It was your job to do, when you was a kid.

gdm27 · 25-07-2009, 13:50

When I was a nipper back in the 50's and early 60's we all had "our" jobs to do around the house. This as when Mum and Dad were still at work and you had got back from school. Mine was to light the fire??? Picture it, all the good stuff from yesterdays fire put to one side. Empty the ash in the bin ol', if we could afford it some wood if not rolled up newspaper then a few pieces of new call on top of that. Now here's the good bit. Get the shovel and a sheet of paper and light the paper under the coal. Once it has got hold balance the shovel on the grate and the chimney breast then cover with the paper to "draw" the fire. Almost always worked! Almost always, and I did it for years, set the drawing paper alight. Running around the room trying to put it out!!! Try that today with your kids and they would take them off you!!!!

MargaretR · 25-07-2009, 13:52

I did the ironing and polished the lino

flashy · 25-07-2009, 14:14

clean the bathroom and sweep the stairs, every Sunday

my little bro (not so little now) used to have to wipe down all the skirting boards

my big sis used to have to clean our bedroom

jaysay · 25-07-2009, 14:22

Well I didn't do a thing, I the only one, and Grandma lived with use so by the time I got home from school everything was done. The only thing I can remember was going down Accy Market every Saturday to get the Fruit and Veg, in my teens. Later on I did any repairs round the house

garinda · 25-07-2009, 14:23

Skim the leaves off the swimming pool, before we got an indoor one.

cashman · 25-07-2009, 14:55

it varied 1 week wash up after tea, our kid went co-op n corner shop fer messages, switch around week after, simple house rules- don't do= no spending money, brought mine up the same. wouldn't mind betting many do nowt these days fer there spence.

garinda · 25-07-2009, 15:02

Quote:

Originally Posted by cashman

it varied 1 week wash up after tea, our kid went co-op n corner shop fer messages, switch around week after, simple house rules- don't do= no spending money, brought mine up the same. wouldn't mind betting many do nowt these days fer there spence.

Oddly I'd never heard of 'messages' until I lived in Glasgow.

'I'm away for my messages in a wee while.'

Messages?

Are you a spy?

Anyone else in the area, besides Cashy who called shopping 'messages'?

I still think it's more Scottish than Lancastrian.

Margaret Pilkington · 25-07-2009, 15:13

Fetch the bread from Mrs Almonds shop....fill the coal buckets.....make sure my little brothers were washed and put to bed, and their clothes were ready for school the next day. I used to shop for an old lady nearby....and she gave me one and sixpence for doing it......my only spending money.
I had lots of jobs to do........I suppose that is why I didn't have much time to get up to mischief

cashman · 25-07-2009, 15:22

Quote:

Originally Posted by garinda

Oddly I'd never heard of 'messages' until I lived in Glasgow.

'I'm away for my messages in a wee while.'

Messages?

Are you a spy?

Anyone else in the area, besides Cashy who called shopping 'messages'?

I still think it's more Scottish than Lancastrian.

twas a word i aquired in county dublin when i was a nipper.

so i always assumed it was irish.

BERNADETTE · 25-07-2009, 15:27

We had various chores to do and woe betide if they weren't done when Mum came home. Like MargP there was no spending money unless you did jobs for other people.

jaysay · 25-07-2009, 15:35

Quote:

Originally Posted by garinda

Oddly I'd never heard of 'messages' until I lived in Glasgow.

'I'm away for my messages in a wee while.'

Messages?

Are you a spy?

Anyone else in the area, besides Cashy who called shopping 'messages'?

I still think it's more Scottish than Lancastrian.

I was thinking just that Rindi, I never heard that until I worked with a lad from Glasgow in the 70s, the first time he said that I looked at him as if to say what you on about, but in time I got used to it, like are you going for the messages this morning (bacon and egg butts)

emzy · 25-07-2009, 15:38

I had jobs to do around the house (as did my brother and sisters) and we also did this for spending money, the jobs were split between us, washing up, drying, putting away, throwing the hoover round and at weekends sweeping stairs, cleaning bathroom, tidying bedroom etc. Used to get a bonus aswell if we cleaned the car

I "treat" mine when they help me tidy up etc. and thy are only 2

never too young to learn lol

K.S.H · 25-07-2009, 15:41

I had to make sure my 3 sisters did their work

katex · 25-07-2009, 19:37

Quote:

Originally Posted by garinda

Skim the leaves off the swimming pool, before we got an indoor one.

Not the moat then ?

My mum never let me do any household chores ... said I would have enough to do when I got married. Did like to clean the brasses though, and was sent to the butchers and Catlows for the veg.

ossy kid · 25-07-2009, 20:42

Lots of jobs to do but the one I remember most was having to take unwanted pets to the gas oven behind the police station. Never liked watching them panic before they croaked. It was a rotten job but somebody had to do it!