Polly's Pictures

By PollyH

Pre washing machine days!

This book was published in 1898. Washing took days to complete. Monday was preparation day and clothes steeped. Tuesday the copper was lit and clothes washed and folded ready for mangling on Wednesday, when you also did the starching. Ironing could then take place if you had managed to get the laundry dry!
No man made fibres in those days.
I must admit, I didn't have a twin tub until my son was 6 months old and there were no disposable nappies in those days.
I now throw things in the automatic machine without a second thought.
In this book there is a whole section on the use of 'blueing' which I can remember my mother using.
In 1898 there were no electric, let alone steam irons. What do we do with all this spare time?
The book belonged to a Daisy Clark in 1901. Hope she found it useful.

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