These ’40 greatest 70s household dangers’ are a mildly terrifying nostalgic treat
Number 20
The working class shower. Burnt scalp with a side order of waterboarding. pic.twitter.com/7rSzLyA8wo
— Memorial Device (@memorialdevice) November 6, 2020
Number 19
Clackers. Broken wrists or shrapnel injuries. Take your pick. pic.twitter.com/yx00qdMWX7
— Memorial Device (@memorialdevice) November 6, 2020
Number 18
The rotary whisk. The weapon of choice in sibling household disputes. Caused our sisters hair to be almost shaved. Twice. pic.twitter.com/J6fLHDjtwI
— Memorial Device (@memorialdevice) November 6, 2020
Number 17
Bubbly. Deadly if swallowed. Something to do with getting caught around your kidneys/appendix/rib cage. pic.twitter.com/fwjvmnW7KH
— Memorial Device (@memorialdevice) November 6, 2020
Number 16
The Chopper bike. Worshipped by wide-eyed kids. DEATHTRAPS according to killjoy adults. pic.twitter.com/nBc7qtATCP
— Memorial Device (@memorialdevice) November 6, 2020
Number 15
The Chipomatic. Da won it in a raffle. Came out of the box to gasps from the family, immediately realising the potential for carnage. Boxed up by Ma and never seen again. pic.twitter.com/vtaKru1YUD
— Memorial Device (@memorialdevice) November 6, 2020
Number 14
The sinister pressure cooker. We were terrified of it. A bomb in every kitchen. pic.twitter.com/Op5QgZHXmn
— Memorial Device (@memorialdevice) November 6, 2020
Number 13
Mild alcohol poisoning from drinking the stuff that nobody else would touch while babysitting pic.twitter.com/CgExk3iibZ
— Memorial Device (@memorialdevice) November 6, 2020
Number 12
The ubiquitous pellet gun. pic.twitter.com/KiwF0dYeAQ
— Memorial Device (@memorialdevice) November 6, 2020
Number 11
The electric blanket pic.twitter.com/8V1ZR57fNI
— Memorial Device (@memorialdevice) November 6, 2020
Number 10
The Superser calor gas heater. In the hall for ‘central’ heating. The upside: very efficient. The downside: made the house smell like a scrapyard. pic.twitter.com/eZpCaYvF2z
— Memorial Device (@memorialdevice) November 6, 2020
Number 9
The bathroom ceiling heater. Could only be used for 10 mins before it tripped out the whole house. Sometimes the whole street. Loosely fitted ABOVE THE BATH pic.twitter.com/z1Xdy3LFmR
— Memorial Device (@memorialdevice) November 6, 2020
Number 8
The coal effect fire. Established the myth that it was fine to touch hot coal. Electric shocks galore. Gave off worrying ‘dry’ heat. pic.twitter.com/A4Tnc2GcsM
— Memorial Device (@memorialdevice) November 6, 2020
Number 7
Vosene. Thankfully, the original formula is now banned under the Geneva convention. pic.twitter.com/ADlUed9HN6
— Memorial Device (@memorialdevice) November 6, 2020
Number 6
The powered mangle. Devoid of a single safety feature. Those were the days. pic.twitter.com/E8IJDnTNjp
— Memorial Device (@memorialdevice) November 6, 2020
Number 5
CALL THE POLICE!https://t.co/OvYVq0Mxvt
— Memorial Device (@memorialdevice) November 6, 2020
Number 4
The mysterious immersion heater. Genuinely believing that putting it on for more than 10 mins would decimate the family finances forever. And leaving it on for more than 15 minutes would blow up the entire street. “WHO LEFT THE BASTARD IMMERSION ON ?!?” pic.twitter.com/DpuuOcxl6c
— Memorial Device (@memorialdevice) November 6, 2020
Number 3
The electric carving knife
The self-proclaimed ‘head of the house’ wobbling in from the pub, insisting that he cuts the roast. 10 mins later: at best struggling to pick up his knife and fork with his bandaged hands. At worst, looking for his finger-end in the gravy. pic.twitter.com/POPslU52hD
— Memorial Device (@memorialdevice) November 6, 2020
Number 2
Drawing the fire. What could possibly go wrong? pic.twitter.com/vKdgi3UdAa
— Memorial Device (@memorialdevice) November 6, 2020
****Number 1****
The chip pan. Caught fire so often, it wasn’t even an event when it did. Never cleaned. To wash it would be to kill it. Produced the best chips on the planet. pic.twitter.com/ud1LB6Tcdh
— Memorial Device (@memorialdevice) November 6, 2020
To conclude …
The 70’s
“IT’S A PERFECT PLACE….FOR AN ACCIDENT”.https://t.co/1tP3Ce08uR
— Memorial Device (@memorialdevice) November 6, 2020
And a few things people said about it.
that over the bath one bar electric heater with pull string better be at No 1
— frenchbloke (@frenchbloke) November 6, 2020
The Z bed at my Grans gave me the fear.
Thing was like a bear trap. pic.twitter.com/uqMD9x7IXa— Scott Hastie (@scotthastie) November 6, 2020
Coal Tar Vapour Lamp has to be in the top 10
When you had a bad chest, and a mini-stove fired by tea-lights releasing an overnight dose of toxic fog of polycyclic and long-chain hydrocarbons was thought to be a good idea
(Picture to follow..)
— Nick Hawksworth (@eye2iart) November 6, 2020
— Nick Hawksworth (@eye2iart) November 6, 2020
My mum used an old car battery to keep the side gate shut when we were kids. I always had acid burn holes in the cuffs of my Millets jeans from moving it to get out to play in the street,
— David Moor (@DavidRogMoor) November 6, 2020
Fabulous.
See also: creosote, everyone’s dad had a bucket of carcinogenic fence muck in the shed. If it dissolves the brush, it’s not going to do your skin much good.
The smell of the 70s summer.
— Dr. Sundry Letters 🇪🇺 (@SalCross) November 6, 2020
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