Wash Day Collection

DOLLY TUB
A laundry worker using a dolly stock and tub to clean clothes, prior to the invention of the washing machine

Washing Board
A photograph demonstrating the use of a scrubbing board in a tub during washday in the early 20th century

Washing drying in the sun
Lines of washing drying in the sun with the outlines of roofs and chimney pots behind, in an unidentified location in either Islington or Camden, in London

Children Wash Clothes
Two little girls help their mother with the laundry on washday

Rabbits Wash-Day - Birthday Greetings Postcard Date: 1944

Wash Day, 1923 (oil on canvas)
1199505 Wash Day, 1923 (oil on canvas) by Glehn, Wilfred Gabriel de (1870-1951); 66x80.9 cm; Private Collection; Photo © Christies Images

Wash Day, 1890 (watercolour and pencil on paper)
985357 Wash Day, 1890 (watercolour and pencil on paper) by Henry, Edward Lamson (1841-1919); 18.5x31 cm; Private Collection; (add.info.: Wash Day. Edward Lamson Henry (1841-1919)

A gambling machine has been installed in the launderette in the Warwick Road, Banbury, Oxon. Pictured, Mrs Violet Cox tries her hand at the one armed bandit

Children clear their bedrooms by having a yard sales in Coventry. Circa 1965

Street washing out to dry, Arsenale, Venice
A man stands at the end of a street hung out with drying washing between apartments in Arsenale district of Venice, Italy Date: 2013

R. Hornsby and Sons washing, wringing and mangling machine. From A Concise History of The International Exhibition of 1862, published 1862

A Monday Washing, New York City, USA. After a photo-chromolithograph by an unidentified photographer, published circa 1900 by the Detroit Photographic Co.; New York City, New York

Mosul Mosul bazaars river scenes Tigris Wash day
Mosul. Mosul bazaars and river scenes on the Tigris. The Tigris. Wash day, women washing clothes in the river. 1932, Iraq, Mosul

1920s, UK, Sunlight Soap, Magazine Advert

Mangling Machine
Engraving of a woman using a mangle to squeeze excess water out of washed clothes

Dolly Tub and Wringer 1904
Dolly tub and wringer, Yorkshire, 1904 Date: 1904

Little girl on a postcard, hanging up the washing
A little girl on a greetings postcard hangs up the washing on the line. Date: early 20th century

Helping Mother hang up the washing
Two children Helping Mother hang up the washing. 19th century

Little girl on washing day
A little girl on washing day. 19th century

As Pants the Art
Cartoon, As Pants the Art. The origins of the design of plus four trousers as a man sees golfers playing golf behind a woman hanging out washing on a washing line

Boiling Clothes
A photograph demonstrating the boiling of " collars, cuffs, laces, and such-like small articles" in a calico bag during the arduous process of washday

Drying Machine
Several engravings illustrating an ingenious device for drying clothes; a forerunner of the fold-up telescopic clothes drier used instead of a line and pegs

Storyland / Washday
Helping mama on washday

Housemaid does the laundry (Monday)
Monday: Ruth the housemaid does the laundry, unhappy because its raining and she won t be able to hang it out to dry

Washing Day in York
Washday in the back court of a working-class home, York

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"Wash Day: A Glimpse into the Past" Step back in time to a bygone era, where wash day was a weekly ritual filled with hard work and simplicity. Picture yourself in front of a dolly tub, surrounded by the nostalgic scent of soap suds and fresh laundry. The washing board stands tall, ready to tackle stubborn stains and dirt. As the sun shines brightly overhead, clothes flutter on the line like colorful flags of cleanliness. Children eagerly participate in this age-old tradition, learning valuable life skills as they scrub away at their own small garments. In this vivid scene from 1944 captured on a birthday greetings postcard titled "Rabbits Wash-Day, " we see an old gipsy woman tending to her laundry with care. Her weathered hands tell tales of countless wash days gone by. Transporting ourselves further back in time, we encounter two captivating artworks that depict wash day scenes from different eras. "Wash Day" painted in 1923 showcases an oil on canvas masterpiece that brings to life the laborious process involved in achieving spotless clothing. Meanwhile, "Wash Day" created in 1890 using watercolor and pencil on paper captures the delicate nature of this domestic chore. Moving beyond traditional settings, our journey takes us to Venice's Arsenale district where even streets are transformed into drying racks for freshly washed linens. Witnessing such unconventional sights reminds us that clean clothes have no boundaries when it comes to finding space under the sun. However, not all wash days were solely dedicated to laundry tasks; some launderettes had unexpected surprises lurking within their walls. Take Banbury's Warwick Road launderette as an example - amidst rows of washing machines stood an unusual addition: a gambling machine. An intriguing blend of mundane chores and thrilling entertainment coexisting side by side. From dolly tubs and washing boards to children helping out and old gipsy women, wash day was a time-honored tradition that united generations.