Thursday, October 24, 2013

Fridges

this is a Prestcold, fridge on top, vegetable storage at the bottom


Each day I see on F/B my son-in-law's excitement as he reveals just another layer of the history of the new house, he was very much like this when he did the cottage in Whitby, he is in his element revealing the Victorian history in the house.  Already they are buying stuff, an old fireplace yesterday and, I still can't believe this, an old 1950s Prestcold fridge, this is my daughter purchase..... 
To see a fridge from my childhood brought back memories of the one in the scullery we had.  First image that springs to mind is of course the whole salmons brought back from a fishing trip near where Bovey Belle lives, in fact from the same river.  We would eat salmon for days! 
I have always meant to write about this home, the garden of which was a paradise for children.  The house large late Victorian house, fronting the street with a lawn to one side and driveway on the other side, large garage with inspection pit, washing area for the car, and the various outhouses for coal.  But I shall desist only to say that the kitchen, had a proper kitchen range in it, which glowed warmly every winter morning when we had breakfast, there were the servant bells on one wall, which didn't work and then there was the scullery attached, with the fridge and cooker and large white sink at the end. I come from a strange family, with a complicated history, suffice it to say I was brought up by my grandfather, and though having three stepmothers, the person who looked after us was Louisa, our Italian maid, until she got married.

This is the nearest I could find, double oven, poor Louisa keeping the fire going, but it must have the only source of hot water heating.
There is something quite funny about writing about range fires, yesterday we discussed about getting some other heating for the sitting room, and lo and behold today the boiler broker down, luckily the man is coming this afternoon, so hopefully it is not too serious.  All the other rooms in my childhood house had gas fires, no central heating in those days, just ice inside the windows, and baths that cooled quickly!

6 comments:

  1. My comment seems to have disappeared into the ether thelma, so I shall post another one. If you get two I apologise - what I said was that the range brought back memories of ours, where there was always bread and plum bread rising in the hearth and a rice pudding in the bottom of the over cooking slowly for tea. Good old days!

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  2. Yes I think the ranges were very comforting, warm glow on a cold day, central heating never feels quite the same as a glowing fire...

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  3. We lived with my Grandparents in the '60's and they ha a back boiler for the water and some very modern storage heaters too. It was the lap of luxury and, when I moved into my student flat in the 1980's it was far more basic, with two gas fires to heat the whole place. I do love that fridge and I can't believe it's still going!

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    1. I actually loved those old gas fires, the sight of warmth revived the senses.

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  4. We have our big Hergom which gives us hot water and heats the kitchen, comforts cats and dries the socks on it, and clothes, over it! I can't imagine a kitchen without a source of heat like that. Plus our wood burner in the sitting room - which kept us alive the winter of the Great Snow!

    I grew up in a house with just a coal fire in the sitting room and do NOT wish to return to living like that - every other room an ice-box and green with damp in the cupboards.

    We have not one, but TWO 1950s fridges. Not as grand as the one your son-in-law managed to source, as their freezer part is just a tiny tray in the top inside. They still work and would freeze a bottle of milk solid given half a chance! We should offer the for sale really, as no need (or room) for them when we move.

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    1. Hi Jennie, that is not Karen's fridge but one nicked off the net, think it was selling for £350/450, so you may get some money for them ;) hers is a hideous dark green, but she is going to paint it either pink or blue!

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