The "Super Laundress" of 1930's Britain

1) Clothes were difficult to wash and made from very heavy materials.
Yes, and no. By the time this film was made much "upper clothing" such as shirts, shirtwaists, blouses, some skirts, trousers, etc... were made from materials that could be laundered either at home or sent out. However the ideal was as it would be for years before, frequent changes of undergarments. Those where the things close to the body and absorbed such of the odors/sweat/filth.

2) Washing machines, tumble dryers and home laundry facilities were rare.

Washing machines of some type were introduced for commercial use by the late 1800's or early 1900's. These so called steam laundries were pretty much as seen above. Failing that housewives either hired a laundress or did it themselves with or without the help of servants and or other females in the household (daughters, etc...). Mondays in Victorian or Edwardian times were not called "blue" for no reason.

You don't need "facilities' to do laundry . A tub, source of water, something to heat water, soap and good old fashioned elbow grease.

3) Conservative dress sense meant people probably dressed inappropriately for the weather - so probably sweated a lot into heavy fabrics.

Again yes, and no. Undergarments and outer clothing were adapted for warmer weather and or climates. No, persons didn't go around nearly nude as today but there were light weight fabrics from wool, linen, and cotton which were cooler than the heavy garments worn during winter.

4) Showers weren't all that common or frequently used.

Bathing was taking place at least by the betters since the 1800's. Maybe not everywhere and everyone but baths were certainly not uncommon. Especially as the joys of indoor plumbing came along. Failing that there were public bath houses for both females and males.

5) Shower gels hadn't been invented / mass commercialised yet.

So what of it? Soap has been around since ancient Roman days and persons certainly used it to bathe. Shower gels are a *very* recent invention. By this logic persons would have bathed until what? The 1970's?

6) Deodorants weren't commonly used and antiperspirant certainly didn't exist.

Carbolic soap which contains phenol was around since the late 1800's. It was the disinfectant/deodorant of it's day and one found Lifebouy soap in almost every home.

7) Everyone smoked almost all the time absolutely everywhere.

Actually smoking did not become *very* common with the lower orders/wider population and certainly "ladies" until WWII and afterwards.

Military in many countries gave out or sold cigarettes cheaply since it was felt smoking had a calming affect and also reduced hunger pangs. In the films of the 1940's you start to see actresses smoking not only on screen but in public situations. Previously when women did smoke "nice" ones did so indoors and out of pubic view. Only slatterns and prostitutes smoked in public especially in bars or clubs. By the end of WWII it seemed everyone was smoking everywhere. The addictive nature of nicotine was either hushed up or not understood and thus many who began smoking during the war while serving found they couldn't stop.

8) Dental / oral hygiene was much poorer.
Tooth powder and later paste was around since middle or late 1800's IIRC. That persons didn't take the time for oral hygiene is another matter.

9) Babies wore cloth nappies/diapers

Yea, so what of it? Changed many a nappy in my day (1970's) and they were all cloth. Infants do not smell of diapers if they are changed at once. Yes, it makes for more laundry but somehow mothers for generations managed.

10) Disposable sanitary towels and tampons didn't exist (at least not commonly).

Disposable sannis actually were invented during WWI by nurses who used Chux material. Some form of such a product may go back further to the late 1800's. Regardless there were always cloth or other materials for sanitary napkins. The things were washed out in the female herself in the scullery or where ever a source of water could be found.

Tampons of various substances have been around since ancient Egypt. The product we know today was invented in the early 1930's.

(11) Garbage disposal was petty messy and would have contained a lot more organic material.

Again yes, and no. Much depended upon where you lived and now. If in the country and in many urban areas people kept all sorts of animals such as pigs, chickens, geese, etc... who would have been fed "scraps".

Will finish later, have to head off to work.


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Post# 785053 9/22/2014 at 02:23 (3,503 days old) by Launderess (Quiet Please, There´s a Lady on Stage)
Checkrate/Likes Found this whilst snooping around YouTube. Needless to say one wants some of this equipment! LOL

Post# 785058 , Reply# 1 9/22/2014 at 04:41 (3,502 days old) by toploader55 (Massachusetts Sand Bar, Cape Cod)
Checkrate/Likes *Great Find.* Must have been awful hot back then with all that steam equipment running.

