Talking 'bout - WASH DAYS - HOUSEWORK - KEEPING CLEAN ETC
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THE OLD WASHDAY
It's Monday,get the copper on. Add the bag of dolly blue. All the whites are going on to boil . It'll be steam i'm looking through. Out of the copper and dolly tub. For the final ponch and rinses. Cold tap running fast. Turning clothes with wooden pincers. All these preparations . Again and again. Hopefully we'll get it done. Without a sign of rain. Uncover the mangle. Wipe down the line. Prop at the ready. Hope it stays fine. Oh ,to see the washing blow. Glowing bluey white. It's staying out till tea time. It's ironing tonight. Things still damp Get the clothes horse out. It'll air off by the fire .All night Getting the washing done . It was an all -day.chore. Aren't we lucky nowadays. You couldn't ask for more. Jamie Woppo Waplington: Anyone remember these?
Jean Taylor: Used them many times Barbara Green: Granma Stackhouse had me washing with them when I was 15 Jamie Woppo Waplington : Well Barbara Green, funny you should say that.. These pictures were taken this morning on the Cattle Market. My Dad, David Woppo Waplington, shouted out "come look at these." He said I spent many a Saturday morning using these at Gramma Stackhouse.. She used to pay me a few pennies... I said "you kidding me, what are they.. " He said "it's a washing machine"...lol. Jean Shacklock: Certainly do this was my Monday job hard work in those days but I used a ponch not dolly pegs." Pat Ricia: I remember mam having one in the scullery on wash day don't forget the Dolly Blue x Mandy Harris: My nan had one Lynda Riley: Yes that was my washer in 1966.Water in an enamel bucket on cooker to boil. No running hot water, only one cold tap above a belfast sink. Also a mangle to get as much water out as possible, or 2 of you to twist sheets etc . In winter washing FROZE on the line. GOOD old days. Xx Jean Shacklock: Yes Lynda Riley they were good days and I'm sure the clothes were cleaner- remember scrubbing the shirt collars in the sink before putting them in the dolly tub. Delboy Lees: I can remember these, my mam had one but it was copper at end I new some one called Allan Stackhouse Jamie Woppo Waplington: Yes Delboy, Alan Stackhouse was my Dads Uncle. You also mentioned a copper end.. Was it like this picture of another one I'd taken this morning.? Conversation thread:
(June 2012) Derek Maddock: There was a butchers next to the grocers. My mum used to take in washing from them. She became an expert in removing blood stains. The copper in the corner of the kitchen was lit all the time with washing and she would lift the lid and use the "ponch" on the whites. The steam used to fill the house as well as the kitchen. Outside was the old "Mangle" which was murder to use. Her hands would be red raw after washing. Mavis Baker: You have a wonderful recall for the memories Derek. I remember visiting my aunt on Mondays. Monday was wash day - the steam, the blue bags, the smell of fresh laundering.... Sid Wheeldon: Our Mam like most mums scrubbed our clothes after being Boiled in the Scullery Copper & Ponched. Then when it had cooled somewhat in we went -we came out as red as Lobsters smelling of both Oxydol & Fairy or Carbolic soap even Lifebouy soap if it was at hand. How she scrubbed & Ironed our dads Stiff Collars without a mark on them I'll never know. Again like most folk back then the Flat Iron was the Norm. Also I remember my Mum's Hands like Derek's mums raw from Scrubbing but never complaining bless her. Mavis Baker: Sid... we must get these memories together and put in a doc...washday memories, the ironing, the cleaning...mum used to scrub her front door steps...had to have them as white as the neighbour's. Sid Wheeldon: I am not to up on being able Presently to form Documentation as much as I'd like to but I pride myself on having a great memory when it comes to my childhood etc. We were not at all well off - 8 in the family in a 2 up 2 down +scullery + attic too Damp to live in as a bed room but we managed and above all in comparison very Happy despite a more than Strict Father, but we have all done Fairly well in life & never had problems with the Law etc. So a Strict upbringing was not such a bad thing. Lesley Dudley: Oh more memories evoked - it was a regular Saturday morning job for me and my sister to share the chores of scrubbing the front/back doorstep, the outside toilet step and floor then. As we had brass door knobs and house number on the front door out came the Brasso. We learnt at a very early age how to do the cleaning . My 12 year grand-daughter struggles to even wash dishes as they have a dish washer. When I would say to my children how it was when I grew