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Public laundries, Marshall Street, London 1900
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Public laundries, Marshall Street, London 1900
Interior of a public wash-house with women wringing out wet clothes on mangles and folding them.
1900
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Media ID 23269380
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Clean Cleaning Cleanliness Community Drying Fold Folding Laundries Laundry Machines Mangle Mangles Marshall Rooms Wash Washed Washing Washhouse Washhouses
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This evocative photograph captures the interior of a public wash-house on Marshall Street in London during the early 1900s. The image offers a glimpse into the daily lives of working-class women during this era, who would gather at these communal laundries to wash and clean their families' clothes. The room is filled with the hum of conversation and the rhythmic sounds of women at work. Clothes, freshly washed and still wet, hang from lines and mangles, while others are being mangled and folded on long tables. The mangles, a common laundry machine of the time, are used to wring out excess water from the clothes, making the drying process more efficient. The women in the photograph appear focused and determined, their expressions revealing the physical and emotional labor involved in this communal chore. The atmosphere is one of camaraderie and shared responsibility, as the women work together to ensure their families have clean clothes. The public wash-houses provided an essential service for those who could not afford the luxury of a private washing machine or the expense of hiring a washerwoman. The wash-houses were often located in densely populated areas, making them easily accessible to the community. This photograph offers a poignant reminder of the importance of community and the shared experience of domestic labor in the early 20th century. The women in the photograph are a testament to the resilience and resourcefulness of working-class Londoners during this period, as they found creative solutions to meet the basic needs of their families.
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