A History of the Ministry of Information, 1939-46
5. CENTRAL HEATING
5.0 In the tabulated results there are the main reactions to the direct questions about central heating. There are however, a number of wider points which arose in the course of the interview. The following are some of the points raised:-
5.1 RELATION OF CENTRAL HEATING TO COOKING
In some parts of the country, more particularly in the north of England coalfield areas, housewives found it very difficult to imagine central heating in relation to their present cooking habits, as will be seen from the replies in the question about cooking preferences. In these areas where there is a long tradition of coal cooking and where coal has been cheap, there is a strong prejudice against any other form of cooking.
Bread baking again introduces a similar complication. In the north of England the large kitchen range was designed to cook bread for a family in one session. The small gas stove so often supplied, and the gas grill familiar in Scotland, would make home baking impossible, so that when the question of central heating was raised the problem of breadbaking was involved.
5.2 THE FIRE AS THE CENTRE OF THE LIVING ROOM
In their discussions with housewives our field workers reported that a very great many people found central heating would deprive them of a very essential focal point of family activity, as is expressed in such remarks as “You couldn't very well sit round a radiator after tea” or “The room would be cheerless without a nice bright fire”. The need for some focal point for the ordinary social activities of the family was very strongly emphasised. The gas fire would, perhaps, fill this need, but an electric fire was often thought to be less satisfactory, unless, as was mentioned in one case, it was an electric fire designed to look like a coal fire with the flickering shadow and flame. Another factor was that the fire was “company” for the housewife when she was alone during the day and that she would miss having it and having to pay it attention,
5.3 CLOTHES DRYING
Some housewives call attention to the fact that the fire is used very much in the winter for the drying and airing of clothes. The clothes horse, a common article of domestic furniture, is designed for use essentially with the open coal fire.
It should also be pointed out that there was often a division of opinion within the family about coal fires and central heating. In some cases the wives would prefer central heating on account of the saving in labour, but the husbands (this was mentioned particularly in farming areas) looked forward to the fire on their return from work. In other cases the wives were conservative and the husbands more willing to experiment.
5.4 LIKES AND DISLIKES ABOUT CENTRAL HEATING
Table 31
To introduce the subject of central heating and to prepare the housewife for the later questions, she was asked “If she had any likes or dislikes about central heating. This question was entirely unprompted.
There were some 5,187 answers, of which 34.0% were favourable, 44.3% were neutral and 20.9% were unfavourable.
Of the favourable replies, most, 25.8%were an unspecified preference. In the neutral group the greater proportion, 35.2% were unable to express any opinion.
In the unfavourable group the most important answer was “cheerless”8.5%.
There were no appreciable differences in the preference of the different age groups, or of persons living in old, as compared with new, houses.
5.4 1 LIKES AND DISLIKES ABOUT CENTRAL HEATING ANALYSED BY DEGREE-DAY REGIONS
The analysis of likes and dislikes by region show in a qualitative form the main conclusions of the statistical analysis.
The totals of answers in the three categories show interesting differences. Central heating is liked most in the warmest region, disliked equally in the three colder regions, whilst the degree-day Regions II and III regions have the largest proportions of neutral answers.
There were 5,187 answers to this question. The proportion of these answers which stated that central heating was cheerless was 19.7% in the coldest region and only 5.2% in the warmest region. It should be said, however, that the psychological comfort derived from a fire may be more appreciated in colder and less sunny parts of the country, than it is in the warmer parts so that this objection to central heating is not wholly irrational The proportion of housewives who stated that they did not like central heating was 14.5% in the coldest region and only 5.7% in the warmest.
5.5 CENTRAL HEATING EXPERIENCE
Table 32
Housewives were asked in question 14b, whether they had had any direct experience of central heating.
Much of the experience was that of public institutions, hotels, hospitals, libraries, of work places, offices or private houses in the case of former domestic servants, and in a few cases of experience in houses and flats (a few in Canada).
Of the 5,175 housewives who answered this question one-third had had direct experience of central heating and two-thirds had not. There was no important difference between the income groups.
5.5 1 THE INFLUENCE OF CENTRAL HEATING EXPERIENCE ON LIKES AND DISLIKES ABOUT CENTRAL HEATING
Table 33
In this question the comments made by housewives who had had some experience of central heating were compared with the comments made with those who stated that they had had none.