Post# 785070 , Reply# 2 9/22/2014 at 07:44 (3,502 days old) by gansky1 (Omaha, The Home of the TV Dinner!)
Checkrate/Likes 2 *Very interesting video!* I wonder how many poor young women had the skin scrubbed off of their fingers using the collar and cuff scrubber?

Post# 785092 , Reply# 3 9/22/2014 at 10:57 (3,502 days old) by iej (.... )
Checkrate/Likes Safety systems have improved a LOT since the 1930s. Most industrial environments at that time were pretty hellish. It's also amazing how much scrubbing they did. The fabric must have been absolutely wrecked after a few washes. There's a lot to be said for modern detergent formulas and enzymes. Just let the stains dissolve away gently.

Post# 785107 , Reply# 4 9/22/2014 at 12:56 (3,502 days old) by peterlondon (london uk)
Checkrate/Likes 1 *Laundry* My Late best friend maralyn had A laundry like this which had been in the family since 1910 Everything ran on steam,and the machines where belt driven. Most of the pipework leaked and hissed. They had that very same cuffer and the roller which they called the calender and the blower for shirts. Mal died of a stroke at the age of 45,I miss her still. Anyways the laundry closed around 1990 and all of this vintage stuff went for scrap. I'm sure I read something once on the net about it as it was one of the oldest business's in Hackney east london. I remember the Hackney gazette doing a farewell feature. The name of the laundry was Tudor Laundries shacklewell lane dalston london E8 The owners name was geoff king.Many times mal would call begging for help to put sheets through because they were so busy. Fun days pete

Post# 785131 , Reply# 5 9/22/2014 at 15:17 (3,502 days old) by ovrphil (N.Atlanta / Georgia )
Checkrate/Likes *Memories of Chatsworth House* The 3-part special on Chatsworth House on PBS came to mind - the ladies were using standard irons to get the tablecloth ready. It was laughable, nothing greater than a few hands and old irons. Where are these things today, scrapped or still around to recycle? This looks like the way to go, especially for tablelcloths, if you have room, lol.

Post# 785148 , Reply# 6 9/22/2014 at 16:11 (3,502 days old) by Launderess (Quiet Please, There´s a Lady on Stage)
Checkrate/Likes *Random Comment Responses* Commercial laundering today is still rough on clothing. Between very high wash temperatures (usually 160F or more), bleaching, hot presses, etc... you are lucky if a dress shirt survives a season much less a year. All that scrubbing of collars and cuffs was in aid of the fact most persons then, even the better off wore clothing more than once before it went to the wash. Then there was the "hygiene" factor in not everyone bathed daily. Separate collars (stiff or soft) were still being worn in the 1930's by men and women. Many persons again regardless of income level would wear a collar more than once (or twice, thrice, etc...) thus they could be pretty grimy upon arrival at the wash. What all this meant was yes, collars and cuffs were scrubbed, as they are still today by better laundries. Enzyme products will work but take time and that is something not all laundries did then or even now. Commercial laundries tend to use short cycles but many of them so there isn't always enough time for "digestion" of enzyme products to take place. Where enzymes are used wash programs must be altered to suit. Long story short all that harsh treatment of collars and cuffs speaks to for ages how either housewives, laundries, laundresses or tailors would "turn" collars and cuffs. That or there was darning/mending which was a routine part of many women's lives (or they got someone else to do it) to repair damage caused by wear and the laundry process. @pete Sorry to hear of your friend. So young, much to young to go! Looked up "Tudor Laundries" and while one can find a listing no further information is given. Yes, sadly when old laundries shut down their equipment is often sold off for scrap. That or left to rot inside of abandoned buildings until the whole thing is torn down. Truth to tell many pieces of equipment as mentioned above wouldn't past today's safety standards. That and if belt driven one would have to jig up another way of powering the things. Still that huge hand iron on an arm looks like fun! Notice how "small" the sheets were being ironed. Guess "King" sized beds hadn't hit England by then. LOL Ironing table cloths by hand: Have said it before one has several ironers but can often still do a better and faster job using my large ironing table and a hand iron. As for the PBS special on Chadsworth House generally ironing of tablecloths fell into several categories. One was to iron the thing and then roll it around a board or wood roller to prevent creases. Another was to fold the table cloth little as possible after ironing and then touch up iron it again before it was laid upon/used at table. Again to get out creases. Still another was to iron in folds/creases and simply unfold and place on table. Finally when using a calendar iron take the cloth as it comes from the machine in soft accordion folds, gently fold over once and then store.

