Luxury of a built-in mangle in new South Tyneside home

Imagine travelling back in time to the days when people did their washing using poss tubs and mangles, and their cooking on the most basic of stoves.
David Barbers mam and the washing machine he mentions in his Facebook post.David Barbers mam and the washing machine he mentions in his Facebook post.
David Barbers mam and the washing machine he mentions in his Facebook post.

I wonder, if you showed them, what they would make of today’s hi-tech washing machines and other electrical appliances – they would probably think they were futuristic gadgets from a Dan Dare comic book!

So it was interesting to hear from David Barber when we posted a photo of a workman fitting new “white goods” in the Farding Lake flats in 1952.

Playing outside in Marsden Street.Playing outside in Marsden Street.
Playing outside in Marsden Street.
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He said: “It’s just like the cooker and washer we got when we moved into Belloc Avenue, 1953, a jump into the future, a washer with a built-in mangle!

“Luxury. A proper pantry with a ‘cold shelf’ consisting of a thick concrete shelf, topped with white tiles to keep your butter, cheese etc on.

“The top of the washer turned over and clipped into the back of the machine to accept the washing as it exited the mangle.

“Here’s a photo of my mam demonstrating the said washing machine, except this wasn’t our house, it was my auntie Martha’s.

Playing outside in Marsden Street.Playing outside in Marsden Street.
Playing outside in Marsden Street.
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“Her and uncle Harold Mansfield lived at the Old Mill, at Boldon. They had a smallholding there and kept chickens as well (they didn’t live in the mill).”

Sidney Williamson took to social media to say: “We had a wash house in the back yard with a boiler, coal fire and a mangel.”

Another old photo posted on the Gazette’s Facebook page, showing Marsden Street in 1967, also prompted readers to comment.

Valerie Eve Selby said: “Our first flat when we got married was in this street. Remember a neighbour out scrubbing her step and pavement outside her flat every day when I was going to work.”

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And what of the games that children played when out in the street.

Marjorie Copp posted: “We lived in the only house left in Marsden Street now. We rode bikes, roller skates, knocking on neighbour’s doors, as well as others,” while Carol Palin told how: “We did it all, including skippies around the lamp post if there was only two to play.

“We never played inside. Walked to school, then back at lunchtime, then back to school for the afternoon.

“Our corner shop was Mr Connor’s off-licence. Shame my grandchildren will never experience this, especially living in Johannesburg, South Africa.”

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Pete Davies pointed out: “Look at the picture, not a car in sight,” while Mark Pinckney spoke of: “No parking issues back then!”

What are your memories of the outside games you used to play?

Perhaps you had an old casey football, which you used to kick about.

I wonder how many windows it went through and how much you spent on replacement glass?

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Meanwhile, a photo taken in July 1982, showing the gasometer in Waterloo Vale, and Nelson Street. South Shields, encouraged Colin Warkcup to say: “Did a school trip around the gasworks when it was still producing coal gas. A great friend of my father was a foreman there until it closed.”