smoothing iron???

groove · 08-02-2009, 17:40

what exactly was 'the smoothing iron'?heard it mentioned and know the location but aint a clue what it is.sounds like a shop
thanks

Mrs B · 08-02-2009, 19:38

Hi there. It was actually an iron, with various means of heating it up, before the days of electric irons - see below:

"Before electricity was available, there were a number of alternative methods of heating irons. The traditional 'sad' or 'flat' iron was heated up on the kitchen range; the box iron contained a pre-heated 'slug' of metal which, when cool, could be exchanged for another hot one; the charcoal iron contained glowing lumps of charcoal, gas heated irons were connected via a rubber tube to a gas supply; spirit or petrol was also used to heat irons.

The main problems with the early non-electric irons were that they were dirty and the temperature was often difficult to control. Much time was wasted in heating up and cooling down to achieve the required temperature."

Hope that helps.

groove · 08-02-2009, 19:58

thanks mrs.B...but iv been led to beleive the smoothing iron was on the cornerof Bath.st and Marsden.st,if someone can elaborate??

Margaret Pilkington · 08-02-2009, 20:19

Yes....there is a little bit of land at the corner of Marsden St and Bath St......it is shaped like a smoothing iron.
My brothers and I and all our friends used to play in it as children...50 odd years ago.

When the grass was long it was a swimming pool...but we used to imagine it was a ship(pirate) or a fort or a house.......when i say in it...it is walled....Ok the wall is only a few inches high on the Marsden street bit but it is quite a good drop on the other side(Bath St - about 6 feet)
It has a couple of young trees in it now - they weren't there in the era I am talking about.
If I remember I will take a picture of it the next time I go up to see my Ma.

Mrs B · 08-02-2009, 20:37

Apologies - I misunderstood.

Comes of not being a local!

groove · 08-02-2009, 21:06

aaah..makes perfect sense,in fact it was one of your posts as well as someone elses that id heard it.Know exactly were you mean as grew up on ormerod.st.Always remember the very worn steps at the side.Thankyou.And yes it is shaped like an iron lol

katex · 08-02-2009, 22:57

Thought this was really interesting Margaret and just had to Google Earth on it ... is that the bit across from the loading bay doors at Woodnook Mill .. does look like an iron :-

sm 2.jpg

Margaret Pilkington · 09-02-2009, 07:31

Yes that is exactly it........Gosh it provided us with many many hours of fun when we were children....and Ma could look out from our house and see exactly what we were up to.

talentedbutslow · 13-02-2009, 12:22

I used to live in Marsden st....6 doors from the "smoothing iron"....the off licence was on the corner then steps down to Bath st

Margaret Pilkington · 13-02-2009, 13:24

When I went up to see Ma yesterday, there were two men cutting down the young trees that had grown on the little bit of land........I know the area is going to be the focus of a lot of building soon...not sure if the old 'smoothing iron' is going to be obliterated in this development.