Tell me about your grandmas houses if your gran lived through the war(s)

[Kellogschocrolls]

My gran was 4-8yrs old in WW1 & 31-35 in WW2 for context. She spent her whole life living in a northern Victorian terrace. Thinking about it this morning, I realised there was nothing soft or feminine about the house at all. No pretty curtains or feminine touches anywhere. Just a utilitarian interior. I'm wondering if others had grannies who liked pretty things in their home or whether it was a product of a life lived through two wars?

For example, my grans house interior woodwork was all painted mid-brown, no lace doilies or 'displayed' dressing table area. Burgundy & brown stripe flocked wallpaper in the front room. No pictures up. Nothing to soften the interior at all. Outside she had a small totally concreted rear yard. At the front she had a tiny garden with only a privet hedge, no flowers ever.

I'm just curious as I can't imagine having a wartime gran who ever wore flowery dresses or had a pretty tablecloth/nice pictures on the wall, vases of flowers etc. What was your gran like?

My nana was in her 20s during WW2. Her house was a very small terrace in a fairly impoverished area which was one of the most heavily bombed areas in the UK during the war. She did not live there during the war, but moved there shortly after, when she married my grandad who had returned from Burma. Their house had one room downstairs and 2 rooms upstairs. When they moved there the kitchen was in the one room, and the loo outside, and the bath was a tin bath in front of the fire. Over time they built a lean-to on the back with a clear plastic corrugated roof (I can remember the sound when it rained) and this housed the kitchen and an indoor bathroom which was just big enough for a shower tray with curtain round it and a toilet. No sink - you washed everything in the kitchen sink.

I would say she did have decoration and ornaments. She had antimacassars on the sofa arms and doilies on the sideboard and table. She had a glass display cabinet with fancy drinking glasses and ornaments she and my grandad collected on their travels. There were lots of things on the walls - in particular I remember a photo of my nana’s mother and my grandad’s medals and Burmese kukri knife. At Christmas you could not move for shiny tinselly tat in the house - every part of it was decorated, mostly hanging from the ceiling because there wasn’t much space to put decorations anywhere else. For the duration of the time I knew this house (about 16 years) they never redecorated it though.

My Nan was a teen through the Second World War (not that teens really existed obviously). She grew up in heavily blitzed East London docklands and surrounding. Her house was rammed with lots of decorative items. In particular I remember:

• lace tablecloths
• decorative bowls
• vases (4 on the mantelpiece)
• decorative net curtains
• lots of commemorative plates on the walls
• a big reindeer Christmas light for the front garden
• lots and lots of pots in the garden
• huge frilly bed skirts

I don’t think it’s a war time thing. I think that as we transitioned to a more consumerist society, some people decided (or were able) to spend more money on their house. I think my Nan must have liked that element because she sought out department store jobs for quite a long time.

My parents were adults during the war , Mum from a poor family in Manchester and Dad from an even poorer family in North London, I was born in the mid sixties. Our house was full of flowery things growing up, the carpets were flowery, lace doilies were everywhere, embroidered tablecloths, lace net curtains etc. The garden had vegetables in the back but roses, peonies and lavender in the front. Appearances were important.

My one Nan had a lovely homely 2 up, 2 down house with outside w.c. It was really cosy. Once I was old enough at 13 I was allowed to stay with her at weekends, it was great and I still remember this kindly nearly 40 years later. My other Nan had a really tough time, my Grandad was killed, after being run over by an American in a jeep travelling home from the war. Although it wasn’t talked about, I gather it went to Court but she settled out of court and received a sum large enough to buy a house and a yearly amount. Her home was always cold with big furniture, no mess was allowed. She never used the front room, but we loved her huge garden. We 3 children were allowed to play cards quietly. We went for tea every week.

Both my grans were born shortly after WW1 so were late teens/early 20s during WW2. They lived in very different houses, one a council house on a huge estate, the other a naice semi in suburbia but both were decorated quite normally, a few knick-knacks on mantelpiece etc, pictures and photos on walls. Naice semi gran always had a very nicely decorated, modern looking house, council house gran's house was generally a bit shabbier and dated, not helped by the fact that they smoked so everything got a bit brown, but not exactly utilitarian.

I also remember my great-gran's house, who would have been in her 20s in WW1. Again, she had knick-knacks and pictures and antimacassars on the chairs.

My oldest great aunt, who would have been about the same age as your gran had a lovely cosy little house and cabinets stuffed full of ornaments, little china animals and the like.

Oh, and all of them had flowerbeds in the garden.

My gran was born in Nechels in Birmingham in the 19th century. Tiny terraced home. She remembered the hunger of the 1st world war, and how much better the rationing system of the 2nd was for poor people. She as sent out to work at 11.
She loved colour, went to evening classes to learn to paint in oils, sewed and did needle point. She would admire the clothes I bought in the high street and make her own (better) versions. She moved to the suburbs to get a garden, where she created a beautiful space.
That garden was sold long ago but all her grandkids have some of the paintings and needlework she created.

