Having hung the washing out to dry (and don't you just love the fresh smell of air-dried laundry?) I think she had earned some time with a good book and a mug of tea! These are the Stable cottages that look on to the drive of Saltaire's church, facing south and catching all the sunshine. I expect the Victorian Sir Titus would have had harsh words about the line of washing! He apparently had a rule that residents in the village could not hang their laundry outside (though I'm not sure whether people obeyed him or not). Hanging washing outside the church on a Sunday would probably have cost her her tenancy! Thankfully nobody seems terribly bothered these days and indeed, air-drying the washing outside is to be encouraged. There's a new push to make Saltaire a 'sustainable' community, to make the village more energy efficient and reduce its carbon footprint.
This weekend sees the launch of the 'Sustainable Saltaire' initiative in the Shipley College Exhibition Building: Friday 16 March 5-7pm and Saturday 17 March 9.30am-12pm. People are invited to go along and find out more about plans for solar and hydro-electric power in the village, how to improve the energy efficiency and carbon footprint of your home. There will be activities for all the family to enjoy.
You caught a peaceful moment of her day!
ReplyDeleteSir Titus is often considered a caring patriarch, . . . workers being "rescued" from the "dark satanic mills" of Bradford and re-housed in the health giving surroundings of Saltaire and district . . . however, no imbibing alcohol/no hanging out of washing/accommodation "tied" to work performance and good behaviour ? ? ? sounds like a bit of a control freak to me ! ! !
ReplyDeleteHow wonderful to sit in the sun with a good book!
ReplyDeleteSustainable Saltaire sounds interesting but I wonder what restrictions will need to be adhered to because of the World Heritage Site status. Solar panels on rooftops will hardly be in keeping with the Victorian era. I'm sure there will be lots of suggestions sympathetic to the history of the place though. After all, Victorian society was much less wasteful than ours.
I recall when the drying blew up a couple of years ago and I was forced to peg the washing out and I realised I had know idea how to do it. I finished up Googling it and found some quite useful diagrams.
ReplyDeleteIt is a good start hanging out washing. If they couldn't hang it outside in Salt's day how did they dry it? I doubt there were driers then. I guess hang it in the basement or attic.
ReplyDeleteOOPs 'dryers"
ReplyDeletewhat a lovely scene! I love how she's sitting in the threshold of her open door. I do that, too...it's early enough that there aren't' bugs but warm enough to open the door!
ReplyDeleteYes Diane, in the cellar or some houses had wooden drying racks hanging from the ceiling (known locally as creels). There was once a communal washhouse but it wasn't much used.
ReplyDeleteI'm not as enthusiastic about hanging the wash outside in public view. Got a line in a visually protected back yard? Go for it. Hanging 46DDD black lace lingerie in the face of the parson? Not so much.
ReplyDeleteI hung out my washing today for the first time since last year! Such a joy, that smell of air and sun!
ReplyDeleteWell at least she didn't hang out any "unmentionables" on the line! ~Lili
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