There were 1,671 comments made by housewives with experience of central heating and 3,331 made by housewives without this experience.
The first category, those who would not offer any determined opinion was 15.8% of the answers of housewives with experience, as compared with 44.6% of the housewives with no such experience. Those stating they preferred it were 38.2% of the housewives with central heating experience and 20.7% of the others. These were the main categories in which there were considerable differences. They show, however, that experience is a very important factor in influencing opinion on this subject.
5.5 2 ANALYSIS BY AGE
Table 33
The analysis by age shows that the proportion who were undetermined was Table the same, or nearly so, in each age group with experience, between 14% and 17%, 33 and similarly the same in each age group with no experience, between 44% and 46%. There were likewise only small differences in the age groups amongst those who had experience and preferred it and those who had no experience and preferred it.
5.5 3 ANALYSIS BY REGION
In this analysis the same tendency shows in each region that the housewives with experience of central heating are more positive in their opinions and a greater proportion preferred it. In a similar way to the other analyses housewives in the warmer regions appear to have a greater preference for central heating than those in the colder region (the number of housewives with experience of central heating in Region I is too small to be useful).
5.5 4 LIKES AND DISLIKES OF CENTRAL HEATING ANALYSED BY URBAN & RURAL DISTRICIS
The total of answers by housewives who had had experience or had not had experience of central heating were analysed into Urban and Rural and certain differences emerged, particularly in the sample of housewives who had not had any experience of central heating.
Amongst those who had had experience of central heating, there was a greater proportion of answers indicating preference amongst the urban housewives than amongst the rural, 39.8% compared with 30%. There was, on the other hard, very little difference in the proportion of answers which stated they were unable to express an opinion, 15.8% and 16.5%. Between these two opinions the neutral, “no objection”, was expressed by rather more rural housewives than urban housewives.
The curious feature of the urban sample with experience was the large proportion (15%) of answers which stated that central heating was unhealthy.
Amongst the housewives without experience there was a greater proportion who could not express an opinion in the country than in the town 42.7% in the town compared with 52.8% in the country. The neutral category of “no objection” was again slightly larger in the country than in the town, and although as has already been seen, the proportion of persons who would prefer central heating was much smaller amongst those without experience of it, this was much less in the country than in the town - 13.1% compared with 22.4%.
5.6 HOUSEWIVES VIEWS ABOUT SOME ALTERNATIVE CENTRAL HEATING & HOT WATER SUPPLY SYSTEM
The subject of central heating having thus been introduced, series of questions were asked to discover to what extent housewives were willing to accept and pay for some alternative central heating and hot water supply,(questions 15 to 22). As will be seen from the questionnaire the saving of labour by these schemes was pointed out. The alternatives were:-
(i) Central Heating in all rooms and Constant Hot Water in the Kitchen and bathroom without a boiler in the house.
(ii)The same but without coal fires (Questions 15, 16 and 17)
(iii) Central Heating in the sitting room and constant hot water in the kitchen and bathroom without a boiler in the house.
(iv) The same but without coal fires (Questions 18, 19 and 20) Housewives were also asked what part of the house they would prefer to have heated in this way and the reason for their choice. (Questions 21 and 22 ).
The results are given question by question in the following pages.
5.6 1 Question 15 - “ WOULD YOU LIKE CENTRAL HEATING IN ALL ROOMS AND CONSTANT HOT WATER IN THE BATHROOM AND KITCHEN? ”
Table 36
Some 4,984 housewives answered this question of whom 3,724, 74.7% stated that they would like it.
5.6 11 ANALYSIS BY AGE
Table 34
The analysis by age showed that the greatest proportion of housewives who would like central heating were in the youngest age group, with less proportions in each of the older groups. although the difference was not large,80.5% answering Yes in the under 30's as compared with 68% answering Yes in the over 50's. This answer may be related to the greater conservatism of the older people in relation to cooking.
5.6 12 ANALYSIS BY INCOME
In this analysis a slightly greater proportion of housewives in the higher income group would like this form of central heating than in the lower,76.6% compared with 72.5%.
