It were common sight to see coal lorry plying the streets, dropping off one hundredweight (1 cwt) sacks of coal.
In those days, the smell of coal fires pervaded the streets and it was someones job to go out to the coal-hole , on a freezing winters night to fill the coal scuttle.
Lighting a fire took a special skill, only posh people could afford fire lighters, if you were really good, you could light it without wood, just newspaper. Cleaning the grate was another task, for the first person up the next morning, very messy and played havoc with the sinuses.
I heard about 'Smokeless Zones' before I ever heard about central heating. My mum told me we were to become a smokeless zone 'er brilliant. whats that mum?' from then on we had to buy coke, instead of coal. Coke was more expensive, harder to light but it burned hotter, longer and most importantly, it didn't spit or explode and set fire to the carpet.
ee lad, we had it tough
In those days, the smell of coal fires pervaded the streets and it was someones job to go out to the coal-hole , on a freezing winters night to fill the coal scuttle.
Lighting a fire took a special skill, only posh people could afford fire lighters, if you were really good, you could light it without wood, just newspaper. Cleaning the grate was another task, for the first person up the next morning, very messy and played havoc with the sinuses.
I heard about 'Smokeless Zones' before I ever heard about central heating. My mum told me we were to become a smokeless zone 'er brilliant. whats that mum?' from then on we had to buy coke, instead of coal. Coke was more expensive, harder to light but it burned hotter, longer and most importantly, it didn't spit or explode and set fire to the carpet.
ee lad, we had it tough
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