General Chat

Can you remember washday Mondays in the 50s and early 60s took all day all the cuffs and collars had to be scrubbed first then boiled and rinsed put through the ringer and hung out whatever the weather. It looked so good it didnt need ironing. Glad to hear your comments. Anne.

Certainly do remember. My Mum was one of 15 children so Nan had loads to do and she spent all day in the wash house/scullery. Mum was 2nd eldest daughter.

i got to be a dab hand at turning collars and cuffs...lol

I remember Sunday hair wash and sharing the water.Do you mean you used the bath water for washing the clothes? Anne.

Hi Gem yes we spent all day wring out in the shed or outhouse it was freezing. Can imagine family of fifteens washing. Can you remember when twintubs came out? Anne.

Stella I never got good at sowing but good at getting wash day hands. Anne

My Mum used to do the washing on a Monday when I was little ( early 60s ).......we had a twin tub washing machine , all the clothes would be sorted into heaps , whites in first , then coloureds , then the really dirty stuff ( like Dads overalls ).....it used to take nearly all day back then.

We had that machine for over 20 years , it would break down , Mum would hope for a new one but Dad always managed to fix it........lol
In the end you had to put all your weight on the spinner lid to hold it down or it wouldn't go round.I lost my temper with it in my teenage years and stoved the spinner lid in with the big wooden washing stick......I said to Dad " there ! you'll have to get a new on now ".........but.........he mended it....lol

Amanda

I totally agree dads always mended them I can remember using a hose to swill took ages. But better than the old boiler. I am sure the washing is not as clean as then. We had same sorting idea Dad used to store cigs in his pockets that was bad. So we had to get those out first. Anne

I loved seeing a row of Terry nappies blowing on a line along with the sheets which stiffened in the very cold winter. Shirts danced on the line too when it was frosty.
As for the twin tubs......my first washing machine was a hotpoint one in 1978. before this I washed by hand or went to the laundrette. Mind you only OH and I then and my nursing uniforms were done for me so not too much hard work. I even had a Flatley drier.

I can still picture my mother with the old tub & posser,

& dolly blues in a row on the window sill, & the green block of fairy soap.

My Mum would sometime grate up soap with the cheese grater into the twin tub.

Yes loved hanging it out to blow we had a flatley too later on I burnt things often I bet they used starch on the uniforms. Anne

reminds me one day I was washing the cheese grater and half the washing up brush disappeared!!

Amanda and 2ndoow yes remember the soap recketts blue even carbolic.

my nanny had a mangel which she would turn and wring out the clothes ............

Then when I got bigger she got a sinner and I use to sit on it !!! and it use to catch the water in a red bowl which was put on the floor !!! ...She also had a twin tub but she said the spinner on that was useless!!!

My mum had one of the first washers (automatic) it was called the pinaneir.....which she washed our nappies in then we got a front load automatic in the late 70s..........

how did we make our clothes last the week!!??


My great Auntie had a wash board until she died in about 1985 and she had to use it .....

can smell that lovely smell of white sheets just come off the line....no fabric softeners then.....

Monday washday, it took nearly all day. Mum didn't have a washing machine in the 50s, then had a twin tub in the 60s and right through until the late 80s, she wouldn't have an automatic so when the last twin tub finally gave up she went back to washing by hand until she died (aged 85).

But before the twin tub she'd boil the whites, sink wash the coloureds, then the wringer (mangle) to remove the drips. Out on to her very long double line the top one of which was on pulleys. Occasionally the pulleys would give and the whole lot would be down in the mud and she would have to wash it all again. When she had the twin tub with the spin drier it improved her life no end. There was no airing cupboard in the bungalow, no central heating so she got a flatley drier. Before that if the weather was bad everything was dried in front of the coal fire.

Monday lunch was always cold meat and mashed potatoes or shepherds pie made from the cold meat minced in a mincer that clamped to the kitchen table. (I used to help with that when i was little.)

And after it was all ironed on Tuesday it was aired around the fire too.

I didn't have a washing machine until 1968, a twin tub, when my youngest was 7 so all my nappies, shirts etc were boiled in a baby burco, and the rest were hand washed. I did have a spin drier though. sheets, pillowcases, husbands R Navy shirts and separate collars were sent to the laundry and delivered back to the house. I had my first automatic in the late 70s.

In the 60s we too lived in a bungalow with no central heating and no airing cupboard so it was a real struggle to get nappies and baby clothes dry.

Ann
Glos

I too remember the blue bags used to whiten the wash. dolly blue bags. At our time share in the Lake District you can still see traces of the blue in the walls of the hotel which used to be where the dolly blue bags were produced.

Ann
Glos

To all latest replies love your comments yes Monday dinner left over beef minced with gravy. Annie g you had it hard at least we had warm water Stella we dried in front of the fire no fabric condit. that is luxury Mum started having the laundry doing our sheets they came back like cardboard. Think they need to go back to terrys. Less waste on landfills. Anne in wales Hi Ann Glos.

Sorry all I have to go will start a new topic on The Flicks and chips after all under five shillings tomorrow. Thanks for all replies. Anne.