Things from the Past BottlesHatsKitchen EquipmentHousehold Objects

Bottles Click on one of the links below. Bottles for the KitchenBottles for the Bedroom

Kitchen Bottles These were made of very thick glass, not like bottles today. These bottles had a marble in the top. In Cardiff they were called 'Alley Bottles' because marbles were called 'alleys'. The marble was pushed to the top of the bottle by the gas in the pop. When you pressed it down you could drink the liquid. Codd Bottles The stopper was made of cork.

Bottles for the Bedroom In the olden days people didn’t always have a fire in their bedrooms. They had to find other ways of making their beds warm. They used hot water bottles. They would fill them with hot water, wrap them in an old rag and put them in the bottom of their bed. Stone hot water bottles These were made of stone and were very heavy. They were used a long time ago. Copper hot water bottles These were made of copper, a metal and were very heavy. They were used a long time ago too. Copper hot water bottles These were made of rubber. They are not as old as the other types of hot water bottles. Click here to see other bed warmers.

Bed Warmers People used to put coal from the fire in the bottom of the pan. Then they would wrap it up in an old towel or rag and put it in the bed. The pan was made of metal. The handle was made of wood. They made the handle of wood so it didn't get hot and burn you. They were dangerous because the coals could fall out and cause a fire. They made people's life easier because their beds were warmer. Today most people don't need to use them because they have central heating.

Shoe Last People a long time ago were not always as well off as they are today. Some people were very poor. Most families could not afford new shoes. Children would wear their brothers and sisters old shoes. Most houses had a shoe last like this so they could mend the old shoes to make them last longer. They also used to hammer nails in the bottom of the shoes so the soles would last a long time. Hobnail boots Shoe Last

Miner's Hats Miners worked underground so they had to have special hats to protect their heads from rocks. The hats had a clip on the front for a light to fit on so the miner could see underground. The hats were made of wood, metal and leather.

Kitchen Equipment Food Mincers You would use a different size disc to make smaller or larger pieces. You would turn the handle to push the food through the grinding discs. In the olden days they didn't have electricity so they had to do a lot of the work by hand. It was harder than today and things took longer to do.