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

[swt_passenger]

Wasn't setting coin-operated meters wrong so that they overcharged you once a common trick that landlords etc. would use to get more money from tenants? Not sure if I've misremembered, and I'm also not sure if that practice ever became illegal? Obviously not so important for many people now that prepayment meters have become relatively rare.

I think landlords were/are able to re-sell electricity through what was basically a second meter in series with the building supply meter - but whether or not there was a limit to their markup I just don’t know.

 

[Peter Sarf]

Exactly, i think burglars are one of the many victims of this crisis.

Well they should go on Furlough then..... I'll get my coat.

 

[Gloster]

In the early 1980s I lodged in a place where you had to put a coin (10p, I think) in a timer for hot water in the bathroom. Put the money in, turn the butterfly type winder right round and then shut the door (the timer was outside the door) and turn the tap on; the thing wouldn’t work if you had left the tap on to get a few precious seconds of flow. The timer didn’t run for very long, after which the hot water was cut off, so you either bathed in a couple of inches of water or had to shower very fast. I used to do the latter, but got caught once when the flow dropped away to a dribble because of low pressure when I still had a lot of soap to wash off.

 

[najaB]

The timer didn’t run for very long, after which the hot water was cut off, so you either bathed in a couple of inches of water or had to shower very fast.

I suppose it could've been worse - the water could keep running but switch to cold!

 

[trainophile]

In the early 1980s I lodged in a place where you had to put a coin (10p, I think) in a timer for hot water in the bathroom. Put the money in, turn the butterfly type winder right round and then shut the door (the timer was outside the door) and turn the tap on; the thing wouldn’t work if you had left the tap on to get a few precious seconds of flow. The timer didn’t run for very long, after which the hot water was cut off, so you either bathed in a couple of inches of water or had to shower very fast. I used to do the latter, but got caught once when the flow dropped away to a dribble because of low pressure when I still had a lot of soap to wash off.

I stayed in a B&B in Paignton last year (between lockdowns) where there was a coin operated shower in my en suite. Three old two shilling pieces were (or should have been) provided, allowing a maximum of about 15 minutes if you put them all through. However curiosity made me have a look at the coins, and I discovered that one of them had been swapped for a 10p piece. I made sure to tell the owner in case she thought it had been me who nicked it, and she was so upset. The 10p piece did work the meter but didn't go through as smoothly as the two bob bits.

 

[swt_passenger]

I stayed in a B&B in Paignton last year (between lockdowns) where there was a coin operated shower in my en suite. Three old two shilling pieces were (or should have been) provided, allowing a maximum of about 15 minutes if you put them all through. However curiosity made me have a look at the coins, and I discovered that one of them had been swapped for a 10p piece. I made sure to tell the owner in case she thought it had been me who nicked it, and she was so upset. The 10p piece did work the meter but didn't go through as smoothly as the two bob bits.

Odd, because at decimalisation the new 10p and old 2 shilling pieces were supposed to be exact physical equivalents as far as slot machine mechanisms worked. IIRC the 5p and 10p were in circulation well before “D day”, (15th Feb 1971), of course the sizes all changed later well after the shilling and two shillings had gone out of circulation.

IIRC it was only the copper coins that appeared generally for the first time on the day. Slightly interesting railway factoid, BR brought the copper coins into use on the day before (14th) to allow ticket clerks practice before the big changeover, most shops were closed Sundays in 1971, I remember going to the station to swap my pocket money into decimal coppers...

 

[takno]

Odd, because at decimalisation the new 10p and old 2 shilling pieces were supposed to be exact physical equivalents as far as slot machine mechanisms worked. IIRC the 5p and 10p were in circulation well before “D day”, (15th Feb 1971), of course the sizes all changed later well after the shilling and two shillings had gone out of circulation.

IIRC it was only the copper coins that appeared generally for the first time on the day. Slightly interesting railway factoid, BR brought the copper coins into use on the day before (14th) to allow ticket clerks practice before the big changeover, most shops were closed Sundays in 1971, I remember going to the station to swap my pocket money into decimal coppers...