5.6 13 ANALYSIS BY DEGREE-DAY REGIONS
Table 35
It was decided to analyse the results first of all by region on a Degree Day Basis to see whether or not there was ary relation between the attitude to central heating and the real needs judged by this basis. It was found, however, that the opposite was the case; Region I the coldest had only 44% of Yes answers, Region II 71.3%, Region III 74.2% and Region IV 80.4%. It seems, therefore, that the attitude to central heating is not related to heating needs. The answers are therefore analysed further on a geographical basis because although Region I, on a Degree day basis, is very largely the Pennine Region and although Region IV is mainly south, there is a considerable spread.
5.6 14 ANALYSIS BY GEOGRAPHICAL REGIONS
Table 36
The differences in the geographical regions are less than in the Degree-day regions, but they show a curious feature, namely that in England there is no great difference between the Midlands. London and the S, West, 78.5%, 79.7% and 76.4% of the housewives in each region answering Yes, but the proportion in the north is smaller, being only 68.2%. The proportion in Scotland is 74.1% (Table 44).
5.6 15 ANALYSIS BY URBAN AND RURAL DISTRICTS
Table 37
There was a small difference between the preferences of the urban and rural housewife as would be expected. The proportion of urban housewives who would like central heating was 75.6% compared with 69.5% of the rural sample.
5.6 16 OLD AND NEW HOUSES
There was no important difference between the attitudes of housewives living in old and new houses.
5.6 2 PAYMENT FOR CENTRAL HEATING TO ALL ROOMS AND CONSTANT HOT WATER TO BATHROOM AND KITCHEN
Table 38
Question 16 asked “If there was a charge for the winter months, how much would you be prepared to pay” and suggestions from 5/- to 2/6d. were made in dutch auction style. About 2,600 housewives were prepared to make some payment and about 3,900 housewives answered the question. This is somewhat more than the total number who stated that they would like central heating and is 20 accounted for by the fact that a few housewives who had already stated that they did not want central heating answered that they did not know how much they would be prepared to pay for it.
Of the total number who answered this question, about a third were prepared to pay up to 5/-, one half would pay up to 3/6d. whilst two-thirds would pay up to 2/6d., the rest would either pay nothing or were unable to make a decision.
5.6 21 ANALYSIS BY INCOME
Table 38
There is a considerable difference between income groups.
The higher income group is much more positive in its opinions; only 23.9% said they did not know what they would pay as compared with 32.1% in the lower income group.
The higher income groups are also prepared to pay rather more, for example 39% are prepared to pay up to 5/- compared with 25% in the lower income group. The proportions willing to pay up to 3/6d. and up to 2/6d are likewise higher in the higher income group. The proportion unwilling to pay any tiling for this service is lower in the higher income group, 5.9% compared with 9.7%.
5.6 22 ANALYSIS BY REGION
Table 39
The analysis by region shows a considerable difference when it is compared with the analysis of Question 15 which asked whether people would like central heating. Although in Question 15 the number who stated that they would like central heating was lowest in the colder regions and highest in the warmest, when the more definite question of weighing the value of central heating against a cash outlay was put it was found that, although central heating was of least cash value in the coldest region, the second lowest proportion of housewives who were prepared to pay 5/- a week, the top price, was found in the warmest region. In the up to 3/6d. group the order from the highest to the lowest proportions were Region III, Region I, Region II and Region IV. In the up to 2/6d. group the order was Region III, Region II, Region I and Region IV. These results show a conflict between two factors, one the greater conservatism of the north and the other the need for the service in relation to climate. The warmest region also had the highest proportion of persons in it who answered that they did not know what they would be prepared to pay, indicating a less decided attitude towards central heating in face of a possible charge for the service.
5.6 23 URBAN AND RURAL DISTRICTS
There were no very great differences between the urban and the rural sample.
5.6 24 ANALYSIS BY AGE
Table 40
As would be expected from other analyses that have been made by age the older housewives in the sample were less willing to pay for central heating. The proportion in the youngest group who were prepared to pay up to 5/- was 38% as compared with 28% in the oldest group. In the category who were prepared to pay 3/6d. the proportions were 58.9% compared with 43.3% and in the category who were prepared to pay 2/6d., 73.4% compared with 54.5%.
5.6 25 ANALYSIS INTO OLD AND NEW HOUSES
There was no important difference between the attitudes of housewives living in old and those living in new houses.
