House Work Collection (#2)

Housewife doing laundry

Homemaker tasting food from cooking pot

Close-up of a broom sweeping up dirt

Exuberant woman with raised rolling pin

Housewife serving dinner

Homemaker holding recipe book and rolling pin

Homemaker washing laundry

Two girls help their mother with the housework; one holds a bucket of water, the other shakes down a mat. c. 1910

Baileys Furniture Paste
Bagleys Furniture Paste polish, 1900 1900

Tops for Automatic Cooking! : advertisement for a Sears Kenmore electric range from an American magazine of 1957
STOVE ADVERTISEMENT, 1957. " Tops for Automatic Cooking!" : advertisement for a Sears Kenmore electric range from an American magazine of 1957

WOMAN SPINNING. Line engraving, 17th century

SOAP ADVERTISEMENT, c1866. Advertisement for Silvers Wash Powder, c1866

CATLIN: COMANCHE VILLAGE. A view of a Comanche village on the Great Plains, showing women dressing robes near racks of drying meat. Line engraving, 1844, after George Catlin

IRELAND: HAND MILL, 1874. Irish peasant women using a hand mill to grind cereal grain into flour. Wood engraving, English, 1874

SEWING, 19th CENTURY. Sewing by hand by candlelight. Wood engraving, American, mid 19th century

SINGER SEWING MACHINE AD. Advertisement from an American magazine, 1888

WELL, 19th CENTURY. The Well. Wood engraving, English, mid-19th century

TEXTILES: SPINNING WHEEL. An 18th century American spinning wheel. Wood engraving, 19th century

SEWING, 19th CENTURY. Threading the Needle. Steel engraving, English, 19th century, after a painting by Michael William Sharp

SHAKER WOMEN AT WORK 1875. Wood engraving, 1875

MOTHER AND CHILD, c1830. Wood engraving, c1820-1830

THE KITCHEN ENCYCLOPEDIA. Cookbook published by Swift and Company in 1911

PILGRIMS STARVING, 1623. Dealing out the daily five kernels per person during the starving time in the Plymouth Colony of Massachusetts, Spring 1623. Wood engraving, American, 19th century

DAILY LIFE: HOUSEWORK. Two Spheres of Life. Steel engraving, 19th century

COOKING AT THE HEARTH. Wood engraving, American, 19th century

TWO SPHERES OF DOMESTICITY. Steel engraving, 19th century

RECONSTRUCTION, 1868. Colored people gathering firewood - A winter scene in Virginia. Wood engraving, 1868, from a contemporary American newspaper

DUTCH: FAMILY LIFE, 17TH C. Family life among the Dutch settlers of the Middle Atlantic colonies: American engraving, 19th century

KITCHEN, 19th CENTURY. Wood engraving, American, 19th century

CHARCOAL IRON, 1895. A charcoal iron. Engraving from an American catalogue of 1895

THANKSGIVING, 1855. Preparing for Thanksgiving. Wood engraving, American, 1855

DICKENS: DAVID COPPERFIELD. Our housekeeping. Wood engraving from a 19th-century American edition of David Copperfield, by Charles Dickens

COLONIAL HOMESTEAD, 18TH C. A homestead in colonial North or South Carolina, 18th century. Wood engraving

CHRISTMAS PUDDING, 1848. Making the Christmas pudding. Wood engraving after a drawing by Kenny Meadows, English, 1848

CHRISTMAS PUDDING, 1848. Taking up the Christmas pudding. Wood engraving after a drawing by Kenny Meadows, English, 1848

INDIA: COOKHOUSE. Indian cook-house. Novel mode for straining coffee. Wood engraving, English, 19th century

CWS Soap advert

Emancipated Woman - Husband doing chores
The Handy-man at home An Emancipated Woman reads happily by the fire whilst her sailor husband does his fair share of the household chores by scrubbling the floor. Date: 1915

Everybody works but Father - Unemployment
Father enjoys his paper and pipe in front of the fire, whilst Mother does the washing, Sister Ann also helps and the young narrator of this social comment carries a paint pot. Date: 1906

She didn t know what to do
There was an old woman who lived in a shoe, she had so many children, she didn t know what to do -- an illustration to the nursery rhyme, showing the old woman not knowing where to start

Washing up
A woman in apron and scarf washing up a mug and plate outside her home, 1910. Date: 1910

She made them some broth
There was an old woman who lived in a shoe, she had so many children... She made them some broth -- an illustration to the nursery rhyme, showing the old woman in her kitchen

Ware rite surfaces advertisement
Advertisement for Ware-rite kitchen surfaces, guaranteeing brighter homes and lighter work. c.1950

Helping Mother hang up the washing
Two children Helping Mother hang up the washing. 19th century

Little girl on washing day
A little girl on washing day. 19th century

AMERICAN AD, 1927. American magazine advertisement, 1927

REFRIGERATOR AD, 1959. Adverstisement for the new Westinghouse refrigerator with cold injector system
REFRIGERATOR AD, 1959. Adverstisement for the new Westinghouse refrigerator with " cold injector system, " from an American magazine

ADVERTISING: KITCHEN, 1947. You ll Be Sure of the Finest When You Plan Your New American Kitchen
ADVERTISING: KITCHEN, 1947. " You ll Be Sure of the Finest When You Plan Your New American Kitchen" : American magazine advertisement, 1947, for American Kitchens

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"Unveiling the Invisible: The Evolution of Housework Through Time" In the spring of 1972, Ms. Magazine made a groundbreaking debut, shedding light on the often overlooked realm of housework. This cover symbolized a turning point in history, as women's voices began to rise against societal expectations. Traveling back in time to c1850, we find ourselves immersed in a Mexican kitchen where two women diligently work side by side. Their efforts may have gone unnoticed then, but today we recognize their contribution to our understanding of domestic labor. The story takes us even further back to biblical times with Jesus, Mary, and Martha. While Martha busied herself with household chores, Mary chose knowledge over traditional gender roles - an act that sparked contemplation about the value society places on housework. Fast forward to 1975 when an English politician named Margaret Thatcher posed for a photograph at her home in Chelsea. Little did she know that shortly after this moment captured in time, she would become leader of the Conservative Party and challenge gender norms within politics. Meanwhile, advertisements from 1926 showcased advancements in home appliances like the Hoover vacuum cleaner - revolutionizing cleaning methods and easing some burdens associated with housework. Arthur Rackham's depiction of Cinderella reminds us of timeless tales where women were expected to fulfill domestic duties before finding their happily ever after. These stories perpetuated societal expectations surrounding housework for generations. Ethel Parkinson's paintings "Baking Day" and "Cleaning Day" transport us into scenes filled with both hard work and joyous moments shared among family members during daily tasks - reminding us that there can be beauty found amidst mundane routines. As we conclude our journey through time, we witness Mrs. Margaret Thatcher making history once again as she sweeps away barriers within British politics on February 2nd, 1975. Her determination serves as inspiration for all those who strive for equality regardless of gender or occupation.