katyjay 5,090 Posted March 14, 2012 Report Share Posted March 14, 2012 Washday at our house; first fill the copper. This was under the draining board in the kitchen and had to be dragged out a bit so you could open the metal lid. Fill with cold water from the sink with a hose, and light the gas jets underneath the copper. Wait for the water to get very hot, put in whatever you needed to make the clothes clean [can't think what it would be in the 40's, but by 50's we were 'into' Daz etc] Ponch all the white washing. Lift it out with the tongs, mangle it, saving the hot water, which went into the Hotpoint Empress washing machine. This now-cooler water would then wash the rest of the week's wash, starting with lights and finishing with darks. Of course, things like shirt collars/cuffs had been scrubbed with bar soap and a scrubbing brush before even reaching the washer. All the washing in the machine came out, again with tongs, and through the electric wringer on top of the washer and so this water would again go back into the washer. It looked pretty much like gravy by the time the last lot of darks were done. All washing went in the sink to be rinsed and then through the mangle that lived under the stairs. Too heavy to drag out each week, so dad had rigged up a light under the stairs so we could see what we were doing under there. The mangle was often my job and like Jackson, I liked doing it. Something satisfying about seeing all the water squeezed out and into the pan below. Often you'd put something through several times to get that last bit of water out. Then peg it all out and 'prop' it up into the wind. Freezing winter Mondays would often see the washing come back in, frozen stiff. Then draped around the house to thaw out ready for Tuesday's ironing day. When automatic front loading washing machines came out, I'm sure the older generation kissed them everytime they put in their washing and pressed a button and it was all done for them. Previously it had taken all of Monday to do the wash. 1 Quote Link to post Share on other sites
jackson 301 Posted March 14, 2012 Report Share Posted March 14, 2012 'put in whatever you needed to make the clothes clean can't think what it would be in the 40's, but by 50's we were 'into' Daz etc]' Can you remember 'Fairy Soap' in huge green blocks and 'Chloras' - my mum used to soak whites in a dilution of this. Lovely, interesting write up Kath - I bet you enjoyed doing this, bringing back memories. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Limey 242 Posted March 14, 2012 Report Share Posted March 14, 2012 When automatic front loading washing machines came out, I'm sure the older generation kissed them everytime they put in their washing and pressed a button and it was all done for them. Previously it had taken all of Monday to do the wash. Brilliant Kath - that is exactly as I remember, but originally all the wash was done in the "copper" - whites first! But sometimes it would take several days to dry - so I'm sure the older generation kissed their tumble-dryers too! Speaking of which, after we moved to Long Eaton (and an upgrade to a "twin tub"), there was a laundromat around the corner - on VERY rare occasions, if mum couldn't get the was dry, we lugged it all to the laundromat and put it in the tumble dryer! Later on when I had my Vespa - and my Parka got soaked in the rain, I used the same laundromat to dry it! Quote Link to post Share on other sites
piggy and babs 544 Posted March 14, 2012 Report Share Posted March 14, 2012 in our house on washdays it was light the fire in built in copper but in 2 buckets of water as this got hot add extra water until full then add soap.grated hard soap to start with then daz or ommo wichever was the cheapest at the timewhile it was getting hot we would be getting up and strip our beds this was always bone first then dads shirts and our school shirts and blouses. our mangle was in the yard but we did have a small one that fitted over the sink in realy bad weather,washing was ponched as it went alongthen into dolly tub another bit of a ponch then roll the doll tub to the mangle into smlall metal oval bath.bit more cold water in copper and start rest of the wash mum had to fill dolly tub with cold water rinse mamgle again and hang out between each wash.with 10 of us this would definitly take all all as well as get us younger kids to school and do any shopping on the way back, and getting meals ready for us all,then ocourse the bads hadto be remade before we were sent to bet. sorry i cheat i take my laundry round the corner every week to the laundrette put it in the washers tell whoever is working that day what i need iron ing that dayand then go off and do what i need to do go and pick it up at tea time washed dried ironed and folded ready to put away thesedays i know my mum would have loved to have done this Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Limey 242 Posted March 14, 2012 Report Share Posted March 14, 2012 Then I went to Swaziland. I would come home from work and leave my dirty clothes on the floor - clean jeans and shirt and go out for the night. Leave my "evening" clothes on the floor. The next morning, put on clean work clothes and off I went - when I came home the dirty clothes were washed (in the bath tub), dried on the line, ironed, folded and back in the dresser drawer! All that for $25/month - I think my mum was jealous. My "house girl" was Joanna Qlatchwaho - she was the best, may she rest in peace. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Paulus 541 Posted March 15, 2012 Report Share Posted March 15, 2012 Servis Supertwin...............was me mam's pride & joy Quote Link to post Share on other sites
