Drains Collection

Sir Jospeh Bazalgette
SIR JOSEPH WILLIAM BAZALGETTE engineer who embanked the Thames, and gave London its drains

Reflections in a puddle on a road in the Trossachs Scotland UK
Ashley Cooper / SpecialistStock

Page from The Architect s, Surveyors and Engineers Compendium 1892 (engraving)
728218 Page from The Architect s, Surveyors and Engineers Compendium 1892 (engraving) by English School, (19th century); Private Collection; (add.info.: Page from The Architect s)

Drunk man amazed his tankard contains beer and not coffee
In the Bars and Streets. Cartoon drawing by Phil May depicting a very drunk man amazed that his tankard contained beer and not coffee

Mr Whiteley's design for central heating and hot water system
5307929 Mr Whiteley's design for central heating and hot water system.; (add.info.: Illustration depicting Mr Whiteley's design for central heating)

Hazards of a 19th Century household, 1850
3359129 Hazards of a 19th Century household, 1850; (add.info.: Hazards of a 19th Century household, including taxes, rats, black beetles, cockroaches, arsenic fumes, stinking drains)

The process of collecting manure in a farmyard
5307481 The process of collecting manure in a farmyard.; (add.info.: Engraving depicting the process of collecting manure in a farmyard)

Formula 1 2024: Bahrain GP
BAHRAIN INTERNATIONAL CIRCUIT, BAHRAIN - FEBRUARY 27: Drainage and kerb modification detail, to rectify problems from pre-season testing during the Bahrain GP at Bahrain International Circuit

Drain Diggers, 1885. Creator: Laurits Andersen Ring
Drain Diggers, 1885

Ponteland Church, Northumberland, 1854. Creator: Unknown
Ponteland Church, Northumberland, 1854. Church of St Mary the Virgin, ...built, probably, in the early part of the thirteenth century, although its tower betokens an earlier date

Camp, 1917 or 1918. Creator: Harris & Ewing. Camp, 1917 or 1918. Creator: Harris & Ewing
Camp, 1917 or 1918

Camp, 1917 or 1918. Creator: Harris & Ewing. Camp, 1917 or 1918. Creator: Harris & Ewing
Camp, 1917 or 1918

Ditch bank housing for Mexican field workers, Imperial Valley, California, 1937. Creator: Dorothea Lange
Ditch bank housing for Mexican field workers. Imperial Valley, California

Section of Wall, etc, of Ponteland Church, Northumberland, 1854. Creator: Unknown
Section of Wall, etc, of Ponteland Church, Northumberland, 1854. A. The Wall of the Church; B. The Area round the Wall to keep it dry; C. Flagstone covering the Area; D. The Floor of the Church; E

Metropolitan Board of Works map of Bazalgette's plan for the Lines of Main Intercepting Sewers
GHL35390 Metropolitan Board of Works map of Bazalgette's plan for the Lines of Main Intercepting Sewers, constructed for the Improved Drainage of the Metropolis, (colour engraving)

Chimney Sweeps, Thomas Pritchard, trade card (engraving)
984065 Chimney Sweeps, Thomas Pritchard, trade card (engraving) by English School, (18th century); Private Collection; (add.info.: Chimney Sweeps, Thomas Pritchard)

Comic postcard, Woman and plumber Date: 20th century

Piccadilly, 1842 (litho)
GHL6187 Piccadilly, 1842 (litho) by Boys, Thomas Shotter (1803-74); London Metropolitan Archives, City of London; eLondon Metropolitan Archives; English, out of copyright

Girl outside back door, checking the rain (colour litho)
3630659 Girl outside back door, checking the rain (colour litho) by English School, (19th century); Private Collection; (add.info.: Girl outside back door, checking the rain)

Page from The Architect s, Surveyors and Engineers Compendium 1892 (engraving)
728219 Page from The Architect s, Surveyors and Engineers Compendium 1892 (engraving) by English School, (19th century); Private Collection; (add.info.: Page from The Architect s)

The Cholera Scare, Prevention is better than Cure (engraving)
1047652 The Cholera Scare, Prevention is better than Cure (engraving) by English School, (19th century); Private Collection; (add.info.: The Cholera Scare, Prevention is better than Cure)

Section through Suburban House (litho)
3650890 Section through Suburban House (litho) by English School, (20th century); Private Collection; (add.info.: Section through Suburban House)

Drainage (colour litho)
982609 Drainage (colour litho) by French School, (19th century); Private Collection; (add.info.: Drainage.); Look and Learn / Valerie Jackson Harris Collection

A Kingston Upon Thames council worker seen here cleansing the gullys and sewers. January 1939

