When I was a little girl, there was no central heating at all, but there was a range in the kitchen with a side oven and a metal rail in the front. We used to rush down in our dressing gowns after a very hasty trip to the bathroom with ice feathers on the INSIDE of the windows. Then sat down having our breakfast, usually porridge in the winter, followed by putting on our clothes that had been warming on the rail, and of course our well polished with Cherry Blossom shoe polish, shoes to keep the water out of our sox etc. I think I have told the tale, never to be forgotten of the occasion when my mother had done all the ironing and put the clothes in the airing cupboard the night before, so that day when I came down no knickers on the rail, but she said get dressed and I will go and get them in a minute. So when I set off to school, in charge of younger sister , once I realized I had forgotten to get the clean pants I was stuck between going to school without any, or being late and making my sister late. I went to school and prayed that we wouldnt go out to do any games or gymn in the playground!! survived the day ok but it was never forgotten in the family. Can remember the feeling more than 70 years ago!! What could beat arriving home on a horrid wet dark afternoon, to get wet things off and to sit toasting our face and hand as well as the pikelets round the fire. Hot pikelets with a lot of butter on and lovely home grown celery with salt. Often with the smell of either ironing, or baking which my mother would have done all afternoon. Safety and warmth and childrens hour on the radio at 5 o clock. Ah a long time ago