From Rubbing Boards to Modern Luxuries The 70’s changed life for women. Modern time saving chores

I remember some of what I am about to write, but I am too young to have seen it all. My mam told me a true story about how she cut her hand and wrist while using the old-fashioned rubbing board to wash the family’s clothes. Her mum, my grandmother, died when Mam was just 8 years old, leaving my grandfather Joseph to bring up his 13 young children himself. So the girls looked after their siblings as they got older, as did my Mam. One day, she was using the glass—yes, glass—rubbing board in a metal deep tub when she pressed too hard, and her hand went through it. She was lucky; granddad was home from the coal mine and whisked her up in his arms and took her to the doctors; it was very near. There were no health and safety rules on washing boards. I wonder how many other women did this and got hurt. There were no electric washing machines then. It was a rubbing board or two fists battering the dirty washing clean.

Now, back then, you washed and hung it out in the yard or were posh enough to have an indoor drying clothesline. It was fixed to the ceiling, and you used a rope with a pulley on it to reel it up or down. When it was up, you secured the pulling rope around a big metal hook. That was the drying done. Even in the ’70s, most old houses had these indoor lines. I imagine it with a big coal fire burning to heat the room and dry the washing. No hefty bills in those days; all you needed was a rubbing board, a mangle, and a big block of soap.

Ha ha, life moved on! When I got married, I had a very modern washer. If it broke down and we could afford it, there was a laundry opened over the road from our house. My washer was electric; it had a mangle to squeeze the water off the clothes, and it heated the water by itself, so you filled it up with cold water and waited for it to get hot. The washing room was steamy hot.

My pride and joy as a young married ’70s girl was my heated dryer—a tall metal box with lats across and a lid to keep the heat in. It was every woman’s dream.

So when you think it’s a hard job doing your laundry, think back to life before your time. Now that was blood, sweat, and tears. Think yourself lucky. As for ironing, that was a very heavy lump of metal you heated on the fire. Omg, no, I never had one of these—thank God!

As I reflect on the lives of women from the past, I am filled with admiration for the unwavering spirit and endurance they displayed. In those days, being a housewife was a demanding role defined by labor; every wash, every pressed shirt, and every meal was a testament to hard work and dedication. The rudimentary tools they relied upon—a glass rubbing board, a mangle, and sheer determination—shaped a life imbued with both challenges and triumphs.

Today, we are blessed with conveniences that transform our domestic tasks into moments of ease. With electric washing machines and dryers, laundry that once consumed hours can now be completed in mere minutes, allowing us to cherish our time for pursuits that broaden our horizons and inspire us.

Yet, while we embrace the luxuries of modern life, we must remember the resilience of those who came before us. Their stories of grit and perseverance remind us of the value of hard work and the significance of each generation's contribution to the comforts we now enjoy. In the realm of laundry aids and domestic life, it is not merely about the advancements but also about honoring the legacy of the women who paved the way for our present.

Though the methods have changed, the spirit remains—a legacy of strength and dedication that continues to inspire.