up having no central heating and jack frost inside the wooden windows, when as a last resort to keep warm we put our coat on the bed - I would hear my children say "don't go on about the olden days" but here we are reliving them with pride :)) Sid Wheeldon: Lesley, my Daughter, whom I've tried to inform about our Days back then always say "not again Dad you live in the Past too much". That to them maybe True but to me they are Priceless they don’t realise it was because of those days they never had to go without or Scrimp & Save or go Hungry a couple of days no light no gas just the open fire to cook on, to me it was an Adventure and we learnt a lot back then. Its their loss not ours don’t you think? Lesley Dudley: Spot on there Sid - just wonder exactly what they will be telling their grand-children; certainly won't be as colourful as ours - but then my dad always insisted that there was a generation gap. - At the time I didn't fully understand, but now older and wiser myself - I do lol !!!! Sid Wheeldon : Your Dad was spot on Leslie - and the Gap is getting Wider by each Generation. I'm all for Progress but I haven't Seen any that can or will be Heartfelt in years to come - can you think of anything ?? |
Remember ? the line across the yard ...where Mondays washing hung .You seemed to know who lived in each house -And through the sheets you"d run .You"d see overalls belonging to Dads -Aprons that were Mums Sunday best ,woolies nappies ,maybe Granddads long johns.All white crisp washing hanging in the sun .but off to Bath street Wash House -when the wet days come.With washing piled high in a pram -through the rain we often ran.There was Sinks Dryers Ironers a hard days work for all .You had a ticket at your turn the attendent would call -Oh i was only watching -sat with all parked prams ,I helped Mam as she finished-To our house in St Anns (Well Road) Nowdays it seems easy -with washers & dryers we use -No more put the copper on,mix the starch -we dont know the washday blues .So when i see washing all pegged out ,And blowing on a line ,it brings back memories of yesteryear .When everyday seemed fine !
read more here WASHDAY.
Remember the line across the yard , where Mondays washing hung. You seem to know who live in each house, And through the sheets you'd run, You'd see overall belonging to dads , Aprons that were mums, "Sunday best" woolies ,nappies , And maybe granddads long johns,, All white crisp washing hanging in the sun, But off to bath street wash-house, When the wet days come . With washing piled high in a pram, Through the rain we often ran, There was sinks ,dryers ,ironer's, A hard days work for all, You had a ticket at your turn, The attendant she would call. Oh I was only watching , Sat with all parked prams, I helped mam when she'd finished, To our house in St Anns ....(Well Road ). Nowdays it all seems easy, With washers and dryers we use , No more put the copper on ,mix the starch , We don't know the wash day blues, So when I see washing all pegged out , And blowing on a line. It brings back memories of yesteryear , When every day was fine . Jean Taylor Teresa Cook:
Remember this? I know a man in his 80's who still uses one even though he can afford all the mod cons. I wonder why. Talk about living in the past.lol. I like my washing machine, thank you very much. read more here.. Lynda Riley: had this in the early sixties, and a mangle to go with it. Geoff Mellard: My mum had one of these bless her. She had an old wooden roller mangle to which my brother flattened my fingers with Tony Wilkinson: I was an expert in using one of these, and a Mangle to wash my Younger brothers shitty nappies in Lol. Patricia Ann Terrington: Every Monday the boiler in the scullery would be lit - all the whites in first - followed by the coloureds and finally my Pampas overalls - (he was a bricklayer) she'd "ponch" away in the dolly tub - My Mammas wasn't able to do this in later years but her neighbour Mrs Marsen did it for her- good neighbours back then - as washday was hard enough without having to do double loads!! Cheryl Freeman: We used to have a copper (not a policeman! ) in the scullery which heated the water for washday. There was an Ascot tap thing and the good old mangle. I remember my mam getting excited about having a garden to hang her washing out in when we moved to Bestwood Park. David G Smedley: I well remember my grandma using one of these and in fact I used to like to help her pushing and pulling the ponch up and down. The original ponch or dolly peg was similar but had about six pieces of wood sticking out to move the clothes around |
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facebook group:
www.facebook.com/groups/StAnnsWellRdPreDemolition1970