The Way We Lived Then

Mrs Beeton (of Household Management fame) used to make soup for the poor in her copper (an early washing machine with a fire in the base). ...

In the 19th century, window frames and glazing bars could be dark green, brown or black. White came in after 1900. Artificial "aniline...

There’s a cycle clothes go through: unwearable, daring, fashionable, everywhere, sooo last year, grotesque, interesting, stylish, revival (b...

Living in style: a Duchess conceives it to consist in taking her breakfast at three o'clock in the afternoon—dining at eight—playin...

In the 18th and 19th centuries, everybody had servants. But we know better, don’t we? We don’t have servants, we have cleaners and au pai...

50s Scoop for creating perfect melon/ice cream/mashed potato balls. Vast heavy Kenwood mixer which takes up huge amounts of space. Hor...

1980: M&S starts selling packaged sandwiches, and everybody follows. Boeuf en croute (Beef Wellington), salmon en croute Belgian cre...