By registering with our site you will have full instant access to:
268,000 posts on every subject imaginable contributed by 1000's of members worldwide.
25000 photos and videos mainly relating to the British Merchant Navy.
Members experienced in research to help you find out about friends and relatives who served.
The camaraderie of 1000's of ex Merchant Seamen who use the site for recreation & nostalgia.
Here we are all equal whether ex Deck Boy or Commodore of the Fleet.
A wealth of experience and expertise from all departments spanning 70+ years.
It is simple to register and membership is absolutely free.
N.B. If you are going to be requesting help from one of the forums with finding historical details of a relative
please include as much information as possible to help members assist you. We certainly need full names,
date and place of birth / death where possible plus any other details you have such as discharge book numbers etc.
Please post all questions onto the appropriate forum
As i feel there are quite a few on here that have NOT updated their Email addresses, can you please do so. It is of importance that your Email is current, so as we can contact you if applicable . Send me the details in my Private Message Box.
Thank You Doc Vernon
-
10th January 2016, 11:19 PM
#1
The year is 1915
The average life expectancy for men was 47 years.
Fuel for cars was sold in chemists only.
Only 14 percent of the homes had a bath.
Only 8 percent of the homes had a telephone.
The maximum speed limit in most cities was 10 mph.
The tallest structure in the world was the Eiffel Tower.
The average British wage in 1915 was £15 per year!
A competent accountant could expect to earn £800 per year.
A dentist £900 per year.
A vet between £600 and £900 per year.
And, a mechanical engineer about £2000 per year.
More than 95 percent of all births took place at home.
Ninety percent of all Doctors had no university education!
Instead, they attended so-called medical schools, many of which were condemned in the press AND the government as "substandard."
Sugar cost two pence a pound.
Eggs were 10 pence a dozen.
Coffee was five pence a pound.
Most women only washed their hair once a month, and, used Borax or egg yolks for shampoo.
Canada passed a law that prohibited poor people from entering into their country for any reason.
The Five leading causes of death were:
1. Pneumonia and influenza
2. Tuberculosis
3. Diarrhoea
4. Heart disease
5. Stroke
The American flag had 45 stars.
The population of Las Vegas , Nevada was only 30.
Canned beer, had not been invented yet.
Two out of every 10 adults couldn't read or write and, only 6 percent of all British pupils went to university.
Marijuana, heroin, and morphine were all available over the counter at local corner chemists.
Back then chemists said, "Heroin clears the complexion, gives buoyancy to the mind, regulates the stomach, bowels, and is, in fact, a perfect guardian of health!"
Eighteen percent of households had at least one full-time servant or domestic help.
There were about 230 reported murders in the ENTIRE U.S.A.! In 2014 this figure had risen to 14,249.
In the UK the murder rate in 1915 was 1420. In 2015 it was 537. [Apparently, who would have thought]
I am now going to forward this to someone else without typing it myself.
From there, it will be sent to others all over the WORLD all in a matter of seconds!
Can you imagine what it may be like in another 100 years.
Happy to be corrected on any of the above as some seem incredulous
-
Post Thanks / Like
-
11th January 2016, 04:52 AM
#2
Re: The year is 1915
Hi Marian
I would hate to read in another hundred years, [that is if I'm still around}that the ENTIRE USA had been murdered.
Cheers Des
-
Post Thanks / Like
-
11th January 2016, 05:14 AM
#3
Re: The year is 1915
Only 14% of homes had baths. No doubt that is where we in Oz get the idea that Poms are not known for washing.


