Refuse Collection

Mr Whiteley's design for central heating and hot water system
5307929 Mr Whiteley's design for central heating and hot water system.; (add.info.: Illustration depicting Mr Whiteley's design for central heating)

Refuse collection, Sheffield (b/w photo)
8635905 Refuse collection, Sheffield (b/w photo) by English Photographer, (20th century); Private Collection; (add.info.: Refuse collection, Sheffield, Yorkshire)

Turbines on the Portrush railway, Ireland
5311972 Turbines on the Portrush railway, Ireland; (add.info.: Engraving depicting turbines on the Portrush railway, Ireland. This was the first railway to be powered by hydroelectricity)

Itinerant fishwoman with basket of sprats on her head, and a Dustman with bell collecting dust
FLO4688672 Itinerant fishwoman with basket of sprats on her head, and a Dustman with bell collecting dust, ashes and other household waste

Saving waste paper for the war effort, World War II (b/w photo)
8672638 Saving waste paper for the war effort, World War II (b/w photo) by English Photographer, (20th century); Private Collection; (add.info.: Saving waste paper for the war effort, World War II)

The Rabshakeh before the Walls of Jerusalem, 701 BC (litho)
8661278 The Rabshakeh before the Walls of Jerusalem, 701 BC (litho) by Villegas y Cordero, Jose (1844-1921) (after); Private Collection; (add.info.: The Rabshakeh before the Walls of Jerusalem)

Recycling machine in Westminster, London, 1920s (litho)
8642582 Recycling machine in Westminster, London, 1920s (litho) by English School, (20th century); Private Collection; (add.info.: Recycling machine in Westminster, London, 1920s)

Recycling machine in Westminster, London, 1920s (litho)
8641520 Recycling machine in Westminster, London, 1920s (litho) by English School, (20th century); Private Collection; (add.info.: Recycling machine in Westminster, London, 1920s)

Recycling machine in Westminster, London, 1920s (litho)
8641519 Recycling machine in Westminster, London, 1920s (litho) by English School, (20th century); Private Collection; (add.info.: Recycling machine in Westminster, London, 1920s)

Sewage system of a modern city, Schoeneberg, Germany (colour litho)
8663662 Sewage system of a modern city, Schoeneberg, Germany (colour litho) by Dressel, August (b.1862) (after); Private Collection; (add.info.: Sewage system of a modern city, Schoeneberg, Germany)

Where the Feathers Go (litho)
8663503 Where the Feathers Go (litho) by Poy (Percy Hutton Fearon) (1874-1945); Private Collection; (add.info.: Where the Feathers Go)

Votaries of the Weed No 46 (colour litho)
8660533 Votaries of the Weed No 46 (colour litho) by Clarke, Joseph Clayton (Kyd) (1856-1937); Private Collection; (add.info.: Votaries of the Weed, No 46)

The Jumble Man (litho)
8636075 The Jumble Man (litho) by English School, (20th century); Private Collection; (add.info.: The Jumble Man. Illustration for Panpipes magazine, November 1923)

The process of collecting manure in a farmyard
5307481 The process of collecting manure in a farmyard.; (add.info.: Engraving depicting the process of collecting manure in a farmyard)

Lost time (colour litho)
8633163 Lost time (colour litho) by English School, (20th century); Private Collection; (add.info.: Lost time. Illustration for The Children's Friend (1900).); © Look and Learn

Recycling machine in Westminster, London, 1920s (litho)
8641521 Recycling machine in Westminster, London, 1920s (litho) by English School, (20th century); Private Collection; (add.info.: Recycling machine in Westminster, London, 1920s)

Transport (litho)
8663504 Transport (litho) by Poy (Percy Hutton Fearon) (1874-1945); Private Collection; (add.info.: Transport. Eric: "I don't see why it shouldn't work)

War sonnets
908908 War sonnets by Tennant, C. Dudley (1867-1952); (add.info.: Poems of Passion and Pleasure published by Gay Hancock circa 1920)

