MAUREEN Robinson recalls her childhood experience of sharing a bath with her sister and then being dried in front of the living room fire (Letters, January 26).

I also shared a bath with siblings. A tin bath from the backyard put in front of the open range in the kitchen. There was a brick under one end to create a shallow end. Being the youngest, I sat over the brick. Two older brothers went in after us and then my parents took it in turn.

The water being continuously part emptied and topped up with hot water from pans on the stove. Afterwards much of the water was baled out and the tin bath then dragged back into the yard and tipped down a grate.

This happened every Sunday night for six years of my childhood. It was not uncommon. Many other families lived like this. So please all you Stamp out Poverty campaigners, don’t try to lecture us.

Matthew Laverack, Lord Mayor’s Walk, York.