Genealogy Chat

When I dragged myself out of bed at 6 a.m. in my centrally heated bedroom today, having punched the alarm clock several times it occurred to me - how on earth did our ancestors get up and get to work on time? I doubt they had a clock, and though they had knockers up in certain areas where every house was a company house, that wouldnt be viable in an area like Stepney.

that's why they had roosters ! Up at dawn. Or maybe church bells in the city?

From all I've read it seems to have been the woman of the house who made sure that the men got off on time. With looking after all the children cooking washing and still having time to scrub the front step its a wonder they ever sleeped. On a more serious note, with most people starting work at the same time and working local (compared to today) I should have thought the noise in the Terrace houses ensured you never over sleeped. Keith

On the same lines, but at a tangent, Does slipshod mean sleep - shod, ie half asleep? I've found it used without being the least bit derogative about female servants working in the early morning.

I suppose slip could = nightgown, undergarment and shod = wearing?

I'm sure I've read somewhere that you paid the bloke who lit the street lamps to chuck gravel at the window. Of course if you were in some of the lodgings in the east end, you'd be woken by the night worker who slept in your bed during the day and if you were one of the unfortunates who couldn't afford a bed, I doubt you had much trouble waking when you'd spent the night draped over a piece of rope for ha'penny a night.

Webster's 1913 Dictionary Definition: \Slip'shod`\, a. 1. Wearing shoes or slippers down at the heel. The shivering urchin bending as he goes, With slipshod heels. --Cowper. 2. Figuratively: Careless in dress, manners, style, etc.; slovenly; shuffling; as, slipshod manners; a slipshod or loose style of writing. Thy wit shall ne'er go slipshod. --Shak

If you think about it people in the 1800 and befor had no tv, lights (just candels and lamps) no money for the pub basicly nothing to do exsept make lots of little ancestors so it was early to bed early to rise. and on the subject of sayings I have found ref to Slip-on -shod feet so at a guess I would say its more to do with sliping on the floor than getting up.

I suppose that would beg the question, who got the bloke who put out the street lights up. It is genuinely fascinating, because if you were getting up that many people, the poor devil at the start of your route would be up very early indeed and the last one .......? Dreadful when you think about it. Dragging yourself up in a freezing dark hovel of a couple of rooms if you were lucky - half a dozen kids screaming - at least one of them ill probably - hardly anything to eat, cold water to wash then back carrying heavy sacks at the docks all day. Doesnt bear thinking about does it. No wonder they had a problem with cheap gin - must have drowned their misery for a short while.

When you find out the answer, please let me know. I overslept this morning and was nearly late for work!!

There you are Angela, you just need to find a man with a long pole willing to bang on your window!

Heather - there really is no answer to that !!!

Which leads nicely on to 'I saw a man walking down the street with a long pole I said are you a Pole Vaulter and he said no I'm German but how did you know my name. Keith

lol

Will you stop making me titter please - I am supposed to be doing a serious job here!!