And turning it would cut your fingers to shreds! But it was great if the weather was fine.

Which it almost never was :/

Thank you both for the imagery here - quite beautiful, in its way.

This has made me remember having to go out to the coal shed and fill up a brass bucket and then come back in all covered in coal dust.

I've not thought about That Smell in years!

Did you have one of those ubiquitous brass boxes beside the hearth?

No, we had some antique brass bucket thing that I'd invariably have to drag in, accompanied by complaints that I was doing so, because obviously I'd put way too much in, so I didn't have to go out later to get more...