The Morning, c. 1920 (colour litho)
CHT236763 The Morning, c.1920 (colour litho) by Raffin, Ferdinand (1870?-1948); Private Collection; © Archives Charmet

Cans left by Germans after the Battle of Ardennes, January 1945
1720407 Cans left by Germans after the Battle of Ardennes, January 1945 by Unknown photographer, (20th century); (add.info.: Cans left by Germans after battle of Ardennes january 1945)

Scene from the satire, Ship of Fools by Sebastian Brant (woodcut)
7201464 Scene from the satire, Ship of Fools by Sebastian Brant (woodcut) by German School, (16th century) (after); Private Collection; (add.info.: Scene from the satire Ship of Fools)

Satire depicting minstrels serenading a woman (woodcut)
7201465 Satire depicting minstrels serenading a woman (woodcut) by German School, (16th century) (after); Private Collection; (add.info.: Satire depicting minstrels serenading a woman)

Le Vocabulaire Illustre: Decombres; Rubbish; Schutt (engraving)
7195703 Le Vocabulaire Illustre: Decombres; Rubbish; Schutt (engraving) by European School, (19th century); Private Collection; (add.info.: Decombres; Rubbish; Schutt)

It is a pity to waste bread in time of dearth (engraving)
3634826 It is a pity to waste bread in time of dearth (engraving) by English School, (19th century); Private Collection; (add.info.: It is a pity to waste bread in time of dearth)

Shakespeare in his study (litho)
3643524 Shakespeare in his study (litho) by Sullivan, Edmund Joseph (1869-1933) (after); Private Collection; (add.info.: Shakespeare in his study)

Depiction of the month of February (colour litho)
961078 Depiction of the month of February (colour litho) by Dudley, Robert (fl.1865-91) (after); Private Collection; (add.info.: Depiction of the month of February)

In The Hands Of The Philistines (engraving)
1064614 In The Hands Of The Philistines (engraving) by Dadd, Frank (1851-1929) (after); Private Collection; (add.info.: In The Hands Of The Philistines)

Kitchen Warfare. Advertisement for Birds Custard Powder (litho)
2775530 Kitchen Warfare. Advertisement for Birds Custard Powder (litho) by English School, (19th century); Private Collection; (add.info.: Kitchen Warfare)

The Lucky Charms Pile (Colour Litho)
2777952 The Lucky Charms Pile (Colour Litho) by Beltrame, Achille (1871-1945); Private Collection; (add.info.: The pile of good luck charms)

The British Workman (engraving)
602181 The British Workman (engraving) by English School, (19th century); Private Collection; (add.info.: Dust oh! Depicting a man holding a basket)

The Muffin Boy (engraving)
3626035 The Muffin Boy (engraving) by English School, (19th century); Private Collection; (add.info.: The Muffin Boy. Illustration for Chatterbox (1868)

In London Sewers (engraving)
3642536 In London Sewers (engraving) by English School, (19th century); Private Collection; (add.info.: In London Sewers. Illustration for The Boys Own Annual, 1881.); © Look and Learn

St Georges Park, Pearsons Conservatory (b / w photo)
3092378 St Georges Park, Pearsons Conservatory (b/w photo) by English Photographer, (19th century); Private Collection; (add.info.: St Georges Park, Pearsons Conservatory)

The Dustman (engraving)
2799846 The Dustman (engraving) by English School, (19th century); Private Collection; (add.info.: The Dustman. Illustration for Walks In and Around London by Uncle Jonathan (Charles H Kelly)

Christmas card with red belt (chromolitho)
731677 Christmas card with red belt (chromolitho) by English School, (19th century); Private Collection; (add.info.: Christmas card with red belt)

A Tale in Four Stories (engraving)
1590853 A Tale in Four Stories (engraving) by Furniss, Harry (1854-1925) (after); Private Collection; (add.info.: A Tale in Four Stories)

