Privy Collection

Whitehall / Hollar 1647
Whitehall from the Thames showing possibly the view between White Hall Palace Stairs & Privy Stairs with Inigo Joness Banqueting House in the background

Crane Company. - The Bathroom, 1940. Newvogue Receptor Bath with glass spray shield, walls in yellow ground Salubra wallpaper with grey and silver pattern, wainscoting in grey tiles

Mother and her daughter, Frederick Douglass housing project, Anacostia, D. C. 1942. Creator: Gordon Parks
Anacostia, D.C. Frederick Douglass housing project. Mother and her daughter

King Edward VII at a privy council meeting at Buckingham Palace, London, 19th century (engraving)
3039855 King Edward VII at a privy council meeting at Buckingham Palace, London, 19th century (engraving); Private Collection; (add.info)

Victoria (1819-1901) queen of England and Ireland from 1837 and Empress of India from 1875
531365 Victoria (1819-1901) queen of England and Ireland from 1837 and Empress of India from 1875. Victoria at her first meeting with her Privy Council (top): opening her first Parliament (centre)

Enema, late 18th-early 19th century. Creator: Nicolas Lavreince
Enema, late 18th-early 19th century

A latrine, c17th century. Creator: Anon
A latrine, c17th century

Peasant Woman Spinning, 1640-1677. Creator: Thomas Wijck
Peasant Woman Spinning, 1640-1677. Mother at the spinning wheel, her child sits in a chair designed as a toilet, with a built-in chamber pot, and plays with the family dog

Unsanitary privy in potato pickers camp near Shafter, California, 1937. Creator: Dorothea Lange
Unsanitary privy in potato pickers camp near Shafter, California

Privy in cheap migratory camp, San Joaquin Valley, California, 1936. Creator: Dorothea Lange
Privy in cheap migratory camp. San Joaquin Valley, California

Farm buildings in the purchase area, Widtsoe, Utah, 1936. Creator: Dorothea Lange
Farm buildings in the purchase area. Widtsoe, Utah

Privy in cotton camp for migratory workers, California, 1936. Creator: Dorothea Lange
Privy in cotton camp for migratory workers. California

Sanitary facilities for migratory workers, Ditch bank camp, near Arvin, Kern County, CA, 1936. Creator: Dorothea Lange
Sanitary facilities for migratory workers. Ditch bank camp. Squatters near Arvin, Kern County, California

Toilet facilities at Westley camp, California, 1939. Creator: Dorothea Lange
Toilet facilities at Westley camp. California

Toilet facilities at Westley camp, California, 1939. Creator: Dorothea Lange
Toilet facilities at Westley camp. California

Margaret Bondfield - Labour MP - 1st female cabinet minister
Margaret Grace Bondfield CH PC (1873-1953) was a British Labour politician, trade unionist and womens rights activist. She became the first female cabinet minister

Le Pot de Chambre, 1908. Artist: Konstantin Somov
Le Pot de Chambre, 1908. Illustration from the Livre de la Marquise. Found in the collection of the Russian State Library, Moscow

Lord Clarendon, George William Frederick Villiers
George William Frederick Villiers, the 4th Earl of Clarendon (1800 - 1870), leading English Whig politician, who served as Lord Privy Seal

Fashionable Jockeyship, published by Hannah Humphrey, 1796 (coloured engraving)
NCO189709 Fashionable Jockeyship, published by Hannah Humphrey, 1796 (coloured engraving) by Gillray, James (1757-1815); Courtesy of the Warden and Scholars of New College

Three children waiting in the kitchen while their mother prepares the... Washington, D.C, 1942. Creator: Gordon Parks
Washington, D.C. Three children waiting in the kitchen while their mother prepares the evening meal

Twenty-four portable toilets, mobile camp (FSA), equipment, Merrill, Klamath County, Oregon, 1939
Twenty-four portable toilets, mobile camp (FSA - Farm Security Administration) equipment. Merrill, Klamath County, Oregon. [Mens on the left, womens on the right]

Sanitary facilities in camp of carrot pullers, near Holtville, Imperial Valley, California, 1939
Sanitary facilities in camp of carrot pullers. Near Holtville, Imperial Valley, California

Toilets provided for hop pickers in growers camp, near Grants Pass, Oregon, 1939. Creator: Dorothea Lange
Toilets provided for hop pickers in growers camp. Near Grants Pass, Josephine County, Oregon. [ Women painted on wooden toilet building]

Temporary buildings on Williams new farm, Dead Ox Flat, Malheur County, Oregon, 1939. Creator: Dorothea Lange
Temporary buildings on Williams new farm. Dead Ox Flat, Malheur County, Oregon

Toilet for ten cabins, men, women, and children, Arkansawyers auto camp, Greenfield, CA, 1939. Creator: Dorothea Lange
Toilet for ten cabins, men, women, and children. In Arkansawyers auto camp. Greenfield, California. [Sign: Do not throw cans in garbage ]

The Dazey place, Homedale district, Malheur County, Oregon, 1939. Creator: Dorothea Lange
The Dazey place. Homedale district, Malheur County, Oregon. [Outside toilet and storm cellar]

Toilet for ten cabins, men, women... in auto camp... Greenfield, Salinas Valley, CA, 1939. Creator: Dorothea Lange
Toilet for ten cabins, men, women and children in auto camp for Arkansawyers, recent migrants to California. Rent for cabins ten dollars a month. Greenfield, Salinas Valley, California

