easy (or any!) sheet music disappointment

[cambrensis]

Well done, Elizabeth! When a lad I had to transcribe choral music from Staff Notation to Tonic Sol-fa for my mother. I learned piano also (hopeless now) - so when I saw the Nocturnes in 5 flats I did not know whether to laugh hysterically or cry!

[cheaver]

Well done, Elizabeth! When a lad I had to transcribe choral music from Staff Notation to Tonic Sol-fa for my mother. I learned piano also (hopeless now) - so when I saw the Nocturnes in 5 flats I did not know whether to laugh hystericaly or cry!

It must have been wonderful in your house if you were playing piano and Mother sang!

Lucky Boy!!!

[cambrensis]

It must have been wonderful in your house if you were playing piano and Mother sang!

Lucky Boy!!!

Imagine the usual mid-terrace house with a tiny "front room/parlour". There were two (yes two!!) upright pianos in there. One was mine and the other belonged to my sister! Duets were relatively easy...but breathing was difficult! I don't even have a harmonica now!

[cheaver]

Imagine the usual mid-terrace house with a tiny "front room/parlour". There were two (yes two!!) upright pianos in there. One was mine and the other belonged to my sister! Duets were relatively easy...but breathing was difficult! I don't even have a harmonica now!

Oh my Lord! How lucky, lucky, lucky were you all!

2 pianos! I asked for one as a youngster but we had no room/space for one - we didn't have a parlour!
The 2 up and 2 down was all we had.


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[cambrensis]

Oh my Lord! How lucky, lucky, lucky were you all!

2 pianos! I asked for one as a youngster but we had no room/space for one - we didn't have a parlour!
The 2 up and 2 down was all we had.


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The GWR owned the houses and had buit a rear extension (haha!) to the 2 up 2 down. Result was a boxroom and, downstairs, the "gegin fawr" (main kitchen). I think most of us lived in similar houses. There was no rear or side entrance, of course, so the coalman carried his sacks through the house!

[cheaver]

The GWR owned the houses and had buit a rear extension (haha!) to the 2 up 2 down. Result was a boxroom and, downstairs, the "gegin fawr" (main kitchen). I think most of us lived in similar houses. There was no rear or side entrance, of course, so the coalman carried his sacks through the house!

That's interesting. Ours was owned by a private landlord (2/6 rent in a green glass jug on top of the mantlepiece each week).

My Dad built an extension (asbestos!) but it was a darkroom for what was to become his blossoming Photographic business. We consequently had just the original small kitchen and the one living room. We did have a rear entrance though so the coalman delivered at the back of the house.

From teens onward we lived elsewhere and fairly well. A worthy piano trade off? The jury is out on that one.


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[cambrensis]

That's interesting. Ours was owned by a private landlord (2/6 rent in a green glass jug on top of the mantlepiece each week).

My Dad built an extension (asbestos!) but it was a darkroom for what was to become his blossoming Photographic business. We consequently had just the original small kitchen and the one living room. We did have a rear entrance though so the coalman delivered at the back of the house....

My father built his darkroom into the "cwts", (the cupboard under the stairs!) I suspect that rear access was sacrificed for the extension. After nationalisation the houses were taken over by "Docks and Inland Waterways". They fitted a bath into - the kitchen! It was all right though as they thoughtfully added a fold down table over the top. Sheer luxury!! Easier than the old zinc bath, anyway

[cheaver]

My father built his darkroom into the "cwts", (the cupboard under the stairs!) I suspect that rear access was sacrificed for the extension. After nationalisation the houses were taken over by "Docks and Inland Waterways". They fitted a bath into - the kitchen! It was all right though as they thoughtfully added a fold down table over the top. Sheer luxury!! Easier than the old zinc bath, anyway

So where did the coalman put your coal? Not in the extension surely? Our coal house was outside next to the toilet in the back yard.
Among other things my beloved "trolley" (push chair) was kept in our stair cupboard.

A proper bath! I didn't have the luxury of one of those until I was 14. The old zinc one was great in the back yard in summer with loads of soap suds in it though!

Our square kitchen table (in the middle of the kitchen) took up a relatively huge amount of space so your fold down table definitely had the wow factor!

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[cambrensis]

So where did the coalman put your coal? Not in the extension surely? Our coal house was outside next to the toilet in the back yard.
Among other things my beloved "trolley" (push chair) was kept in our stair cupboard.

A proper bath! I didn't have the luxury of one of those until I was 14. The old zinc one was great in the back yard in summer with loads of soap suds in it though!

Our square kitchen table (in the middle of the kitchen) took up a relatively huge amount of space so your fold down table definitely had the wow factor!

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The coalhouse was between the toilet and the shed.I must have been about 18 to 19 when the bath was installed. I remember I was at uni. Of course the bath was plumbed only to the cold supply. Traditional methods were used to add hot water.

[cheaver]

The coalhouse was between the toilet and the shed.I must have been about 18 to 19 when the bath was installed. I remember I was at uni. Of course the bath was plumbed only to the cold supply. Traditional methods were used to add hot water.

We had a huge, circular boiler in one corner of our kitchen. I am thinking your house must have had one too? Otherwise, that would have been a lot kettles to keep heating up for the bath especially if they had to be done over a fire? Happy days!


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