My father having received injuries, was awarded a one off payment to 'ease his difficulties'.
A payment of £10, a 'furniture deposit.
Then that was a major sum.
With that, my mother and father bought a bureau, a set of chairs and a massive kitchen table and a bed. It was known as Utility Mark furniture. It was 90% of solid oak. Only the back of the bureau was in plywood (eventually I replaced that). The table was oak boards one and a quarter inch thick, on sold frame legs. The bed was a giant steel sprung base and oak ends.
How much can you get for a tenner now?
The table was used in Treneere, prefab and house, taken up to Teddington and was left there. The bed finally was broken up and used on the chicken coop in Treneere (it was all too heavy and in no way does modern chipboard furniture compare), and I still have the bureau.
