A
Annveitch
Guest
dianne i,m almost sure it was hunts at the pelham
We live in a bungalow and our bedroom is at the front facing the road, so we still have nets as the pavement is higher than the front of the bungalow, but yes they showed your social standing and they also showed how well off you were, tightly stretched nets meant you could only afford the window width, pleated (if I can use that word) nets showed an ability to be able to buy a window and a half, which was the standard for measuring how much net you needed for a proper hang. Antimacassars what a memory, both my grans and a lot of the aunts had them on every chair. Of course those were the days when men put noxious greasy substances on their heads, now a quick spray of Harmony (because we are worth it) and it holds all day. Motoring through the City the other day, I went from Chester Road, Castle Bromwich to Halesowen via Kingstanding and Great Barr and did a memory run around Kingstanding and a lot of the shops built late thirties with their flats above are still there (and I noticed this later in Acocks Green, Kings Norton and Yardley), although they sell very different goods nowadays. We bemoan the loss of local businesses and it did seem that there were no local drapers, television and radio, cycle shops, but kebab and pizza houses, except coming through Stirchley, where there were a great many shops seemingly devoted to selling what I assume was Sari materials and what seemed like hundreds of greengrocers.Taken in Atlantic Road, Kingstanding Morturn. Would have been taken about 1960. It was a 1930s house, all of Atlantic Road is still there. If you walk the length to the junction with Dyas Road, Latham’s was just around the corner to the left. I expect this parade where Lathams had their shop dates from the 1930s too, along with all the shops along Hawthorn Road. Must have been one huge building site at the time.
A drapers would have been essential in the 30s - 50s, all those houses, all needing nets ! They’d have been the first stop for antemacassars (mom had those too on every chair where possible). I remember Lathams sold the plain cotton/linen tablecloths you could buy with the printed flower outlines on ready for needleworking. I did one - took me quite a while to complete, must have been about 12 or 13. Think this was where I discovered a love of sewing - still at it today. I’ve saved the family and friends hundreds of pounds on alterations over the years.
Viv.
Taken in Atlantic Road, Kingstanding Morturn. Would have been taken about 1960. It was a 1930s house, all of Atlantic Road is still there. If you walk the length to the junction with Dyas Road, Latham’s was just around the corner to the left. I expect this parade where Lathams had their shop dates from the 1930s too, along with all the shops along Hawthorn Road. Must have been one huge building site at the time.
A drapers would have been essential in the 30s - 50s, all those houses, all needing nets ! They’d have been the first stop for antemacassars (mom had those too on every chair where possible). I remember Lathams sold the plain cotton/linen tablecloths you could buy with the printed flower outlines on ready for needleworking. I did one - took me quite a while to complete, must have been about 12 or 13. Think this was where I discovered a love of sewing - still at it today. I’ve saved the family and friends hundreds of pounds on alterations over the years.
Viv.
You could be twinsMe and mum and her antemacassars ! Most likely a Kingstanding Lathams purchase. (And my toy poodle called FuFu - looks pretty creepy to me. We're watching TV in this photo - probably Emergency Ward 10, a favourite of both of us). Photo about 1960, taken in the back room Atlantic Road. Viv.
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