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Tiled Fireplaces. You nearly always had a fire guard round them. We had domed shaped, triangular shaped and best of all the long oblong shape which you could put your baby's nappies on to dry around the fire. Also on the fireplace you had a companion set, which comprised, a poker, dustpan and brush. Ours was brass with a galleon on the top.
 
Remember all that Carolina, our companion set was chrome, and the brush was always wearing out.
 
Maggs, yes true the brushes always were worn down. What ornaments did you have on top of the fire place? We had a clock and some candlesticks, which we used to put our marbles round the base as it was dipped.
 
Gosh Carolina that made me have to think. This was all in an old back to back house just off Icknield St., I seem to remember two chrome vases, which all sort's of old rubbish got dropped in, two brass candlesticks, and always dad's old specs. I can remember being told that when they had the old blackleaded fireplaces taken out, these tiled one's were called 'Modern Grates'. They had an all night fire put in, which they used to slack up overnight..Good Grief no wonder we had smog.
 
hi.carolina.most of the estate cottages still have them fires and the companion sets. and all the tat on the hearth. you get the companion sets in pwllheli.i took my fire out,and give it the smithy.a cast iron
thing.now i am eco i have central heating.no stink,no ashes,no mess
 
My brother made a toasting fork at school, so that was kept next to the poker which was wedged in the tiles where someone had cracked them.

There was always a mirror on the chimney-breast, so dangerous!!! Nan was always telling me to roll up in the hearthrug if caught fire!!!
 
Dont forget the Draw Tin, unless you used the old broadsheet Bham Mail. Used to be good watching it scorch before it burst into flame didnt it ?
 
It was always the Birmingham Mail in our house, and it was fun watching it burst into flames then throwing it onto the fire quickly, sometimes if the chimney needed sweeping it would set the chimney on fire, as it flew up the chimney. My step mother was a poker addict, always poking the fire, she used to get through a poker every few months. They used to say that this was a sign of an irritable person, and I can vouch for that.
 
My mother used to have occasional mad days where she would decide to clear some of the rubbish out of the house - it would all go on the fire and always somebody would knock on the door to say "do you know your chimney is on fire".
 
Lady Leaver, I had forgotten that, of course someone always knocked on the door to tell you that the chimney was on fire. Chimney fires used to frighten the life out of me, I think they still would.
 
There used to be a place on Cape Hill Nan called the corset shop (mid 1950's) I think it was called Mayer's. The corsets were all heavily laced and had hooks and eyes too, with huge suspenders and done in a very strange salmon-pink. She caled her bra a bust-bodice, (and wore a vest underneath.) There were loads of hooks and eyes on that too.
 
Up until recently you could still get large green bars of fairy washing soap, two bars to a pack we would take this in our campervan for hand washing of clothes. This product now longer available and so we now have to buy a FRENCH soap ! I say no more !.
 
I can't remember Carolina, I seem to think they didn't have them because I remember garters being worn. The corsets were a fleshy pink colour as rosie says, and come to think of it the vest was worn underneath the corset. Roll ons always had the attached suspenders didn't they?
 
My mother wore a corset which was pink and had whalebone sections incorporated into the corset. Suspenders completed the garment. Mom bought her corsets probably from a shop on the Flat and after retirements used to get her corsets from a little 'drapers' in Harborne.

Anthea
 
Arround 1960 I remember my mother used to wear a Playtex girdle, it was made of rubber and had suspenders. The trouble was that after some wear she be putting it on one morning and the rubber would split.

Shirley
 
Okay one for the men now. Do you remember the whelk and cockle man that used to come into the pub selling them along with shrimps etc from his basket.
 
In my youth it was a woman who sold the shellfish and was accompanied by lady member of the Salvation Army selling the Watchtower. Probably thought there was safety in numbers.
 
carolina said:
Okay one for the men now. Do you remember the whelk and cockle man that used to come into the pub selling them along with shrimps etc from his basket.
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I certainly remember them selling seafoods from a basket, from memory in the Bear Hotel, Bearwood. This would be in the early 70s.
 
carolina said:
Okay one for the men now. Do you remember the whelk and cockle man that used to come into the pub selling them along with shrimps etc from his basket.
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Yes, I remember the cockle man as we used to call him!
There was a guy who used to come into the Railway in Curzon Street early evenings selling shellfish in little bags, ready to eat.
That would have been mid/late 70's
 
My two grandmothers died in 1974 and 1975 respectively - they both wore corsets up to their last days. How on earth did they manage with them during the summer? It beats me completely.. I don't think I remember rubber roll-ons (gosh they must have been cold in the winter mornings), but I do remember the Silhouette 'Little X'.
 
I do think there was a pink rubber one with holes in (tiny ones of course), but that was in the 1930's. I seem to remember seeing adverts for them, Little X was elastic. What an odd discussion this is, shall we now start on men's undies? LOL
 
While we're on the subject of womens underwear - who remembers disposable paper knickers from the early 70s. Sort of Jcloth material I think.
 
On the subject of corsets my grandma would say these elastic ones are no good you need boned ones to do the job. I was horrified only being 15 at the time. My mother wore corsets untill her death in 2004.
 
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