Life in the nineteen fifties1. Laundry Women students at the Yorkshire Training College of Housecraft (YTCH) were taught the right way to do things. Cold water starch was home made and used to make clothes and caps as stiff as boards They learnt to iron them until they shone then fold them correctly so they could be worn smartly. The emphasis was on learning skills that could be passed on to girls whose backgrounds were poor and who only had access to very basic facilities. Wooden roller mangles were used to remove water and clothes and household linen were scrubbed. Yorkshire's main product was wool and silk was still fairly common. Rayon was becoming more available and needed special care. Nylon and Terylene were also available which gave women hope for a labour saving future! Flat irons were used as well as electric irons and it was quite a task to master the iron so that it was not too hot or too cool for the job in hand. Hard soap and soap powder were used as well as soapflakes. No brand names were in use. Washing machines were available but hardly ever used as they were expensive to buy and run.
Copyright Margaret Walker, 2003 |
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