The designers of the New Town were surprisingly perceptive when it came to the needs of those living in flats. I’ve mentioned the pram cupboards before, many of those are still in use across the town. Less often found now are the drying greens though - areas where flat-dwellers could hang their washing outside. This was not an entirely altruistic view of course, before the days of tumble dryers having wet washing lingering about indoors wasn’t good for the buildings or their inhabitants.
Most of the drying greens have disappeared now - there’s no sign of the one at the flats we used to live in, at Cooks Spinney though, tucked away behind the flats are two unassuming wooden fences, and behind a relatively new gate installed in the first…
Not only a drying area, but one which very much appears to still be in use.
The second area isn’t in as good a condition and clearly isn’t still used.
I’m not sure whether there are any others of these areas still in use at other flats in the town - I’m not aware of any, but will start keeping a closer eye out as we’re out and about to see. I love that this bit of social history survives though - over 70 years of (mostly) women pegging their laundry out, chatting and putting the world to rights. A meeting place as well as a functional one.
No comments:
Post a Comment