My mother was born in a slum during WW1 and served in the WAAF during WW2.
Her childhood home had no flush toilet- just an earth midden out the back, emptied by men with a horse and cart, once a week. There was no electricity, they had gas lamps. One cold water tap was shared with another family. Four of her siblings died in infancy.
So fancy decor was definitely not on the radar.
I was born in the 1950’s and money was very tight. There was certainly none for decorative fripperies. Mother did like nice clothes, and when a bit better off in later life would spend any spare cash on frocks for herself.
After the mid 1960’s, the house did acquire more modern wallpaper and carpets, and the occasional vase of flowers.

My grandma lived in a council house with a living/diner and a kitchen with a small pot bellied stove in it! This heated the water and radiators I think. All the furniture was brown, with Lino on the kitchen floor. She had an indoor and outdoor loo, and an amazing pantry off the kitchen.

She died when I was 10 (my grandad when I was 8), and I really remember that she had a small front garden with roses, and a bigger back one. The thing I remember most is that her planting style was plant - soil - plant - soil etc, whereas I cram in so many plants and flowers into the bed that you can’t see the soil.

My grandma was born in 1914. She lived in a nice semi with a huge overgrown garden. That had once been my grandads pride and joy. She still had a lot of utility furniture and the cooker in the kitchen was from the 1930's and old fashioned round pin plug sockets. But she had modern gas central heating. And double glazing. So the house was warm and cosy. She died in 1997.

Forgot the antimacassars on the chairs and, tenacious room was for the evening and the front t room for day time.

My dgm was a late teen (and engaged to be married) when WWII broke out. They were poor as her mother was widowed but she was also a very skilled seamstress so made most of their clothes and soft furnishings. My grandmother took great pride in her home (a two up two down terrace) so I don't think the utilitarian decor was strictly a war thing at all.

My grandmothers were born in the 1920s so didn't live through the first war but were young women in the second. My dad's parents got married on the day WW2 was declared but both remained in their house as grandad was working in a critical industry so didn't serve in the army. Anyway in dads side the house was very ornate, both of them were very practical and creative, granny could sew, knit or weave anything and grandpa could do amazing things with a lathe. So the house was not as OP described. I suppose they were middle class so not living in poverty, just the wartime restrictions everyone had. And the area was not particularly badly bombed as it was quite rural (Cambridgeshire) although I remember them telling me that their iron railings were requisitioned.

My mum's parents were a very different style, now they would probably be hipsters, but they always had nice houses too even though they had less money. Lots of art on walls, ceramics, weaving and textiles.

My gran was 4-8yrs old in WW1 & 31-35 in WW2 for context
Exactly the same as my Granny.

Both sets of my grandparents were children/teens in WW2. All northern, lots of Victorian terraces.

Maternal grandmother was quite old fashioned in her approach to household management, ie front room for best, ornaments in a glass fronted cabinet, antimacassars etc. Very neat front garden with a small lawn and flower beds.

Paternal grandmother was very forward looking and embraced new things, she was delighted when microwaves were invented. Her house was like any other 70s house, nothing to mark her out as the war generation.

Neither of them were austere as you describe. I've also got photos of my great grandparents house who were in their 30s in WW2. It wasn't luxurious but there was decoration, ornaments, flowers on the table, Great Gran in a floral pinny etc

My grandmother had 2 young children during the Second World War... Victorian terrace in London near Kew Gardens.

My grandad was in the Navy.

She had a nice house very cosy, extremely clean we always used to joke if you stood still for long enough you'd get polished 😂

Lots of red carpet, net curtains, and a few Knick knacks around whimseys I think they were called... a lovely garden with lots of veg and fruit grown.
Outside loo until the mid 70's when they had a bathroom put in the box room, until then the bath used to be in the kitchen with a lid on top and was used as a bench seat..

2 grandmothers who both lived through the Second World War as teens/young adults.
2 very different houses which reflected their very different personalities.
Paternal grandmother... lots of soft furnishings, doilies, ornaments etc. Lots of pictures of family on the walls. Floral wallpaper.
Maternal grandmother... very utilitarian. Minimalist and functional. She was a head nurse at a children’s hospital for most of her adult life and is a very practical, stoic person.
I don’t think either is related to them being around in the war years. Thinking about it though my maternal grandmothers own mum died when she was 6 and she was brought up solely by her father (very unusual in those times) so that probably had a bearing on it,

My gran is a magpie, her house is crammed with stuff. Money was tight early in her marriage when my grandpa was just home from the war so when things got a bit easier she shopped all the time.
The home she grew up in (my great aunt lived there when I was young) was more basic and functional but still comfortable. They lived in the country, there were always men coming in with dirty hands and muddy boots so it was simple and easy to keep clean I suppose if there was less stuff around.
All the women in the family knitted and sewed so there were always pretty tablecloths and crochet doileys everywhere, flowers from the garden. It was homely and I loved it. I miss it still.

