Historical Howden
My Memories of Monday Morning Blues
The clock alarm bell rang loudly at 4.30 am; it was washing day and time for my Dad to rise from his bed. He did his share of chores on wash-day, before going to his place of work.
After a cup of tea, he would make his way to the wash-house which was across the back yard. His first job was to fill the large 'copper' with water, which he had to carry from the butt beneath the fall pipe that came down from the guttering of the house roof. It was lovely, soft rain water. The next thing was to light the fire beneath the 'copper' which was laid on Sunday evening. The zinc 'peggy tub was then placed beneath the mangle, with its worn, wooden rollers, and the 'peggy stick' was taken down from its hanging position on the wall.
A wooden scrubbing tub was placed on a low table by the small window and a block of Sunlight soap placed on a corner ledge which was there for the purpose, along with a small scrubbing brush. These items were used for dirty collars and extra-dirty areas. The clothes drying line was fastened on posts which took the line the length of the long garden.
When plenty of hot water was available, Dad got on with washing the six double-bed sheets, plus any other large items of bedding. For these first items of washing, Lux Flakes were used in the water, and Rinso Powder. The water then had to be changed, more being carried from the butts for the copper to be topped up.
On a fine day, it was my job to get the sheets, and any other large items, pegged out as soon as they were ready. At this stage of the procedure, we both went into the house for some breakfast, after which Dad went off to his place of work. I returned to the wash-house to deal with the rest of the family was. First of all, the clothes had to be sorted and the receptacles topped up with hot water. A close eye was kept on the copper to prevent it boiling dry. Most of the clothes were washed in the zinc peggy tub where they were swished around with the peggy- stick until they were clean.
As each item was taken from the water. it was put through the wooden rollers of the mangle; these were put in motion when the wheel was turned by hand on the right-hand side of the machine. The clothes then rested on a wooden ledge behind the rollers.
It was hard work, with lots of movement. Collars and items with slightly ingrained dirt were soaked for a while, scrubbed on a metal-ridged scrubbing board and finished off with a swish in the peggy-tub before being rinsed. All woollen items and socks were washed by hand.
Rinsing was the next chore, but most white articles had a second rinse in water which had turned blue after the immersion of a dolly-blue bag which was supposed to enhance the whiteness.
Damask table cloths, pillows cases and small covers were also put through a solution starch; this improved the appearance of these things when later pressed with a hot iron.
Back in the wash-house, it was cleaning-up time. First of all, the remains of the fire were cleared out from beneath the copper, then the copper and all other receptacles were emptied and dried. The wooden rollers of the mangle had to be dried thoroughly, as was the wooden peggy-stick. All ledges had to be washed down, the concrete floor scrubbed and then finished with donkey-stone round the edges. Also the door-step which dried a light creamy colour.
The chores didn't end there. The toilet, with its white wooden seat, was next door and had to be given the 'full works', like the wash-house. In the winter the cleaning-up could be very trying, especially when snow and ice were on the ground. We were 'open' to the North/North-East winds, and on those days I finished in the late afternoon, with white, smarting fingers.
Washing was certainly a long, drawn-out process. It could take a whole three days to complete the job. The old mangle, with its wooden rollers, was eventually replaced by a wringer, with two thinner rollers made of rubber and a smaller wheel to turn them. The wooden peggy-stick was replaced by a metal posher on a long wooden handle. These items were easier to use.
Ironing took quite some time to do, especially when just a flat-iron was used. This was heated by standing the iron on a rest in front of the coal fire. It sometimes got very dirty and had to be cleaned carefully before use. This improved when we were able to purchase a chrome, clip-on stand for the iron, a much cleaner process.
The day was made much easier when the weather was fine and sunny. The clothes could all be dried outside- and in one day! When drying clothes indoors, a wooden clothes-horse was used. This stood around the fire. Most farmhouse kitchens had a pulley rack, with lines or wooden rails on which the clothes could be hung to dry. They were then pullied to the ceiling, still near the fire. Apart from drying, racks could be used for 'airing'.
TIME TO REJOICE! Electricity was installed, and a Hoovermatic De Luxe arrived!
By Agnes Hill nee Marsden.