FATHER’S LODGING BOX

Father’s lodging box was kept under the sconce in the pantry. It appeared in the scullery when Father was assigned a two -day job with an overnight. Generally this meant taking a train to Kentish Town, the LMS goods terminal in London, spending the night in the barracks, thenworking a train back the next day. There were no canteens until about 1947 so the men took their own food.

The box was made of metal and was about 12 inches by 8 inches and 8 inches deep. The lid was domed and had a small compartment in the lid secured by a long steel pin so that some foods, such as cake, could be kept separate. It had a brass plate engraved with Father’s name and, of course, a carrying handle.

I am not sure what was put in the box other than rashers of bacon, eggs and bread. It seemed like an adventure although we were used to the weekly rotation of mornings, afternoons and nights so that comings and goings at different times were part of life. When Father needed to go to work during the night according to what time he had to pick up a train, the knocker-up came to the house on a bicycle. He knocked on the bed-room window “da da da dada” and waited for the response “da da”. This was to the rhythm of eye-tiddley-eye-tie.