Supply and demand in the good old days

BACK in the day, virtually all everyday needs were doorstep-delivered – milk, bread, coal and newspapers. Supermarkets killed the first two, central heating the need for coal and, in most cases, paperboys disappeared when the government of the day directed they submit Income Tax returns, which was really scraping the barrel!

Having said that, one local father listed his many sons for that duty, did all the rounds himself and pocketed the meagre wages. Fair dos, always early in all winds and weathers and he kept the paper dry.

Mr Woodman will still deliver milk in this area, so a demand must exist. We may even see glass bottles come back, as they are recyclable. Bluetits would welcome this as they loved to peck through the top and get at the cream.

Older houses were built with cellars, street manhole and chute. Others had coalhouses or similar, with some needing year-round delivery as the fire was the sole means of hot water.

Coal fires had a real problem with soot being deposited in chimneys so these need sweeping regularly as a build-up could catch fire. These could be highly dangerous as residents might not be aware of an upstairs fire breaking out through spontaneous heating. A house could be well alight before anyone noticed.

I was on police duty in Pwllmelin Road one day and spotted smoke and flames pouring from one house. Luckily, there was a police pillar nearby so I was able to alert the fire brigade before getting people out. They were totally unaware and the bedroom walls were already too hot to touch. David Prichard Rumney, Cardiff