In the 50s Do It Yourself was a necessity, not a hobby. Main
differences to now? Hand tools as opposed to power; drilling a hole in a brick
wall using a hand powered drill took quite a while; hand saws were not a
choice, they were the only option. When plugging a wall prior to inserting a
screw a sort of fibre plug, almost always a Rawlplug was, I think, the only
option. Screwdrivers were all for slot headed screws. I think that tools were
more expensive in real terms but, on the plus side, they tended to be better
made and more solid. A lot of exterior paint had lead in it which made it last
longer; some interior paints had lead too which tended to be not so good for health!
If re-roofing an outhouse or shed, corrugated asbestos was a favourite –
fireproof, good insulating properties, light and easy to saw; I think it was
only in the 70s that it was discovered that it also killed.
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