5.6 3 Question 17 - “ WOULD YOU STILL LIKE CENTRAL HEATING CONSTANT HOT WATER IF THERE WERE NO COAL FIRE PLACES IN THE HOUSE? ”
Table 41
This question was devised to find out how far the prejudice in favour open fire was operative in the minds of housewives, as it was a subject was frequently commented upon during the interview and about which was considerable feeling. The analysis of the 4,178 answers to this question showed that 39.5% of the housewives would like central heating under conditions compared with 60.5%who would not. Those figures compared “No coal fire places”, so that this represented a loss of nearly a half of the housewives who were in favour of central heating,
5.6 31 ANALISIS BY INCOME
There was no important difference between the two income groups in this analysis.
5.6 32 ANALYSIS BY DEGREE-DAY REGION
Table 41
The analysis by region shows a similar trend to the analysis of Question 15,in so far as the most conservative group are those in the coldest region, proportion here being only 20.7%, little more than half the national proportion. The other three regions show an almost identicalproportion of Yes answers, around 40%.
5.6 33 URBAN AND RURAL.
There was no significant difference between the answers of urban and rural housewives.
5.6 4 Question 18 “ WOULD YOU LIKE CENTRAL HEATING IN THE SITTING ROOM & CONSTANT HOT WATER IN THE KITCHEN AND BATHROOM? ”
This suggestion is a modification of the suggestion made in Question 15 and offers a limited central heating scheme.
There were 4,140 answers to this question, some 800 less than those who answered the first question. Of these 55% answered Yes and 45% No. In the earlier question on fuel, central heating, plus hot water the “Yes” answers were 74.7% (See Section 5.6 1)
5.6 41 ANALYSIS BY INCOME
There is no difference in the proportions in the two income groups who would prefer this form of central heating.
5.6 42 ANALYSIS BY REGION
Table 42
The analysis of this question by region shows a different trend from that of Question 15. In every region the proportion who would like this modified arrangement is less than the proportion who would like the fuller scheme first mentioned. The coldest region again has the least proportion (31%) liking this alternative scheme and there is also a considerable difference between Region II with 43% Yes answers and Region IV with 53% Yes answers and Region III with 64% yes answers. This modified scheme was most popular in Region III, whereas the full scheme was most popular in Region IV. It is difficult to offer any explanation for this.
The analysis for the whole country is that 55% answered Yes to this question and 45% answered No.
5.6 43 ANALYSIS BY URBAN AND RURAL
There was no significant difference in the answers to this question.
5.6 44 ANALYSIS BY AGE
Table 43
The analysis by Age bears out the general thesis noted early in this report that preference for central heating is higher in the youngest age group, (66%) and lowest in the two higher age groups, (53.5% and. 54.9%).
5.6 45 ANALYSIS BY OLD AND NEW HOUSE
Table 44
Unlike the answers to Question 15, there was a considerable difference in the preferences of housewives in new and old houses. Whereas about 50% of the housewives living in the new houses said they would like hot water and central heating in their sitting room, over 60% of the housewives living in old houses said they would not like this arrangement. It should perhaps be mentioned that comments made to the field workers suggest that this larger proportion amongst housewives living in old houses is in some measure a reflection of the fact that some considered a limited installation a more practical proposition in relation to old property, than the full scheme which would have meant much structural alteration.
5.6 5 Question 19 – “IF THERE WAS A CHARGE IN WINTER MONTHS HOW MUCH WOULD PREPARED TO PAY PER WEEK? ”
There were some 3,043 answers to this question compared with over 4,000 answered the previous question. Of these over a thousand or one-third unable to express an opinion. Of the rest 15.3% were willing to pay up 4/6d. 34.1% up to 3/6d. and and 52.6% up to 2/6d.
5.6 51 ANALYSIS BY INCOME
Table 45
As in the analysis of Question 16 there is a difference between the income groups, in so far as the higher income groups are prepared to pay rather more for the service and a less proportion of them are unable to make a decision. 18.7% of the higher income group are prepared to pay up to 4/6d. compared with 11.3% in the lower income group, 39.8% are prepared to pay up to 3/- as compared with 27.4% and 56.9% are prepared to pay up to 2/6d. compared with 47.5%.