Pollution in the River Thames, London (colour litho)
5999982 Pollution in the River Thames, London (colour litho) by English School, (20th century); Private Collection; (add.info.: Pollution in the River Thames, London)

Greed (chromolitho)
2803473 Greed (chromolitho) by French School, (19th century); Private Collection; (add.info.: Greed. Educational card, late 19th century.); © Look and Learn

A London Dust-Yard (engraving)
1105210 A London Dust-Yard (engraving) by Buckman, Edwin (1841-1930); Private Collection; (add.info.: A London Dust-Yard. Illustration for The Illustrated London News)

Napiers Patent Bullet-Compressing Machine (engraving)
1602110 Napiers Patent Bullet-Compressing Machine (engraving) by English School, (19th century); Private Collection; (add.info.: Napiers Patent Bullet-Compressing Machine)

Plans showing Sanitary Fittings and Drainage of a Pair of Suburban Houses (litho)
3650884 Plans showing Sanitary Fittings and Drainage of a Pair of Suburban Houses (litho) by English School, (20th century); Private Collection; (add.info)

The Wimbledon Rifle Meeting, Notes in Camp (engraving)
1060134 The Wimbledon Rifle Meeting, Notes in Camp (engraving) by English School, (19th century); Private Collection; (add.info.: The Wimbledon Rifle Meeting, Notes in Camp)

Silk (colour litho)
3648640 Silk (colour litho) by English School, (20th century); Private Collection; (add.info.: Silk. Illustration for Atlas of the Worlds Commerce compiled from the latest official returns at)

A five-year journey! (colour litho)
2778319 A five-year journey! (colour litho) by Beltrame, Achille (1871-1945); Private Collection; (add.info.: A five-year journey)

The Enraged Ox, the Dustman and the Taking of Guy Fawkes
6340356 The Enraged Ox, the Dustman and the Taking of Guy Fawkes by Taylor, Isaac (1730-1807); (add.info.: The Enraged Ox, the Dustman and the Taking of Guy Fawkes)

The Civil War in Spain, Sketches from the Battle of Beobia (engraving)
1589345 The Civil War in Spain, Sketches from the Battle of Beobia (engraving) by Robinson, Charles (1840-81); Private Collection; (add.info.: The Civil War in Spain)

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"From War Sonnets to Kitchen Warfare: The Chronicles of Refuse Collection" In the early morning light of a vibrant c. 1920 lithograph, refuse collectors diligently make their way through the streets, their carts laden with discarded cans left by Germans after the Battle of Ardennes in January 1945. This scene, reminiscent of a satire from Sebastian Brant's Ship of Fools woodcut series, captures the absurdity and folly of human consumption. As minstrels serenade a woman in another woodcut satire, we are reminded that even amidst beauty and pleasure, waste accumulates. Le Vocabulaire Illustre engraving depicts "Decombres; Rubbish; Schutt, " emphasizing society's need for efficient refuse collection. An engraving depicting bread being wasted during times of dearth serves as a poignant reminder that every morsel counts. Shakespeare himself is portrayed in his study in a lithograph nearby, perhaps contemplating how waste can be avoided or repurposed. The month of February comes alive in vivid color lithography - its depiction revealing both celebration and excess. In contrast, an engraving titled "In The Hands Of The Philistines" suggests that wastefulness falls into the hands of those who lack appreciation for artistry and culture. But it is not all doom and gloom - an advertisement for Birds Custard Powder brings levity to our journey through refuse collection. This kitchen warfare-themed promotion reminds us that even scraps can be transformed into something delightful with creativity and resourcefulness. Finally, we encounter "The Lucky Charms Pile, " depicted in captivating color lithography. Here lies evidence that what may seem like rubbish to some holds value for others - treasures waiting to be discovered among discarded items. In this diverse array of artistic expressions spanning centuries, one common thread emerges: the importance of responsible refuse collection.