.
In our house we had a coal fire for heat & hot water, a gas copper to boil washing in, a hand wringer that fitted on the Belfast sink & later a gas fridge. there were no fitted carpets just Lino & rug by the bed.
Very few houses, even the long established ones, had central heating, or washing machines, fridges, etc at that time.