Posted by Dave Bamford on April 14, 2001 at 09:55:20 from 203.166.235.58:
In Reply to: Re: Electricity at Holly Howe? posted by Pete G on April 13, 2001 at 19:47:05:
Having spent my early youth in just such a house in deepest Leafy Warwickshire during the 1940's, I can attest that electrickery was nowhere near our house. I do not think that it had even reached the local village. We ate by a Tilley lamp, which gave a wonderful light which one could even read by! Otherwise we used Hurricane Lamps fuelled by paraffin [a.k.a. kerosene]. When my brother and I went to bed, we took a candle in a candle-holder to see where we were going. signalling by candle would be simply done by holding one's hand up beside the flame, but not too closely, to interrupt the direct light path to the other party. The degree of illumination of the room generally has been greatly exaggerated by previous correspondents. Compared to darkness, it was fine, but compared to the candle flame, it was gloomy. Small glazed candle-lanterns were also not rare, and these could be swung around with impunity.