The olden days were not good.It was just a fashionable euphemism to say so.
We used to be able to leave a five pound note on the garden wall and come back the day after tomorrow and it would still be there.
The only satiable items of comfort were our rip roaring coal fires.We used to make toast in front of them with forks.
We too lived in one of those cold damp caves that had ice growing on the inside of the windows and in order to survive the evening mother would paste us all over with vics vapour rub bunging us an extra hot water bottle in to stave off the early morning lights chill factor..Luxury !
However I do understand your hypothesis.