My gran would have been slightly younger than yours, maybe late 20s in ww2.

Her house was full of decorations. Royal doulton ornamental ladies everywhere, decorative ornamental plates on the walls, paintings. Nice pictures. One of those crocheted loo roll covers for the spare loo roll.

Lace table cloths, best Denby tableware.

She loved shopping for nice clothes.

My nan was a child during WW2. Her parents both died and she was uprooted from rural Wales and brought to a big city in England, where she lived with a family member who abused her. She was traumatised and barely talks about her childhood - when she does, she gets dates mixed up (eg saying she was at infant school in the city when she was at least 9 when she moved).

Her house is the same layout as mine, in the next street. Mid terrace, dining room knocked through into living room. It is light and airy, some mahogany furniture like dining table and nested tables, but she has a cream reclining sofa and chairs, silvery wall paper at the moment- she decorates often (with my dad's help) and a very pretty peach and cream bedroom. I lived with her as a teen and was given free rein over my own space, so my bedroom was black and white, covered in posters and Athena prints - it still looks the same apart from the posters which are in a drawer

She doesn't like frilly things or "dust gatherers" - she has a cabinet with her ornaments in and this is where she keeps her glasses and booze too. The booze is more for visitors than herself. She has photos of all of us at various ages everywhere in her front room. On the walls - me and my sister at 11 and 1 yo, my wedding and my sister's graduation. On the cabinet - mum and dad from engagement to now, my DS from birth to now, me and my sister at various important milestones. DH and my granddad are in pride of place because they are no longer with us and she talks to them a lot.

The kitchen is a galley so tiny, but is decorated brightly in yellow and blue.

My grandparents were teenagers in WW2 (grandad joined the navy at 15 in 1939).

Their house was warm and homely. Lots of teasets in cabinets, a fancy drinks cabinet and always a modern music stacking system for all their entertaining! Family photos on the mantel and TV. Massive toy box in the conservatory for us kids.
Although, they had a twin tub washing machine into the 90s and their hot water and heating was dependent on having the coal fire in.

They both grow up quite poor (mining families) but worked hard and were well off in their older years. They were always happy to spend their hard earned money on their house, their children's houses, family meals out, putting grandkids through uni...

My DGMs were both working teens in WW2. One grew up in London, used to get told off by the Wardens for going out without her gas mask because it spoiled her outfit, would run home during an air raid rather than go to public shelters and went to the dances with American servicemen. She was a bit of a rebel Her house was lovely. She'd regularly redecorate and it was quite modern. Not old lady looking at all. So no doilies or frilly loo roll holders. But lovely hand made curtains and pretty broderie anglaise bed linen. She died last year at 96, so was by anyone's definition an 'old lady'. She was very poor growing up so it was important to her to have new things and not old things that looked worn out or dated, she worried people would think she couldn't afford new I think. She'd wear jeans and t shirts and clothes from Fat Face and White Stuff.

Other DGM has always lived rurally. Has good taste for 'quality' but not necessarily for style. Lots of dark wood, but it's ercol or antique. Old lady style floral velour wood framed sofa. Doilies and floral patterned rugs. Frilly edged hand towels and chintz bed linen. Wears those awful long pleated skirts that became fashionable a few years ago and embroidered cardigans and those daft unsuitable old lady shoes in all weathers. Very much looks like an 'old lady' if you see what I mean.

Oh, and council house grandparents had lots of book shelves. They were definitely part of that post-war aspirational working class, heavy focus on education and kids expected to work hard, get into grammar school and better themselves.

My grannies were both born during or just before WW1. Both into poor families, though one much poorer than the other - absolute poverty with an absentee father. Both loved and kept a comfortable home with well tended gardens and both liked to dress well. I think that it is a personality thing rather than a generational one. They died seventeen and seven years ago and I still miss them.

One of my GM was mid 30’s in ‘39. They lived in a big Victorian terrace. Her family had been quite well off but lost it all in the ‘20s. She inherited the house that was all that remained of the family assets but they rented the upstairs of the house. It was full of trinkets and souvenirs. I loved playing with her old costume jewellery. The pantry was full of old rubber bands, milk bottle tops, stamps etc. Scraps went to a country friend who kept pigs. Nothing ever thrown away. Very cluttered but fun to explore.

In contrast my other GM was a teen when she married at the end of the war. Moved into a brand new small terrace. It was immaculate with no clutter. I felt very unwelcome and was terrified of making a mess.

Grannie was born 1912 and only left the farmhouse she was born in to go into residential care when she was very ill with alzheimers. It was an incredibly welcoming home although dark by today's standards. Lots of ornaments from travels and photo's and pictures. Lots of very old furniture but modern touches too - like a pink bathroom suite .

If anyone watched the Bamber documentary drama, the interior resonated. They had the same wallpaper, the kitchen was similar and so were the lamps. I suppose typical 70s middle class farmers.