Family Of Four: 13 - The Family Wash
...steam from the drying clothes around the fire, hanging on clothes horses (called "maidens" in Yorkshire) arose in wisps of mist, liming the windows. From the creel above hung flaps of garments, the thick and heavy ones, so that there was no glimpse of the fire which gave dancing life to the kitchen, and it shrivelled into dull greyness. This was a place of discomfort to be avoided, and there was no temptation to run down from the nursery on a Monday. There was, too, that all-pervading damp smell, which escaped into the lower rooms despite the utmost care being taken in closing both the kitchen and inner hall doors....
Mrs Vivien Hirst continues her account of growing up in a big house in a Yorkshire mill town.
Mrs Hirst's nephew Raymond Prior arranged for the publication of her vivid reminiscences. To read earlier chapters of her story please click on Family Of Four in the menu on his page.
The kitchen, which glowed with warmth and emitted such delicious smells on baking day, was quite unlike itself on the day of the family wash. For then steam from the drying clothes around the fire, hanging on clothes horses (called "maidens" in Yorkshire) arose in wisps of mist, liming the windows. From the creel above hung flaps of garments, the thick and heavy ones, so that there was no glimpse of the fire which gave dancing life to the kitchen, and it shrivelled into dull greyness. This was a place of discomfort to be avoided, and there was no temptation to run down from the nursery on a Monday. There was, too, that all-pervading damp smell, which escaped into the lower rooms despite the utmost care being taken in closing both the kitchen and inner hall doors.
It is almost unbelievable today to realise what a family wash meant, how hard and heavy was the work, and how wet and sloppy the floor became. My aunts had one servant who always wore clogs which was a very sensible idea. They were deep, pointed, wooden shoes very similar to the traditional Dutch footware. Another girl improved on these for she wore pattens. They were also clogs but rested on metal, which raised her feet a good two inches from the ground so that they were always warm and dry, but the pattens made a great clatter as she went about her work.
Opening out of "The Hollies" kitchen was the scullery or wash-kitchen. Large wooden tubs, banded with metal, were used for the soaking and the washing of the clothes in their proper order. It was the emptying of these tubs which caused so much wet for they had to be trundled on one side, and rolled over and over to the outside drain; it was nearly impossible to prevent them spilling over.
The clothes in the tubs were "possered" by using a sort of three-legged stool, with a long handle attached to the middle. Up and down, and around, this swirled the clothes and was surprisingly effective in pressing out the dirt. The copper boiler was rather nice, but great care had to be taken to see that it was bone dry after use, or it quickly turned verdigris, which, of course stained the clothes.
The mangle, now almost a museum piece, was immense. Supported on side stands of wrought iron, gaily painted, the two rollers were quite six inches in diameter. At the right side was a great wheel, with a wooden handle, and sometimes Cook would call one of us in from the garden to turn it for her. The wheel moved easily in spite of its size.
It must be remembered, too, that there were a great many articles to be starched. All the large damask tablecloths and table napkins, the dainty lace and embroidered afternoon tea cloths, often our elaborately embroidered party frocks, all the maids' aprons and caps both morning and afternoon, to say nothing of doyleys, tray cloths and numerous other small items.
All these things, and many more besides, made the ironing a long, tiresome business for the flat irons were not nearly so easy to use as the present smooth electric ones. They had to be placed in front of a glowing fire; we used a set of four so that they were constantly changed and always hot.
When one was removed from the grate with a holder, it had to be cleaned with a cloth, and spat upon to judge from the sizzle the spittle made, whether fussy or tame, if the iron were hot enough to be effective without scorching. Sometimes a shield would be placed over the iron, which was a safer method. It was the housemaid's duty to undertake the greater part of this work.
It was a long, long day of solid, continuous labour, and one wonders how, so often, the morning would be passed by Cook in full song as she bent over her tubs rubbing, rubbing on a zinc board, and attending to her multitudinous duties.
