1. Come into the Parlour and mind the step

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The parlour was usually called the 'front room' or the 'best room'. For many homes the parlour was only used when there was a special occasion such as Christmas or a funeral.

'When we first come in there (1950) it was gas (lighting) and they had to rip all that out and put electric in'. (Mr G, Bath Street, 1950)

'They didn't (use the front room) only to walk through. I don't think that three-piece suite was ever sat on. Oh, I'm telling lies, on Christmas day my dad used to light a fire in the front room'. (Mrs H, Camden Street, 1930s and 40s)

'Most of our lives were spent in the one room (living room), knowing we had a nice room in the front if we wanted to use that for a special occasion'. (Mr B, Victor Street, 1940s until 1960s)

On the hearth was what was called a companion set, there would be a little shovel, a little poker, a brush and a pair of tongs for putting the coal onto the fire that weren't used'. (Mrs H, Camden Street, 1930s and 40s)

'Leather three-piece suite in the front room… it was always dark brown and it gleamed, (Mum) used to polish it… (Mum) had a palm stand; everybody had one with an aspidistra on… and a sideboard, with her best china in, it was never used. Oh, my dad had a canary, that was in there'. (Mrs H, Camden Street, 1930s and 40s)

'The sideboards, chairs, tables, those things, they all had to be done with Mansion polish'. (Mrs H, Camden Street, 1930s and 40s)

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