5.6 52 ANALYSIS BY DEGREE-DAY REGION
Table 46
The analysis by Degree-Day region shows a curious feature which has already been noted in the analysis of Question 16, that is that proportion prepared to pay the highest price is higher in region III, the warmest but one region, next highest in II and IV, and lowest of all in region I, the coldest region. Conversely the proportion not willing to pay anything is highest in region I, the coldest region - nearly 60% of the answers, and lowest in region III — 5% of the answers. The willingness to pay for this service is higher in the regions where the proportion of housewives who would like this service is also high. This result is in contrast to the results of the questions about the more comprehensive scheme.(Questions 16 and 15) where the proportion liking the scheme was highest, Region IV and the proportion willing to pay most was highest in Region III.
5.6 53 ANALYSIS BY URBAN AND RURAL
There is no very great difference between the urban and rural sample on this question.
5.6 54 ANALYSIS BY AGE
Table 47
In this analysis it will be seen that the younger housewives are more willing than the older groups to pay something for the service and the younger housewives are prepared to pay more.
5.6 55 ANALYSIS BY OLD AND NEW HOUSE
Housewives living in old houses were more willing to pay the higher charges of 3/- and 4/6d. than those living in new houses. This result confirms the analysis of the previous question in which a greater proportion of these housewives said they would like this scheme.
5.6 6 Question 20 - “WOULD YOU STILL LIKE CENTRAL HEATING IN THE SITTING ROOM & CONSTANT HOT WATER IN THE KITCHEN AND BATHROOM FIRE PLACE IN YOUR SITTING ROOM? ”
Table 49
This question represents the corresponding modification of the second central heating scheme to that suggested in Question 17 in relation to Question 15.
There were some 3,455 answers to this question and the general tendencies are similar to those of Question 17, although the proportions in the nation sample who answered Yes and No to this question are much closer to the proportions who answered Question 18 than was the case in the previous set of Questions 17 and 15. Whereas in Question 18, 54.8% said they would like this modified scheme, 45% said they would still like it even although there were no fire places in the sitting rooms. The proportion of the drop is considerably less than that in the previous set of questions and it is interesting to note that the proportion who would like this modified scheme like the full scheme under these circumstances, e.g. against 39.4%.
5.6 61 ANALYSIS BY INCOME
There is no significant difference between the income groups in this analysis.
5.6 62 ANALYSIS BY DEGREE-DAY REGION
Table 57
The regional analysis shows the same pattern as the analysis of Question 18, namely that this modified scheme is preferred most in region III and least in region I.
5.6 63 ANALYSIS BY URBAN AND RURAL
There is no significant difference between the answers of the housewives living in the town compared with those living in the country.
Table 58
5.6 64 ANALYSIS BY AGE
In the analysis of this question by age group, although there is the same pattern as in previous analyses of central heating questions by age, the difference between the younger group would like this modified central heating scheme without a coal fire place, as compared with 43% in the two older group.
5.7 HOUSEWIVES OPINIONS ABOUT CENTRALLY HEATING A PART OF THEIR HOUSES.
Table 51
In Question 21 the housewife was asked “if it was possible to have your house centrally heated which part would you choose”? Question 22 asked “Why”.
These two questions have been analysed together and a separete analysis has been made into households with children and households without children.
It should be remembered that the housewives opinions may in some way have been coloured by the previous questions on the questionnaire and that her interest in central heating will have been thoroughly aroused before the question was put and that she will have, in fact, been thinking about several possible central heating schemes.
Taking the total picture of the 4,220 housewives who answered this section, 45.1% would prefer their upstairs heated. The next most favoured part of the house is the living room only 13.9%. These two categories should be amplified by the addition of two categories which are in many ways their converse. The upstairs might have had added to it the 9.6% who would like any part of the house heated except the living room and the 13.8% who prefer the living room centrally heated might have had added to them the 9.3% who would like any part of the house centrally heated except the bedrooms.
In thus comparing the 55% who would like the bedrooms heated with those who would like the main living room heated, it must be remembered that the fire place in the living room is the important focal point of all domestic social life and is thus very dear to the housewife in spite of the labour and in some cases on account of the labour associated with it.
5.7 1 COMPARISON OF FAMILIES WITH CHILDREN AND THOSE WITHOUT
Table 52
There are only small differences between these groups. Comparing the proportions who would not have any central heating at all it will be seen that this is greatest in households without children, 14.4% compared with 9% in households with children). Houses with children have a higher proportion who favour central heating in the bedrooms (49.6% compared with 42.7%). Of the 1,149 who prefer to have bedrooms heated 142 or 12.4%of the total do so because “Children are less likely to catch cold going to bed”.