Post# 785231 , Reply# 7 9/23/2014 at 00:53 (3,502 days old) by tolivac (greenville nc)
Checkrate/Likes Interesting film clip-and it wasn't men that faced industrial type hazards in those days---the collar scrubber looks SCARY-kinda like a surface grinder for metal!Imagaine what would happen if the item got caught in the scrubbing wheel and the operator was holding it!!!Was a belt declutching lever handy nearby-didn't see one-would have to watch again.The clothes dryer was kinda funny-but guess it worked!!And the ball and hand blower thing demo-lets try that with the blower mode on the vacuum-remember 'Lux and Hoover displays that had this?And try the ball balalncing blowing test with your leaf blower!

Post# 785935 , Reply# 8 9/27/2014 at 15:10 (3,497 days old) by anthony (uk)
Checkrate/Likes *i think* you also have to remember clothing and fabric in general was much more robust than it is now .i can remember my grandma scrubbing collars cuffs tablecloths ect usually with Green Fairy soap before they went into the Dean gas boiler and then into the parnall wringer washer she thought she had died and gone to heaven when grandad bought her a spin dryer

Post# 785948 , Reply# 9 9/27/2014 at 17:36 (3,497 days old) by Launderess (Quiet Please, There´s a Lady on Stage)
Checkrate/Likes *Quite Right* Clothing and even much bed linen was made from and designed to cope with the common laundering methods back then. That is very hot to boiling water, harsh soaps, scrubbing, etc.... Yes, there were finer things but those would have been for "Sunday Best" or at least someone who had the time to care for such things, and or able to afford to pay someone else.

Post# 786558 , Reply# 10 9/30/2014 at 18:22 (3,494 days old) by iej (.... )
Checkrate/Likes I think we probably underestimate just how smelly things were in the 1920s and 30s. We see these pressed, starched, well turned out, well-lit people on film sets, but the reality must have been very different. 1) Clothes were difficult to wash and made from very heavy materials. 2) Washing machines, tumble dryers and home laundry facilities were rare. 3) Conservative dress sense meant people probably dressed inappropriately for the weather - so probably sweated a lot into heavy fabrics. 4) Showers weren't all that common or frequently used. 5) Shower gels hadn't been invented / mass commercialised yet. 6) Deodorants weren't commonly used and antiperspirant certainly didn't exist. 7) Everyone smoked almost all the time absolutely everywhere. 8) Dental / oral hygiene was much poorer. 9) Babies wore cloth nappies/diapers 10) Disposable sanitary towels and tampons didn't exist (at least not commonly). 11) Garbage disposal was petty messy and would have contained a lot more organic material. 12) Sewage systems often drained directly into rivers and harbours as the need to treat sewage to a high degree wasn't really seen as important. 13) Air pollution was really bad in urban areas from coal fires, industry and the dawn of mass-automatives that would have been spewing heavy, lead-laden particulates. 14) Houses were often full of heavy furnishings and heavy carpets that didn't get cleaned all that much. 15) Horses were still in use as transport and dung was on streets. Also, smaller cities/towns would still have had cattle and animal marts often in or very close to the downtown areas (especially in Europe). So, seeing cattle herded through urban streets wasn't THAT unusual. So, all in all I think it was probably a much smellier era than we could imagine. I'd say maybe visiting some developing world countries now is pretty much what North American, Western European, Australian/NZ, Japanese and other cities must have been like in the late 1800s and early 1900s in terms of infrastructure. I really wouldn't like to have been doing laundry back then lol

