Wash Board Collection

Young woman washing clothes at a sink
A young woman at a kitchen sink washing clothes using a washboard. There is a stack of four dinner plates waiting to be washed up, a kettle, and a tin of One-O-One which cleans without scratching

Woman washing clothes in a river
A woman washes clothes in a river, using a washboard

Washboard for scrubbing laundry in the 1800s
Woman reenactor doing laundry with a washboard, living history demonstration, Shiloh National Military Park, Tennessee. Digital photograph

Washerwomen, (oil on panel)
650814 Washerwomen, (oil on panel) by Ulrich, Charles Frederic (1858-1908); 58.3x37.2 cm; Private Collection; (add.info.: Washerwomen. Charles Frederic Ulrich (1858-1908). Oil on panel

Sod home of a pioneer family on the plains
Prairie homestead family preparing for winter at their sod home. Hand-colored woodcut of a 19th-century illustration

SOAP ADVERTISEMENT, c1866. Advertisement for Silvers Wash Powder, c1866

WASHING MACHINES, 1895. Advertisements for washing machines, washboards, wash benches, ironers, and starchers from a Montgomery Ward catalogue of 1895

WASHBOARD, 1870. A newly-patented washboard. Wood engraving from an American magazine of 1870

ALLIGATOR ATTACK, c1865. Terrible encounter of a Florida washerwoman with an alligator. Wood engraving from an American newspaper, c1865

Hypnotist directing group of people to do unusual activities: woman playing washboard, woman riding man, men using brooms as musical instruments, policeman using sausage as weapon. Date 19 - ?

Apres la Guerre no. 4 - postcard drawn by George Ranstead
Humorous postcard drawn by amateur soldier artist of the Great War, George Ranstead, One of a series of images suggesting what life might be like after the war has ended, here

THE NEW WOMAN, c1897. A woman wearing knickers and smoking a cigarette watches a man washing laundry in a tub. American stereograph, c1897

SILENT FILM STILL. Betty Compson

SLUMS OF BERLIN, 1925. Film still

HOUS2D-00056
Laundress reenactor demonstrates camp chore at Yorktown battlefield, Virginia. Digital photograph

Racial / Settler & Wife
A settler stands ready with a gun outside his shack, with tin bath and washboard hung on the outside wall, while his wife comforts the baby

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"From Sinks to Rivers: The Evolution of Washboards" In the bustling city, a young woman diligently washes her clothes at a sink, embracing the timeless tradition of using a trusty washboard. Along the tranquil riverbanks, another woman gracefully scrubs her laundry against a washboard, connecting with nature as she cleans. Travel back in time to the 1800s when washboards were essential tools for scrubbing laundry by hand, showcasing our ancestors' resourcefulness and hard work. "Washerwomen, " an exquisite oil painting on panel, immortalizes the tireless efforts of those who relied on washboards to provide clean garments for their families. Picture pioneers living in sod homes on vast plains; their humble abodes filled with determination and resilience as they utilized washboards to maintain cleanliness amidst challenging circumstances. A historic moment captured forever - HM The Queen's visit to Lostwithiel, Cornwall in June 1989 - where locals proudly display traditional washing methods including trusty old washboards. Step into the past through an enchanting soap advertisement from c1866 promoting Silvers Wash Powder - highlighting how this product perfectly complemented diligent hands working with washboards. Explore Montgomery Ward's catalogue from 1895 and discover advertisements showcasing various washing machines alongside reliable companions like washboards, benches, ironers, and starchers - all crucial elements of efficient laundering during that era. Witness innovation unfold through a wood engraving depicting a newly-patented American-made washboard from 1870 - revolutionizing laundry chores one ribbed surface at a time. Beware. An astonishing tale emerges from c1865 featuring an unfortunate Florida washerwoman encountering an alligator while carrying out her daily duties along the water's edge – reminding us of both bravery and caution associated with this age-old practice. Bonus: