1919 & 1922 Laundry Pics
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spiceman1957
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sudsman,
Interesting pictures. What kind of chemicals do you think they were using in this 1922 photo that you had to wear a mask. Or was the laundry that dirty lol
Interesting pictures. What kind of chemicals do you think they were using in this 1922 photo that you had to wear a mask. Or was the laundry that dirty lol
They were washing surgery linen
In most of the older laundries used alkali soap bleach sour and softner.. This pic was given to me by a old Cowles Chemical rep so I would guess they were using his supplies. As you can see the sheet being loaded into the washer is from surgery..
In most of the older laundries used alkali soap bleach sour and softner.. This pic was given to me by a old Cowles Chemical rep so I would guess they were using his supplies. As you can see the sheet being loaded into the washer is from surgery..
athanasius80
Well-known member
The first picture looks a lot older than 1919. Look at the womens' bodices. They're clearly corseted, and with the little shoulder puffs on their sleeves, I'd guess pre-1905 at the newest.
going by what the pic says on the back
the ironer is a Chicago model 231 with a vent hood . Vent hoods on ironers were not made before 1915 and the model 231 was only made for 5 years , So could not be back more than 1915. Several of the girls do not have corsets either.
the ironer is a Chicago model 231 with a vent hood . Vent hoods on ironers were not made before 1915 and the model 231 was only made for 5 years , So could not be back more than 1915. Several of the girls do not have corsets either.
There Were Corsets
Up until and after WWI. It was the 1920's and the time between the wars when fashion's changed dramatically (a la Flappers)and such.
Besides, am not sure I'd want to wear a corset either, or if I did woudn't lace it tightly, working in a hot, humid place such as a laundry, much less all that heavy lifting.
Corsets by and large couldn't be laundered for many reasons. The most common method of cleaning would have involved simple sponging down, which probably wouldn't have gotten a filty rank corset any where near fresh and clean.
Face Masks:
My take is the men are wearing them as protection not against fumes, but germs.
Up until and after WWI. It was the 1920's and the time between the wars when fashion's changed dramatically (a la Flappers)and such.
Besides, am not sure I'd want to wear a corset either, or if I did woudn't lace it tightly, working in a hot, humid place such as a laundry, much less all that heavy lifting.
Corsets by and large couldn't be laundered for many reasons. The most common method of cleaning would have involved simple sponging down, which probably wouldn't have gotten a filty rank corset any where near fresh and clean.
Face Masks:
My take is the men are wearing them as protection not against fumes, but germs.
Dress
Oh yes women did! *LOL*
Nurses, maids, nannies, governesses, factory girls, the lot all wore skirts and corsets, long as it was in fashion. Heck some even wore huge hooped skirts or puffed up skirts when they were in fashion as well.
It was deemed "improper" for a woman to go about without her corsets, much like it would be today for a woman to go around bra less (or without a girdle in the 1950's though 1960's).
In the first place, dresses and bodices were fitted onto corseted bodies, therefore nothing would fit properly without those foundation garments.
Next, for saftey and hygine reasons, one would think shorter skirts, and or even better trousers were much better, but neither was really possible then. Decent women did not show their legs, much less ankles, regardles of their occupations outside the home. Trousers were the domain of men well until the 1930's or so. Even when riding habits changed over to breeches for women, some sort of skirt contraption was still required not only for modesty, but many hunting clubs would not allow a woman to enter wearing "trousers".
In many cases of nurses, maids and such, one wore what was provided, and those dresses were normally based upon the fashions of the day. Interestingly enough, women were often hired for some of those positions (usually maids), because they "fit the uniform".
As stated before, it must have been hell on earth wearing the several pounds of undergarments of that era, plus a corset in all that heat and heavy work, but then again many housewives wore the same things at home for doing everything from housework (including laundry), to farm work.
PBS had a great program several years ago called "1900 House", where a modern family "goes back in time" to live as one would have in Edwardian era. The mother and oldest daughter were put into corsets and promptly became short of breath. The mother in particular having to do all that hard housework wearing a corset. She tried to rebel once and not wear the thing, but then her clothing didn't fit, so it was back into stays she went for the duration.
Oh yes women did! *LOL*
Nurses, maids, nannies, governesses, factory girls, the lot all wore skirts and corsets, long as it was in fashion. Heck some even wore huge hooped skirts or puffed up skirts when they were in fashion as well.
It was deemed "improper" for a woman to go about without her corsets, much like it would be today for a woman to go around bra less (or without a girdle in the 1950's though 1960's).
In the first place, dresses and bodices were fitted onto corseted bodies, therefore nothing would fit properly without those foundation garments.
Next, for saftey and hygine reasons, one would think shorter skirts, and or even better trousers were much better, but neither was really possible then. Decent women did not show their legs, much less ankles, regardles of their occupations outside the home. Trousers were the domain of men well until the 1930's or so. Even when riding habits changed over to breeches for women, some sort of skirt contraption was still required not only for modesty, but many hunting clubs would not allow a woman to enter wearing "trousers".
In many cases of nurses, maids and such, one wore what was provided, and those dresses were normally based upon the fashions of the day. Interestingly enough, women were often hired for some of those positions (usually maids), because they "fit the uniform".
As stated before, it must have been hell on earth wearing the several pounds of undergarments of that era, plus a corset in all that heat and heavy work, but then again many housewives wore the same things at home for doing everything from housework (including laundry), to farm work.
PBS had a great program several years ago called "1900 House", where a modern family "goes back in time" to live as one would have in Edwardian era. The mother and oldest daughter were put into corsets and promptly became short of breath. The mother in particular having to do all that hard housework wearing a corset. She tried to rebel once and not wear the thing, but then her clothing didn't fit, so it was back into stays she went for the duration.
toggleswitch2
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~Corsets by and large couldn't be laundered for many reasons. The most common method of cleaning would have involved simple sponging down, which probably wouldn't have gotten a filty rank corset any where near fresh and clean.