Penstock Chamber at Old Ford, London 1861
Interior of the Penstock Chamber in the sewers at Old Ford, London, 1861. Penstock chambers usually have large, moveable watertight doors and are used to control the flow of material in drains

London Metropolitan Main Drainage with Prince of Wales
London Metropolitan Main Drainage : the southern outfall works at Crossness - Prince of Wales (later King Edward VII), been shown around. Date: 1865

EyeUbiquitous_20084601
St Lucia, Soufriere, wood and breeze block housing with corrugated tin rooves hanging washing and children standing on drainage channel in foreground

Parochialstrasse in Berlin, 1831. Creator: Johann Philipp Eduard Gartner
Parochialstrasse in Berlin, 1831

House Drainage. Schematic diagram

Woman in the narrow alleys of Gamla Stan, Stockholm

Old, narrow alley of Gamla Stan, Stockholm

Girl Skips in Garden
A young girl plays with her skipping rope in her back garden. Date: 1950s

Poorly Vented Drains
Satire on poorly vented labyrinthine drainage in rented accommodation

Zimbabwe (Rhodesia) - Coach crossing Limpopo
Black and white lantern Slide of Coach crossing Limpopo - British South Africa. Part of Box 288, British South Africa. Boswell Collection

Autumn foliage on a gully

A manhole cover, round

Rain water flowing from a drain pipe

Water Vole (Arvicola amphibius) adult, emerging from drainage pipe, Kent, England, December

Danger, Hazardous Area sign on drainage outfall into sea, Anderby Creek, Lincolnshire, England, June

Lead downspout on wall of ruined 12th century Augustinian priory, Bolton Priory, Bolton Abbey Estate, Wharfedale, Yorkshire Dales N.P. North Yorkshire, England, April

Farmer repairing old blocked drain in upland meadow using mini digger and spade, Cumbria, England, May

Waterway flowing under railway bridges, Mother Drain, Potteric Carr Nature Reserve, South Yorkshire, England, October

Burnham Overy Marsh, recently cut by a rotary cutter these shallow channels are designed to hold standing water and create new wetland habitats for wading birds and waterfowl

The restoration and creation of wetland habitats on the Holkham Estate for wading birds and waterfowl, by using a rotary ditcher which create foot drains shallow channels designed to hold standing

The restoration and creation of wetland habitats for wading birds and waterfowl, by using a rotary ditcher which create foot drains shallow channels designed to hold standing water

View of fenland drain at sunset, Cock Bank, The Turves, Whittlesey, Cambridgeshire, England, May

Drainage trocar with cannulae, circa 1860 C017 / 6949
Dr. Southeys drainage trocar with 3 cannulae in their case. This set dates from 1860 and is made by Arnold and Sons, England

Drainage trocar with cannulae, circa 1860 C017 / 6950
Dr. Southeys drainage trocar with 3 cannulae arranged on an orange background. This set dates from 1860 and is made by Arnold and Sons, England. The instruments are made from ivory and silver

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"Unseen Heroes: The Fascinating World of Drains" Step into the world and discover the hidden stories behind these essential infrastructures. From the visionary mind of Sir Joseph Bazalgette to everyday encounters with drains, this captivating journey will leave you amazed. In 19th-century London, Sir Joseph Bazalgette revolutionized urban sanitation with his ingenious plan for intercepting sewers. His legacy lives on as we marvel at the Metropolitan Board of Works map showcasing his grand vision for improved drainage in the metropolis. Venturing beyond London's streets, reflections in a puddle on a road in Trossachs, Scotland transport us to a different perspective. As we gaze upon this mesmerizing scene, it reminds us that even something as ordinary as rainwater finding its way through they are create beauty and intrigue. But they can not just about functionality; they have witnessed countless human experiences throughout history. Imagine a drunk man's astonishment when he realizes his tankard contains beer instead of coffee – an amusing encounter made possible by drain systems ensuring clean water supply. From chimney sweeps depicted in Thomas Pritchard's trade card to comical postcards featuring women and plumbers, they have inspired art and humor alike. They have become part of our cultural fabric, capturing moments that make us smile or reflect on society's quirks. It also play a crucial role in safeguarding public health. In an engraving titled "The Cholera Scare, " we witness how prevention is indeed better than cure when it comes to combating diseases spread through contaminated water sources. Drains stand tall as silent protectors against such threats. Even within domestic settings like suburban houses featured in lithographs from "The Architect s Surveyors and Engineers Compendium, " drains ensure comfort and convenience for families across generations. A section through one such house reveals how seamlessly these vital systems integrate into our daily lives. Finally, picture a young girl standing outside her back door, checking the rain.