I recently found this wonderful book by Rohana Darlington, Irish Knitting. She graduated from the Central School of Art and Design and in 1984 she received a travelling fellowship to study hand knitting in Norway and Ireland; from the latter came this book, a mix of Irish history focusing on fine art and textiles, but … Continue reading
Here’s my last piece from Tales of Old Berkshire, and I think it’s true, and probably the most recent of the lot. It seems the housewife had no idea of CPR on her goose, but it must have been very, very drunk. There was once a good housewife who lived in Bucklebury Slade, a pretty … Continue reading
This is a wonderful National Trust property in the centre of the old town, just up the hill from the main beach. As always, the staff are incredibly friendly and informative. The kitchen fireplace The “necessary House” in the kitchen, with a drop onto a gravel and reed bed to filter and flush away all … Continue reading
This is some more from Lady Bell’s At the Works, in which she shows not all families were struggling to survive; the lucky few managed to get promoted,higher wages and living conditions: “Here is a case one cannot pretend is typical, but similar homes are not entirely uncommon. The father is a foreman at the ironworks; … Continue reading
This is some more from the wonderful 1913 book, The Servantless Household. Some are funny or quaint, some still work. Don’t allow your hands to be stained, but if dirty, rub them with a piece of raw potato or slice of lemon Don’t allow hands that have touched the horse, the motor, or the boy’s … Continue reading