mick2me 3,033 Posted March 15, 2012 Report Share Posted March 15, 2012 I remember the coppers you mention. The ones I saw were not made od copper but grey coated metal. Around 1965 I lived above Dewhurst the butchers on Alfreton Road opposite Jersey Kapwood. They would use an old gas copper to render down pork fat to make dripping. Our kitchen and bathroom were above it, and it stank! Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Fynger 841 Posted March 15, 2012 Report Share Posted March 15, 2012 Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Fynger 841 Posted March 15, 2012 Report Share Posted March 15, 2012 Quote Link to post Share on other sites
katyjay 5,090 Posted March 15, 2012 Report Share Posted March 15, 2012 Remember both items, the twin tub was the first washer we had after marriage. It was quite effecient in that you could spin the soapy water back into the washer, before rinsing. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Limey 242 Posted March 16, 2012 Report Share Posted March 16, 2012 Me mates mum had a washer with an electric mangle - I thought they were rich! Quote Link to post Share on other sites
.... 23 Posted March 16, 2012 Report Share Posted March 16, 2012 We had one of those. I managed to get my arm stuck in it one day whilst helping mum out with the washing. Dad just picked me up and ran to the doctors with me! Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Cliff Ton 10,457 Posted March 16, 2012 Report Share Posted March 16, 2012 We had one similar to that; brand name was Servis. Ours had some kind of hand-operated wringer on the back so that you could drag clothes straight out of the spinner and into the wringer Quote Link to post Share on other sites
mudgie49 401 Posted March 16, 2012 Report Share Posted March 16, 2012 I can remember my mum had our first washing machine, with a mangle you attached to one side of the machine. The mangle had a safety devise,if the clothes going thru' were to bulky, the top roller would seperate and flip open,on some hinge mechanism. As well as the old mangle,and zinc bath in the back yard,how many of us had the old cream coloured glazed sinks.They had been turned into a flower pot. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Fynger 841 Posted March 16, 2012 Report Share Posted March 16, 2012 Quote Link to post Share on other sites
katyjay 5,090 Posted March 16, 2012 Report Share Posted March 16, 2012 What dinner did you all have on washdays? I'm pretty sure we had cold meat with chips or something. My m-i-l always did a stew on washdays so it could simmer away while she worked. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
mgread1200 141 Posted March 16, 2012 Report Share Posted March 16, 2012 Your'e bang on with that one katie, left overs from the sunday joint minced and turned into "Rissoles" with Bubble & Squeek. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
mudgie49 401 Posted March 16, 2012 Report Share Posted March 16, 2012 Washday dinner was always,potatoe Latekeyes,tater'peeling brushed with olive oil,bacon bits,spring onions,chopped tomatoes,grated cheddar cheese,baked in the oven on a low heat 2/3 hours.Serve with sour cream. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
piggy and babs 544 Posted March 16, 2012 Report Share Posted March 16, 2012 my mum had her first washing machine a twin tub when we moved to carlton mid 60smy first washer was a twintub mid 70s. dave dad had there orriginal 1940s washer with the mangle untill his death in 1989 and it was still working. we have somewere got the reciet for that one pound nineteen shillings and sixpenceand i think it was brought from grices in ruddington or a shop in beeston but carnt remember the make of the machine but i know it was brought just before or just after dave was born. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Limey 242 Posted March 16, 2012 Report Share Posted March 16, 2012 Yep, our old sink was buried in the garden and used to grow mint - a good idea as it prevents the mint spreading! Washday tea was cold roast from Sunday, if we were lucky we got baked spuds, more often chips or mash. Pickled red cabbage went with it! I still love pickled red cabbage (it is very easy to make), cold roast beef and baked spud! Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Cliff Ton 10,457 Posted March 16, 2012 Report Share Posted March 16, 2012 This seems to sum it all up Quote Link to post Share on other sites
katyjay 5,090 Posted March 16, 2012 Report Share Posted March 16, 2012 Now I do feel really old! That photo was taken when I was 2, you forget how 'old fashioned' everything was in the 40's and 50's. Even 60's photos taken of shoppers in town, all the men were still wearing trilbys, rainmacs etc, and we thought the 60's were so modern. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
jackson 301 Posted March 16, 2012 Report Share Posted March 16, 2012 Great wash day photos. I especially like the one of the vast mangle; it would appear that Kath and I were not the only kids fascinated by them. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
jackson 301 Posted March 16, 2012 Report Share Posted March 16, 2012 Monday (wash day) meal for us was: cold meat from Sunday, bubble and squeek, beans and pickles; pudding was either: rice, tapioca or semolina. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
mudgie49 401 Posted March 16, 2012 Report Share Posted March 16, 2012 Pudding! should'a come to your house on washday. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
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