[guide.chat] In Reply To: [guide.chat] Coal Fires and Gaslight Part One
- From: "John Keel" <j.keel1428@xxxxxxxxxxxxxx>
- To: "Elizabeth Kay" <ebeth.kay@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxx>, "Guide.chat" <guide.chat@xxxxxxxxxxxxx>
- Date: Sat, 19 Jan 2013 15:37:56 -0000
Hello Elizabeth,
I loved your description of what it was like to live in the days before modern
conveniences and easy living were invented. In my family we had a similar
experience just before the outbreak of the 2nd world war, but ours was self
inflicted.
My father bought a 17th century game keepers cottage in west Sussex with about
3 acres of land. It was just a 2 up and 2 down building made of stone. The
living room had a large inglenook fire place which was mainly wood burning, and
it was possible to sit inside it on a couple of seats on either side. Next to
it was the original gun cupboard complete with gun racks.
There was an enormous oak beam that ran the full width of the building and in
the kitchen there were hooks for hanging sides of pork or bacon.
Our water came from a well in the garden and cooking and lighting came from a
paraffin stove and lamps or candles. The toilet arrangements were close at hand
and consisted of a large bucket with a seat on top. This contained a chemical
called Elsanol and it had to be emptied two or three times a week. Needless to
say, this was only used when absolutely necessary. If you just wanted a pee,
you went in the garden and found a convenient bush.
My parents kept this place throughout and beyond the war and while we lived
there, we were almost self sufficient in home grown vegetables and poultry as
we kept flocks of chickens ducks and geese. We loved the place and didn't mind
roughing it a bit because it was so good getting out of the smog and busy
streets of London.
I do hope you have a wonderful day for your birthday next week.
Love, John
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