Admit your ignorance - things you've only just realised/learned

Page may contain affiliate links. Please see terms for details.

ColinJ

Puzzle game procrastinator!
I recently discovered ( a year or so back) that my mother was born in a workhouse.
Mrs Colly had taken to doing family history and she's good at it. She noticed an anomaly with regards to my grandmother's address and the listed address of the birth place on my mums birth certificate. Home births in those days were common, especially if you were poor, and this stood out.
So Mrs Colly sought the advice of her family histories tutor.
It turn out that mum was born out of wedlock in a workhouse on Nothumberland Street, Paddington. It used to be simply described as 'workhouse' but to avoid stigma the address was listed instead.
I knew my nan came from a poor back ground but I never knew she had things that difficult😢
I have no idea if my.mum knew this or not.
Blimey, I just learned something new then. I thought that they all closed in the 1800s, but I just checked - apparently, the last one closed as late as 1948!! :eek:
 

raleighnut

Legendary Member
Blimey, I just learned something new then. I thought that they all closed in the 1800s, but I just checked - apparently, the last one closed as late as 1948!! :eek:

The Irish version was the 'Magdalene Laundries' and the last one closed in 1996
 

glasgowcyclist

Charming but somewhat feckless
Location
Scotland
Bairn was, well, it was about, but not as common... In my area anyway.

I'm probably more familiar with it as it's been how the rest of my family has referred to me since I was born.

Obviously the other siblings were bairns too, but since I was the last to arrive, I became, and held on to the title of, The Bairn.

They still call me it now. 🙂
 

Dave7

Legendary Member
Location
Cheshire
The Irish version was the 'Magdalene Laundries' and the last one closed in 1996

My late MiL was sent there. When she was 14 she was raped by one of her brothers. He was not punished but she was sent there. She was there for some time before her older sister rescued her.
My SiL is a singer/songwriter and published a very moving song about it.
 

Tenkaykev

Guru
Location
Poole
My late MiL was sent there. When she was 14 she was raped by one of her brothers. He was not punished but she was sent there. She was there for some time before her older sister rescued her.
My SiL is a singer/songwriter and published a very moving song about it.

A bit of history with my mum too being born out of wedlock in an Irish hospital for " fallen women " run by nuns.
 

Dave7

Legendary Member
Location
Cheshire
If you are driving on even a B road and come to a set of temporary lights at eg roadworks and YOU KNOW they are stuck on red........ it is still ilegal to go through. Even if the road is quiet and you KNOW FOR CERTAIN there is no oncoming traffic it is still ilegal.
The advice is to turn round and find another route.......yeah, like that's going to happen.
 

Andy in Germany

Legendary Member
BMW and minis (sprinters too come to think of it) need a foot in the clutch to start. Don't ask me how I know! 🤣

I think that may be a German thing: the golf I learned in had the same. I don't know if that's "normal" because I did it automatically on every car I drove after that.
 

Electric_Andy

Heavy Metal Fan
Location
Plymouth
BMW and minis (sprinters too come to think of it) need a foot in the clutch to start. Don't ask me how I know! 🤣

I'm fairly used to doing that in any car. Most tractors I used to drive had that feature so it's force of habit. Weirdly our Renault requires a foot on the brake (not clutch) to start. I think it has more to do with push button starts I.e it's easier to press a button by mistake than turn a key
 
Top Bottom