Happy daze John in Oz.
Life is too short to blend in.
John Strange R737787
World Traveller

-
Post Thanks / Like
-
11th January 2016, 05:47 AM
#4
Re: The year is 1915

Originally Posted by
happy daze john in oz
Only 14% of homes had baths. No doubt that is where we in Oz get the idea that Poms are not known for washing.
A big round galvanised tub brought in front of the living room fire which had a big kettle hanging from a hook to heat the water. I remember it well, John - in country Australia!
Richard
Our Ship was our Home
Our Shipmates our Family

-
Post Thanks / Like
-
11th January 2016, 07:40 AM
#5
Re: The year is 1915

Originally Posted by
happy daze john in oz
Only 14% of homes had baths. No doubt that is where we in Oz get the idea that Poms are not known for washing.
I believe in Australia it was 0.014% John, and they were tin tubs, I mean in the UK where else could you keep your coal, be reasonable!
-
Post Thanks / Like
-
11th January 2016, 08:01 AM
#6
Re: The year is 1915
There were also 240 pence to the pound, 4 farthings to the penny or two halfpence. 12 pence to a shilling. 20 shillings to the pound. and 21 shillings to the guinea. Children had to learn their tables or were not considered educated. Kids today as far as I know do not even learn the alphabet. Modern teaching is always changing at various peoples whim who if they themselves did not learn such as youngsters, who qualifies them to take up the role of educating our children. Education always a debateable point. When they say so many youngsters have not reached such and such targets, I often wonder what those targets are. Most of us grew up with the three R's being the objective of a modest education, modern education leaves me baffled. Education comes with life itself and one never stops learning until dead. So if one is lucky and live a long life without senility getting in one has every chance of being another Einstein. Ha!!! We should be so lucky, also believe his sex life was nothing to brag about. Was said to be brilliant but as someone said previously he was a different person to what the general public saw. as to bathrooms one of my Aunts didn't have one all her married life and she died about 1985 Bathroomless. Cheers JS PS or as some might say that story has a smell about it. JS
Last edited by j.sabourn; 11th January 2016 at 08:23 AM.
-
Post Thanks / Like
-
11th January 2016, 08:34 AM
#7
Re: The year is 1915
#6, John, My grandsons' Alexander 8, knew his alphabet pre school but was still taught regardless aged five, doing the same with youngest Hamish 3, to prepare him. As for Einstein, perhaps a comment from one of his ex wives! He had numerous mistresses, needed practice perhaps........
Last edited by gray_marian; 11th January 2016 at 08:42 AM.
-
Post Thanks / Like
-
11th January 2016, 09:47 AM
#8
Re: The year is 1915
Re: #7
Einstein, a mathematical genius had quite obviously calculated his performance ability duration and scale against his life expectancy and was thus insuring against later disappointment.
Richard
Our Ship was our Home
Our Shipmates our Family

-
Post Thanks / Like
-
11th January 2016, 09:53 AM
#9
Re: The year is 1915
#7... Marian, although my daughter has a first class honours degree in Bachelor of Education, she still had to do further work before she was accepted to teach in Scotland. Which leaves me to believe that maybe Scotland has a bit better or higher standards than England as regards Education. Personally I think degrees passed in Cambridge or Oxford are purely for the snobbish and any degree from any University should be of the same high standard and probably is. Scottish Universitys are of the same high standards and certainly set a high bench mark when it comes to teaching our youngsters at junior and senior school levels. As regards Einstein by all accounts would not turn my back on him. My daughter although only in her early 50"s now teaches or did in England, but was not enamoured in teaching anymore and only goes in as an aid when necessary, and probably wouldnt even do that if it wasn't for the money. Some of the stories she came home with in her early years teaching 5 to 11 year olds I wouldn't repeat on here. Cheers JS
-
Post Thanks / Like
N/A thanked for this post
-
12th January 2016, 05:31 AM
#10
Re: The year is 1915
There were also two sixpences to a shilling and four three penny bits as well.
But education now, I have serious doubts about the progress it attempts to make. There is no effort now to get the students to use their brain for storage of knowledge or to be able to work out problems, do simple maths etc. Now a very nice guy by the name of GOOGLE does it all for them. Now driverless cars are coming along as well as other items which will see man with nothing to do for him self. How long before the brain begins to die from lack of use? Then how long before automatic robots take over? Man could well become obsolete.


Happy daze John in Oz.
Life is too short to blend in.
John Strange R737787
World Traveller

-
Post Thanks / Like
Tags for this Thread
Posting Permissions
- You may not post new threads
- You may not post replies
- You may not post attachments
- You may not edit your posts
-
Forum Rules