Steelmill workers company houses and outhouses, Republic Steel Company, Birmingham, Alabama, 1936
Steelmill workers company houses and outhouses [outside toilets]. Republic Steel Company, Birmingham, Alabama

Tourist camp privy, Georgia, 1936. Creator: Walker Evans
Tourist camp privy. Georgia

Commode Chair, c. 1940. Creator: Ernest A Towers Jr
Commode Chair, c. 1940

Pigsty and Latrines, Han dynasty (206 B. C. -A. D. 220), 1st century B. C. / A. D
Pigsty and Latrines, Han dynasty (206 B.C.-A.D. 220), 1st century B.C./A.D

Comic postcard, council worker Date: 20th century

A curious gate called St. John Gate, the oldest house
A curious gate in variegated brickwork called St. John Gate, the oldest house in Stepney. Copperplate engraving by John Thomas Smith after original drawings by members of the Society of Antiquaries

Seventh Carriage of Royal Household in Queen Victoria s
Seventh Carriage of the Royal Household in Queen Victorias coronation parade. Two Maids of Honor, Hon. Miss Cavendish and Hon

A typical London slum (b / w photo)
6000908 A typical London slum (b/w photo) by English Photographer, (20th century); Private Collection; (add.info.: A typical London slum)

Sir Hoare and his wife carrying gas masks, September 1939
Sir Samuel Hoare and his wife Lady Maud Hoare walking home with their gas masks, days after his appointment as Lord Privy Seal following the outbreak of war. 1939

Court women of Burma in ceremonial dress. Servant bowing, chief counsellor or woongees wife with fan, privy counsellor or attawoons wife, and counsellor or woondocs wife with fan

Burmese court officials to the Emperor. Chief minister and counsellor (Woongee, Woondock) at left, privy counsellor and first secretary (Attawoon and Sere Dogee) and rhahaan or priest with fan

Monumental Brass Rubbing, Edward and Dorothy Wotton
Monumental Brass Rubbing, Sir Edward Wotton and his wife Dorothy, Boughton Malherbe, Kent. Sir Edward Wotton (1489-1551) was Treasurer of Calais and a privy councillor to King Edward VI of England

Privy Council seated around Henry V
Members of the Privy Council also know as Majestys Most Honourable Privy Council, were exclusively men, a body of advisers to the sovereign, her showing seated around the king of England at the time

Privy purse in 1753 alongside the privy purse in 1773 (engraving)
614491 Privy purse in 1753 alongside the privy purse in 1773 (engraving) by English School, (19th century); Private Collection; (add.info.: Privy purse in 1753 alongside the privy purse in 1773)

William Woodward, Nightman, Carman and Chimney Sweeper, No
STC174248 William Woodward, Nightman, Carman and Chimney Sweeper, No. 1 Mary-Le-Bone Passage, Wells Street, Oxford Market, London (engraving) by English School

George Granville (engraving)
820718 George Granville (engraving) by English School, (19th century); Private Collection; (add.info.: George Granville. Lord Lansdowne. From a drawing)

General Leslie (engraving)
820661 General Leslie (engraving) by Dyck, Anthony van (1599-1641) (after); Private Collection; (add.info.: General Leslie)

The Washerwomen (Les Laveuses), 1771. Creator: Jean Baptiste Le Prince
The Washerwomen (Les Laveuses), 1771

Plate 4 from Los Caprichos : Nannys boy (El de la rollona. ), 1799
Plate 4 from Los Caprichos : Nannys boy (El de la rollona.), 1799

Salon Orchestra Meier, 1911. Creator: Moritz Jung
Salon Orchestra Meier, 1911

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"Exploring the Evolution of Privy: From Whitehall to Frederick Douglass Housing Project" Step back in time as we journey through the fascinating history of privies. Our first stop takes us to Whitehall, where artist Hollar captured a vivid image of a privy in 1647. A glimpse into the past, this artwork showcases how essential these facilities were even centuries ago. Fast forward to 1940, and we find ourselves in The Bathroom by Crane Company. This iconic advertisement highlights the importance of modernizing sanitation, emphasizing the role that privies played in improving hygiene standards during that era. Moving on to Anacostia, D. C. , in 1942, Gordon Parks immortalizes a tender moment between a mother and her daughter at Frederick Douglass housing project. In this powerful photograph, we witness how privies were an integral part of everyday life for marginalized communities. Delving deeper into history brings us face-to-face with Lord Clarendon and George William Frederick Villiers. These influential figures understood the significance of proper sanitary conditions and sought to improve them through innovations like illuminated letter C featuring Queen Elizabeth I. Shifting gears from royalty to politics, we encounter Margaret Bondfield - Labour MP and Britain's first female cabinet minister. Her groundbreaking achievements paved the way for advancements in public health infrastructure including improved privy systems across the nation. Artistic expressions also shed light on society's perception of privies. Konstantin Somov's Le Pot de Chambre (1908) captures both its practicality and aesthetic appeal while Hannah Humphrey's Fashionable Jockeyship (1796) humorously portrays societal norms surrounding these facilities. Returning once again to Gordon Parks' lens, his photograph depicts three children eagerly waiting while their mother prepares. . What could it be? Perhaps another testament to how vital these humble structures were for daily life during challenging times in Washington D. C. , circa 1942.