Front Parlour

katex · 15-04-2006, 13:29

As I now live in a 3-bedroomed semi box, just wondered if the people of Hyndburn still only open their front parlour on Sundays and special days when visitors come. Does seem sensible to utilize this room more to me, however, I always felt a little excitement and knew was going to be a special day when my dad made up the fire in the front.

West Ender · 15-04-2006, 20:07

We never referred to our front room as a parlour and it wasn't kept "special". The piano was in there (both my parents played and my brothers and I had lessons) and so was the record player and a radio. It was, basically, just another sitting room and I used to do my homework there - accompanied by Radio Luxembourg and the "Goon Show".

WillowTheWhisp · 15-04-2006, 21:40

I was never allowed in my Gran's front parlour. It was kept locked and only unlocked on special occaisions. I remember once being allowed to pop in and seeing a large round table with a green crushed velvet cloth on and a large conch shell in the middle.

Our front room is where the telly is and we use it daily.

cashman · 15-04-2006, 22:23

same as willow my grans was only used on special occasions,she called it the parlour! ours though was were the sideboard was- on which every friday evening was placed the club books ( sometimes with the money )lol but mam called ours the front room.

pendy · 19-04-2006, 12:52

I could never understand why people with small houses, two up, two down, didn't use one room most of the time. I think things changed when everybody got TVs - you couldn't fit it into the back kitchen, so it went in the front room.

lettie · 20-04-2006, 08:41

I remember my Nan's parlour being used for special occasions. We never went in there as kids as we would mess up, but it had a glass door and we used to peep through it regularly.

KAYJAY · 20-04-2006, 13:08

As I recall, the front room was used at Christmas or when the chimney in the back room was being swept, rather a long messy process in the pre-vac days! Having to eke the coal out was a prime factor in the room not being used regularly, but it was such a treat when we had a fire in there, no furniture in it, mind you. Afraid it's a different world, as I have to remind myself several times each day - no-one thinks twice about heating now!! It was second nature in the forties and fifties.

grannyclaret · 21-04-2006, 07:58

I Thought It Was Only Used For Laying Out Dead Boddies.

Tunny · 22-04-2006, 20:32

The only time we were allowed into the front parlour was to polish tha brasses. Wouldn't want shares in Brasso these days . . .

Ernie · 22-04-2006, 21:05

For the first 14 years of my life we lived with my Grandma who had very strict rules regarding "The Parlour". For most of the year it was a cold dimly lit place that smelled of mothballs, but at Christmas and special occaisions Gran used to take a shovel full of fire from the living room and place it in the grate in the parlour, which was quite a risky business but luckily there were no mishaps, you could smell the coal smoke for hours after the fire had been moved, but after the fire got established and the room warmed up it became rather cosy, I remember the winter evenings with the Christmas decorations reflecting the flickering firelight.

katex · 23-04-2006, 13:14

Quote:

Originally Posted by grannyclaret

I Thought It Was Only Used For Laying Out Dead Boddies.

Well, G-C .. this is quite true, was used for this purpose on many occasions and you could go and view the deceased over a couple of days. Not done though now, is it ?

In actual fact, my Grandma lived with us in the front until she died when I was 13 and the bed was taken out and the coffin placed in there with the curtains drawn. It was the first dead person I had seen and very impressionable >> wished I hadn't, this was my last sighting of my Grandma and left this image of her on my memory for quite some time. For about a year after this, used to scurry in and out of that room very quickly, as with no central heating, only added to the cold and sombre atmosphere.

Then, of course, became the 'best' room and much more cheerful, gas fire was installed so would become lovely and cosy within 5 minutes, but still only used for special occasions.

Lots of people had the lobby wall knocked down which made the room more accessible and used daily.

Margaret Pilkington · 23-04-2006, 13:21

I think my Grandma must have been the same as most of the ones previously written about...except we were allowed into the front room on a Sunday, because that is where the Bible was kept.....we were not really encouraged to play any games on a Sunday....and to play Cards was a cardinal sin....we were allowed to sit quietly and read books and of course we were steered towards the big family Bible.....I quite liked looking at the pictures......but to be honest it wasn't a comfortable room to be in...the sofa was a horsehair contraption and it used to prickle my legs. Goodness it sounds like a different world doesn't it?

pendy · 25-04-2006, 12:52

It WAS a different world, Margaret. We didn't have the disposable society - you got a cooker when you got married, and it saw you out! The furniture in the parlour was for best - these days people are trying to claim on their insurance for sofas that have been ruined because their children have jumped up and down on them - what would our Grannies have said?!

I can remember a shovel of coal being carried through at my Auntie Nellie's - I loved the smell it left behind!

grannyclaret · 25-04-2006, 14:03

Oh Katex i am sorry, i diddent mean to bring back bad memories...its just how i remembered parlours......when your a child ,creepy places

Margaret Pilkington · 25-04-2006, 16:40

Pendy....was the smell from when a lump of coal dropped on the coco matting? And what about exploding coal....I think it used to be because there were pieces of slate in with the seam of coal....but once a bit of coal exploded and broke the mirror in the living room....gran was distraught and thought it was an omen that someone in the family was going to die!