Homes (Glenbeigh N.S. Folklore Project)

  • Homes were built with stones and mortar, roofed with thatch or corrugated iron.
  • Thatch was rushes or white straw from Rossbeigh.
  • Floors were concrete – some were earthen if people had no money for concrete.
  • Electricity arrived in 1958 to 1960. Before electricity, they used oil lamps or candles for light.
    • Oil for the lamps was bought in containers from Evans shop in the village.
    • The lamps had a wick for lighting that soaked up the oil and they had a glass globe to protect the flame.
  • There was no running water.It was drawn in small containers from a well or a pump to fill barrels for everyday use. There were no bugs in it. There was a special bucket for drinking water. Some people used a spring well called, The GRAUN.
  • The door of the house was always open.
  • There were 3 rooms, 2 bedrooms and a kitchen. There were no bathrooms or indoor toilets. Sometimes the gable side of the house had a small window.
  • Furniture was basic. There was, usually, a long hard wooden seat in the kitchen, and maybe some cushions.
  • They had a dresser for the ware, and a table.
  • All cooking was done on an open fire. There was a crane over the fireplace for hanging pots and saucepans for cooking with kettles for boiling water.
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