Post# 786663 , Reply# 11 10/1/2014 at 07:45 (3,493 days old) by Launderess (Quiet Please, There´s a Lady on Stage)
Checkrate/Likes 1) Clothes were difficult to wash and made from very heavy materials. Yes, and no. By the time this film was made much "upper clothing" such as shirts, shirtwaists, blouses, some skirts, trousers, etc... were made from materials that could be laundered either at home or sent out. However the ideal was as it would be for years before, frequent changes of undergarments. Those where the things close to the body and absorbed such of the odors/sweat/filth. 2) Washing machines, tumble dryers and home laundry facilities were rare. Washing machines of some type were introduced for commercial use by the late 1800's or early 1900's. These so called steam laundries were pretty much as seen above. Failing that housewives either hired a laundress or did it themselves with or without the help of servants and or other females in the household (daughters, etc...). Mondays in Victorian or Edwardian times were not called "blue" for no reason. You don't need "facilities' to do laundry . A tub, source of water, something to heat water, soap and good old fashioned elbow grease. 3) Conservative dress sense meant people probably dressed inappropriately for the weather - so probably sweated a lot into heavy fabrics. Again yes, and no. Undergarments and outer clothing were adapted for warmer weather and or climates. No, persons didn't go around nearly nude as today but there were light weight fabrics from wool, linen, and cotton which were cooler than the heavy garments worn during winter. 4) Showers weren't all that common or frequently used. Bathing was taking place at least by the betters since the 1800's. Maybe not everywhere and everyone but baths were certainly not uncommon. Especially as the joys of indoor plumbing came along. Failing that there were public bath houses for both females and males. 5) Shower gels hadn't been invented / mass commercialised yet. So what of it? Soap has been around since ancient Roman days and persons certainly used it to bathe. Shower gels are a very recent invention. By this logic persons would have bathed until what? The 1970's? 6) Deodorants weren't commonly used and antiperspirant certainly didn't exist. Carbolic soap which contains phenol was around since the late 1800's. It was the disinfectant/deodorant of it's day and one found Lifebouy soap in almost every home. 7) Everyone smoked almost all the time absolutely everywhere. Actually smoking did not become very common with the lower orders/wider population and certainly "ladies" until WWII and afterwards. Military in many countries gave out or sold cigarettes cheaply since it was felt smoking had a calming affect and also reduced hunger pangs. In the films of the 1940's you start to see actresses smoking not only on screen but in public situations. Previously when women did smoke "nice" ones did so indoors and out of pubic view. Only slatterns and prostitutes smoked in public especially in bars or clubs. By the end of WWII it seemed everyone was smoking everywhere. The addictive nature of nicotine was either hushed up or not understood and thus many who began smoking during the war while serving found they couldn't stop. 8) Dental / oral hygiene was much poorer. Tooth powder and later paste was around since middle or late 1800's IIRC. That persons didn't take the time for oral hygiene is another matter. 9) Babies wore cloth nappies/diapers Yea, so what of it? Changed many a nappy in my day (1970's) and they were all cloth. Infants do not smell of diapers if they are changed at once. Yes, it makes for more laundry but somehow mothers for generations managed. 10) Disposable sanitary towels and tampons didn't exist (at least not commonly). Disposable sannis actually were invented during WWI by nurses who used Chux material. Some form of such a product may go back further to the late 1800's. Regardless there were always cloth or other materials for sanitary napkins. The things were washed out in the female herself in the scullery or where ever a source of water could be found. Tampons of various substances have been around since ancient Egypt. The product we know today was invented in the early 1930's. (11) Garbage disposal was petty messy and would have contained a lot more organic material. Again yes, and no. Much depended upon where you lived and now. If in the country and in many urban areas people kept all sorts of animals such as pigs, chickens, geese, etc... who would have been fed "scraps". Will finish later, have to head off to work.