They made both the 10p and 5p coins smaller about 20 years ago, and the new 10p coin is about the same size as an old 5p but a bit thinner. I'm assuming that it was a one-bob bit and a newer 10p.

 

[Westcountryman]

Wikipedia

"The British decimal ten pence (10p) coin – often pronounced ten pee – has a value of ten one-hundredths of a pound sterling. Its obverse has featured the profile of Queen Elizabeth II since the coin's introduction in 1968, to replace the florin (two shilling) coin in preparation for decimalisation in 1971.[1] It remained the same size as the florin coin (which also remained legal tender) until a smaller version was introduced 30 September 1992, with the older coins being withdrawn on 30 June 1993"

 

[xotGD]

Antimacassars

 

[Cowley]

Antimacassars

My gran in Nottingham had them!

 

[Journeyman]

Antimacassars

Still a few of those on trains!

 

[Cowley]

Not sure if these have been mentioned but those bead curtain things for doorways. My gran had one going into the kitchen.

 

[xotGD]

Not sure if these have been mentioned but those bead curtain things for doorways. My gran had one going into the kitchen.

Sounds like everything in your gran's house qualifies for this thread!

 

[Master Cutler]

In 1964 my mother took delivery of a brand new Hoover Keymatic washing machine.
Revolutionary for its day, utilising a square tile programming key that had notches cut in each edge to set different wash sequences.
It was almost a front loader with a door at 45 degrees to load and unload washing from the front.
The design of the control was electro mechanical with the key activating micro switches for different programmes.
An early form of a domestic plc control system.

 

[najaB]

Sounds like everything in your gran's house qualifies for this thread!

I'm starting to get the feeling (and I could be wrong here) but given that @Cowley appears not to be a spring chicken, his Gran, and by extension her house, might well have been old!

 

[Cowley]

Sounds like everything in your gran's house qualifies for this thread!

I mean she passed away in the early 1990s, but she did have quite a plethora of things that have appeared in this thread!

I'm starting to get the feeling (and I could be wrong here) but given that @Cowley appears not to be a spring chicken, his Gran, and by extension her house, might well have been old!

It was quite old, I just remembered that she had lots of little brass trinkets and also a meat grinder and a twin tub. Ah memories eh...

 

[takno]

I mean she passed away in the early 1990s, but she did have quite a plethora of things that have appeared in this thread!


It was quite old, I just remembered that she had lots of little brass trinkets and also a meat grinder and a twin tub. Ah memories eh...

We had a meat grinder and a twin tub when I was little, and I'm definitely not in line for a vaccine before April. In fact I think my mum might still have the meat grinder - she was still using it to make breadcrumbs until about 10 years ago

 

[Bungle158]

Odd, because at decimalisation the new 10p and old 2 shilling pieces were supposed to be exact physical equivalents as far as slot machine mechanisms worked. IIRC the 5p and 10p were in circulation well before “D day”, (15th Feb 1971), of course the sizes all changed later well after the shilling and two shillings had gone out of circulation.

IIRC it was only the copper coins that appeared generally for the first time on the day. Slightly interesting railway factoid, BR brought the copper coins into use on the day before (14th) to allow ticket clerks practice before the big changeover, most shops were closed Sundays in 1971, I remember going to the station to swap my pocket money into decimal coppers...

The first,'decimal' 5s and 10s were identical in size and weight to the preceding shilling and 2 shilling pieces. They appeared as legal tender around 1968 and were joined in 1969 by the all new 50p coin. Old style florins and shillings continued in use. In 1990, the 5p was reduced in size and the 10p in 1992. That marked the end in usage of pre decimal coins. The 50p coin was made smaller in 1995. Interestingly, the old sixpence (tanner), remained in circulation until 1980 valued at 2 and one half (New) pence

 

[Ediswan]

The first,'decimal' 5s and 10s were identical in size and weight to the preceding shilling and 2 shilling pieces. They appeared as legal tender around 1968 and were joined in 1969 by the all new 50p coin. Old style florins and shillings continued in use. In 1990, the 5p was reduced in size and the 10p in 1992. That marked the end in usage of pre decimal coins. The 50p coin was made smaller in 1995. Interestingly, the old sixpence (tanner), remained in circulation until 1980 valued at 2 and one half (New) pence

Don't forget the half crown 2/6. It never made much sense to me that there were both 2/- and 2/6 coins. It was convenient for paying the Dartford Tunnel toll. One coin, no change required. It was culled shortly before decimilisation.