In the 1900 house, IIRC, the woman of the house complained that her person was clean, but her clothing stunk!
My mother showed my a dress of HER mother's from the 1920's, when yiayia (granny) was a young lady, overseas. Not very different that what was pictured above, style-wise. Down to the ankles and very form-fitted.
Having a whiz quickly or using similar parts for mischief must have been nearly impossible.
In the 1900 house, IIRC, the woman of the house complained that her person was clean, but her clothing stunk!
My mother showed my a dress of HER mother's from the 1920's, when yiayia (granny) was a young lady, overseas. Not very different that what was pictured above, style-wise. Down to the ankles and very form-fitted.
Having a whiz quickly or using similar parts for mischief must have been nearly impossible.
Actually,
Toggles, if you go back just a few decades prior, women's clothing made taking a quick whiz very easy. Those hoop dresses meant a walk in the park could easily permit merely stopping and pissing.
Men's clothing certainly didn't hide much in the 19th century or Prince Albert wouldn't have had to come up with his solution.
Which is not my thing at all, but never mind.
It never ceases to fascinate me when I return to Europe and see people dressed as people compared to the puritan standards here in the US. I hope one of the benefits of losing shrub and the christianists will be that clothes become more interesting again soon. A guy ought to show that he has something in those pants!
Toggles, if you go back just a few decades prior, women's clothing made taking a quick whiz very easy. Those hoop dresses meant a walk in the park could easily permit merely stopping and pissing.
Men's clothing certainly didn't hide much in the 19th century or Prince Albert wouldn't have had to come up with his solution.
Which is not my thing at all, but never mind.
It never ceases to fascinate me when I return to Europe and see people dressed as people compared to the puritan standards here in the US. I hope one of the benefits of losing shrub and the christianists will be that clothes become more interesting again soon. A guy ought to show that he has something in those pants!
gocartwasher
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Interesting old photos
I alwase liked photos like that to see the old ways they did things. I especially noticed the line shaft,and belt power on the machines witch mostlikly ran off of a large engine in another part of the building like the engine in this photo.
This engine was built in Muncie Indiana in 1913 and is on display at our local tractor & engine show.
When its running the exhaust has a really great "Dance music"type beat to it
I alwase liked photos like that to see the old ways they did things. I especially noticed the line shaft,and belt power on the machines witch mostlikly ran off of a large engine in another part of the building like the engine in this photo.
This engine was built in Muncie Indiana in 1913 and is on display at our local tractor & engine show.
When its running the exhaust has a really great "Dance music"type beat to it
gocartwasher
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The second photo
I noticed that the lights are flourecent,and theres motors on the equipment because you can see the conduits,and the fuse boxesattached to them.
I went to Wikipedia and read some on these lights they had a patent on one in 1912 ,but didnt start using them until 20 years later.
en.wikipedia.org
I noticed that the lights are flourecent,and theres motors on the equipment because you can see the conduits,and the fuse boxesattached to them.
I went to Wikipedia and read some on these lights they had a patent on one in 1912 ,but didnt start using them until 20 years later.
Fluorescent lamp - Wikipedia
Would tend to go by what is noted on the pictures as well.
It is very hard to date pictures based upon clothing as persons did not always update to modern styles rapidly, especially women and the poor. Queen Mary dressed like a relic from another era because her husband the King disliked modern ladies fashions, especially bobbed hair and "short" skirts.
In an era when much clothing was either made by hand, or by hired seamstress, one wore what one had until it literally couldn't be mended anymore for most.
Laundry work has never been a high paying occupation, and can only imagine that blacks working in the South probably were not rolling in dough.
Only one woman is wearing that white shift sort of dress, which one has seen in other pictures and films of the period showing the South. Given the shortness of the dress, it may be that she was a young girl (the only ones one has ever seen in such a dress), and not a "woman".
Up until the 1920's or so, you could tell a girl's age by her skirt length. Little girls wore the shortest dresses, pre-teens and teens got a little longer, but still above ankles, married women and girls who were "out" in society, had skirts that hit the ground or around the ankles.
Still think both places must have been hell on earth to work in, especially during the hot and humid Southern summers.
It is very hard to date pictures based upon clothing as persons did not always update to modern styles rapidly, especially women and the poor. Queen Mary dressed like a relic from another era because her husband the King disliked modern ladies fashions, especially bobbed hair and "short" skirts.
In an era when much clothing was either made by hand, or by hired seamstress, one wore what one had until it literally couldn't be mended anymore for most.
Laundry work has never been a high paying occupation, and can only imagine that blacks working in the South probably were not rolling in dough.
Only one woman is wearing that white shift sort of dress, which one has seen in other pictures and films of the period showing the South. Given the shortness of the dress, it may be that she was a young girl (the only ones one has ever seen in such a dress), and not a "woman".
Up until the 1920's or so, you could tell a girl's age by her skirt length. Little girls wore the shortest dresses, pre-teens and teens got a little longer, but still above ankles, married women and girls who were "out" in society, had skirts that hit the ground or around the ankles.
Still think both places must have been hell on earth to work in, especially during the hot and humid Southern summers.
Hey, I'm On Your Side! *LOL*
I SAID "Would go with what was on....."
Contrasting picture of a modern hospital laundry
I SAID "Would go with what was on....."
Contrasting picture of a modern hospital laundry
aldspinboy
Well-known member
Sudsmen..Love you and those pics and your laundry savvy ! Always did.
Darren k
Darren k
