He was not a very good D.I.Y. man and considered that if it couldn't be fixed with a squirt of oil, or a clout from a hammer, then it couldn't be fixed!

Childhood days

We lived in the Princes Park area of Liverpool, at 118 Harrowby Street, then considered upper working class or lower middle class . It is now the notorious district of Toxteth, better known nationwide for its riots, uprising, drugs and gangland activities .

The houses were terraced . From the street there was a stone step and in the middle of the step was an iron grid which could be lifted out for the coalmen to tip the coal into the cellar .

Through the front door you entered a passageway, about three yards up and on the left was the door into the Parlour . This room was usually the best furnished and kept for high days and holidays . The next door was about two yards further on and lead into the Kitchen ( today probably called the living room ) . To the right of this door was the stairway which went up to the three bedrooms . At the end of the right-hand kitchen wall was another door which took you into the back kitchen (which would probably just be called the kitchen today ) .

Immediately through this door and to the right was a door which lead to a narrow flight of stairs and at the bottom was the cellar and the coal-place immediately below the grid on the step . In the cellar was a bath and a draw curtain hid the bather from view . There was a cold water tap on the wall copper for heating the water In the kitchen was a strong wooden door which lead into a narrow yard and at the bottom of the yard was an outdoor lavatory .

It was an uninviting trip down there on a cold winter's night, in the pitch dark, with the rain pouring down and the wind whistling around your nether regions ! Upstairs there were three bedrooms, one large one facing out onto the street, and two smaller ones overlooking the back yard .

The services were just Water and Gas, there was no electricity laid on .

In the back-kitchen there was a cold water tap placed over a tiny earthenware sink . This sink was used for washing dirty necks and greasy dishes . The cold water tap was used for all the cooking needs. In the winter this tap used to sometimes freeze up and cause no end of trouble . There was also a Gas Cooker and kitchen cabinet that held the crockery, cutlery, condiments etc . The floor was tiled in thick brown tiles.

In the kitchen, which was very small, was an iron ' Range ' which consisted of a small coal fire, and a small iron oven, there was also a hob for a kettle . Under the fire was an ash-pan and as a safety measure there was a brass kerb. The kerb was to stop any cinders falling out onto the wooden floor The water for tea would be boiled on the fire and when the fire was glowing nicely we would make toast on a long iron
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