 

[najaB]

Interestingly, the old sixpence (tanner), remained in circulation until 1980 valued at 2 and one half (New) pence

Speaking of which - another thing that used to be common: ½p coins.

 

[Bungle158]

Before we never had it so good, (1950s), mincers or grinders were common. For example, leftovers from the Sunday joint often went in to become the basis of a cottage pie. Not a lot was thrown away back then, memories of wartime austerity were still sharp.

I well remember resurrecting my mother's mincer in the mid 60s to attempt the American inspired craze for hamburgers. The Wimpy bar was beyond my pocket money.

Don't forget the half crown 2/6. It never made much sense to me that there were both 2/- and 2/6 coins. It was convenient for paying the Dartford Tunnel toll. One coin, no change required. It was culled shortly before decimilisation.

The florin, or 2 Bob bit, was the product of an early (1847), attempt to decimalise. 10 of them made £1.

Interestingly, there are claims that the word 'posh' sprang from Romany slang for a half crown.

 

[Gloster]

Speaking of which - another thing that used to be common: ½p coins.

Withdrawn in 1984. I cannot say that it was sadly missed, being so small and inconvenient, although the current 1p is about the same size.

 

[Mag_seven]

"mechanical" door bells where you pulled out a handle and an actual bell rung. My gran had one of those.

 

[najaB]

Withdrawn in 1984. I cannot say that it was sadly missed, being so small and inconvenient, although the current 1p is about the same size.

Nah, the 1p is noticeably bigger - I managed to come across a ½p the other day but, predictably given its size, lost it!

 

[Bungle158]

"mechanical" door bells where you pulled out a handle and an actual bell rung. My gran had one of those.

Well remembered by me. Also, the newer form of mechanical bell which involved turning a winder to make the sound. The whole issue being mounted on the door itself, bell and mechanism inside, winder street side.

 

[Gloster]

"mechanical" door bells where you pulled out a handle and an actual bell rung. My gran had one of those.

My aunt had one that consisted of a handle that hung down, a bit like the handle on an old, high-level toilet cistern. The handle was mounted at head height and it was a hefty pull. If you didn’t let go once you had pulled, the force as it went back - the handle shot up to about a foot above its original position before dropping back - would just about dislocate your shoulder.

 

[Bungle158]

What about dollies wearing knitted dresses to cover toilet rolls? My mother used to make them as gifts for her friends. Even by the standards of the day they were considered naff. I used to hide ours if we had visitors.

 

[najaB]

My aunt had one that consisted of a handle that hung down, a bit like the handle on an old, high-level toilet cistern. The handle was mounted at head height and it was a hefty pull. If you didn’t let go once you had pulled, the force as it went back - the handle shot up to about a foot above its original position before dropping back - would just about dislocate your shoulder.

That sounds very much like the bell one uses to summon the servants from wherever it is that they go. Probably off gambling, drinking or some other vice that the lower classes get up to.

 

[Cowley]

What about dollies wearing knitted dresses to cover toilet rolls? My mother used to make them as gifts for her friends. Even by the standards of the day they were considered naff. I used to hide ours if we had visitors.

My other gran had one of those...

 

[Gloster]

That sounds very much like the bell one uses to summon the servants from wherever it is that they go. Probably off gambling, drinking or some other vice that the lower classes get up to.

Well, it was the front door bell, but it may have been intended to be heard by the servants wherever they were in the house. Inside the house the bell apparatus was hidden behind some wooden panelling, but with a decorative fretwork front like a 1930s radio so that it could be clearly heard.