Day 28. The Warming Pan

 

Few people today can  remember huddling in a cold bed, blankets tucked as tight as possible, trying to get warm enough to sleep on a winter's night. With no central heating and a coal grate in the bedroom only likely in the bigger houses, a cold bed was a normality.

The most basic solution to the problem on the coldest nights was a brick,  heated in the fire and left under the covers for a while before bedtime.

Stone hot-water bottles were also available, and wealthier households could afford a warming pan. These became increasingly common during the 20^th century. They were filled with hot coals from the fire, the lid carefully sealed and then left under the blankets to make a cosy bed.

Many people still have them, hanging up as household ornaments.