Laundry Collection (#57)

Riverside scene in Kashgar, western China
A riverside scene in Kashgar, western China. Laundry (perhaps washed in the river) appears to be hanging on walls to dry. Photograph by Ralph Ponsonby Watts

Results of a Gotha air raid on London, 1917
Result of a Gotha air raid on a workhouse laundry in St. Johns Road, Islington, London during the First World War on 4th-5th September 1917

Quarantine Precautions
passengers washing their clothes on board the royal Mail companys steamer Neva, off Buenos Aires, by order of the health officer

The kitchen of a common lodging house, Spitalfields, London. Men and women sit together under the laundry hanging out to dry. This scene was sketched from life

Welsh collier family in their cottage
This shows the living conditions of Welsh colliers during the strike in South Wales. The interior of the cottage appears to be one room which is crowded with a woman doing the laundry

Low lodging house, St. Giles, London
A poor lodging house for women in St. Giles, London. Old and young are crowded in a small room and laundry hangs from the ceiling. A couple of elderly women are having a cup of tea

Hogarths House, Chiswick, London, 1874
Engraving showing a number of scenes at Hogarths House, Chiswick, London, 1874. The views shown are (clockwise from bottom right): the Mulberry Tree; the Staircase; one of the rooms

Laundry on an Italian Submarine; Second World War, 1943
Photograph showing the crew of an Italian submarine airing their blankets and bedding on arrival at Malta in 1943. When Italy fell that year

Housemaid / Fresh Laundry
A smiley housemaid carrying freshly laundered and ironed tableware

Women / Laundry / Washing
Two washerwomen treading their laundry by a river flee coyly when a young man in uniform approaches from a statley home

Boiling Clothes
A photograph demonstrating the boiling of " collars, cuffs, laces, and such-like small articles" in a calico bag during the arduous process of washday

Drying Machine
Several engravings illustrating an ingenious device for drying clothes; a forerunner of the fold-up telescopic clothes drier used instead of a line and pegs

Ironing a Shirt 1911
Photograph demonstrating how to iron a shirt or blouse in 1911

Wash day, Japan
Laundry day in Japan: two women hang up clothes and fabric to dry outdoors

Servants Washing Line
The intimate apparel of the female servants of the Edwardian Country House blows in a good drying wind out side the attic room window

Hanging Clothes on Line
A little girl hangs out clothes belonging to her dolls to dry on a washing line

Housewife Using Twin Tub
A young housewife uses wooden pincers to pull her laundry out of the washing half of the Twin Tub washing machine to put it into the spinning half

Lassie Tramples Washing
It is the firm belief of postcard makers that the Scots are too canny to waste money on a washing machine - instead they trample the washing, the way the French do grapes

Dyeing with Maypole
Dyeing - with Maypole Soap

Egyptian Women & Men
An Egyptian countrywoman doing her laundry, with her baby sitting on her neck and an older child : and other Egyptian countryfolk

Ragged Laundry
Rather ragged towels and washing, hanging out to dry on a clothes line which stretches across a cobbled street running between back to back London slums

American Washing Machine
A maid operates a primitive- looking washing machine, made in America

Nausicaa & Alcinous
Nausicaa tells King Alcinous, her father, that she and her maids must wash her brothers clothes in order to increase their chances of finding suitable brides

Drying Naval Clothes
For sailors of the French navy, Tuesdays and Fridays are washing days : their clothing is hoisted above deck to dry

Swiss Country Woman
A young woman from the canton of Unterwald wears her picturesque regional costume while she does some laundry

Paper Exhibition 1881
The exhibition stand of G W Dray & Son Ltd at the Laundry Exhibition, with " Mr Bodley on the right"

Doggy does Laundry
A helpful dog holds a basket of laundry in its mouth for a little girl, who is pegging out her washing

Soldiers Cooking
SOLDIERS COOKING British troops in camp - the men take care of the cooking, while their womenfolk do the laundry in the river and hang it out to dry

Wringing out Laundry
Wringing out the laundry

Ye Tudor Mangle / 1889
Ye Tudor mangle

Public Laundry / Klodshans
Ironing in the public laundry

Storyland / Washday
Helping mama on washday

Loading Washing Machine
A young housewife loading up her " Miele" washing machine (with matching dishwasher) in her mini skirt and platform shoes

Washing & Dyeing / 1582
Public washing and dyeing grounds

Washerwomen of Caen, Normandy, France
The Washerwomen of Caen, Normandy, northern France, washing their clothes at the communal lavoir

Housemaid hangs the washing out (Tuesday)
Tuesday: The housemaid hangs the washing out on the line

Housemaid does the laundry (Monday)
Monday: Ruth the housemaid does the laundry, unhappy because its raining and she won t be able to hang it out to dry

Housemaid ironing clothes (Wednesday)
Wednesday: The housemaid irons the clothes

People washing clothes in the Mandrare River near the Berenty Private Reserve, Madagascar, Indian Ocean, Africa

Buildings along the Prado in Havana, Cuba, West Indies, Central America

Workers washing clothes in the Ganga River, Varanasi, Uttar Pradesh, India, Asia

Old houses in the old town of Oporto, UNESCO World Heritage Site, Portugal, Europe

Saris drying on the ghats of Varanasi, Uttar Pradesh, India, Asia

Typical houses in the Ribeira quarter, Oporto, Portugal, Europe

A street with washing drying at windows, Burano Island, Venice, Veneto, Italy, Europe

Interior of a once ornate and grand apartment building, now in a state of disrepair, Havana, Cuba, West Indies, Central America

Yamuna River, Agra, Uttar Pradesh state, India, Asia

Laundry drying by the Mula River, with foam from detergent pollution beyond, Pune, Maharashtra state, India, Asia

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"From Dolly Tubs to Modern Machines: A Journey Through Laundry" Step into the past with an advertising card for Thoms Castile Soap of Manchester, a reminder of simpler times when laundry was done by hand in large wooden tubs known as Dolly Tubs. Imagine the narrow winding streets of Barrio Gotico, Barcelona, where clotheslines stretched across balconies adorned with colorful garments fluttering in the breeze. Transport yourself further back in time to Bodiam Castle in Sussex, where medieval inhabitants would have washed their linens using traditional methods. The delicate pencil and watercolor artwork on paper captures the essence of this historical practice. In a stark contrast, WW2 memorabilia showcases a damaged café informing suppliers about disrupted laundry services due to war efforts. It serves as a poignant reminder of how everyday tasks were affected during times of conflict. Fast forward to modernity at Chase Farm Hospital in Enfield, Middlesex, where state-of-the-art washing machines effortlessly clean and sanitize hospital linens. Efficiency meets innovation as technology takes over from manual labor. Traveling overseas to Ragusa, Sicily reveals picturesque scenes of locals hanging their laundry out to dry under the Mediterranean sun. The vibrant colors against ancient stone walls create an enchanting sight that captivates both residents and tourists alike. The invention of the wringer wet clothes dryer revolutionized household chores by simplifying drying processes. No longer did families need vast outdoor spaces or rely solely on natural elements; instead, they could conveniently dry their clothes indoors regardless of weather conditions. Artistic expressions also capture moments related to laundry - "What. . No Laundry" by David Wright humorously depicts a woman's surprise upon discovering her partner has forgotten his share of household duties. Meanwhile, "Children on the Beach" painted by St Ives artist in 1886 portrays carefree youngsters playing amidst piles of sand-covered towels and bathing suits awaiting cleaning after a day at sea.