What is a "housewife" ?

[cathyaus]

Thanks Graham

The item in question was also called a hussif - so where did the term "housewife" come from ?

Was it because the role of a hussif was to do what a housewife would normally do or was it because the Aussies couldn't understand the British pronounciation of the word Hussif & thought they were saying housewife 
Cathy

[Wiggy]

Quite possibly the latter   

 - though the soldiers probably didn't want to say 'Housewife' too clearly - mightn't sound good!!   

And how many other words don't sound like they look/spell!!   

[GrahamSimons]

My knowledge of the spelling and the pronunciation is entirely UK-based.

The OED has, as the fourth sense of housewife as a noun, A small case or pouch for needles, thread, and other small sewing items.Often in the form of a length of soft fabric, divided into pockets, that may be rolled up when not in use. The earliest citation is from 1753. The pronunciation stated is as I've given it: Brit. /ˈhʌzɪf/ , U.S. /ˈhəzəf/

[diplodicus]

My father kept his shaving kit in his housewife until he died in 1980! he still used his original shaving brush (which I have) and I suspect the razor too. He was mute about most of his wartime experiences but I do remember him talking about shaving out of his tin hat in the western desert.

It was white canvas exactly as in the photograph.

I'm glad he forgave me for burying his WW2 medals ("treasure") in our garden when I was a nipper (playing pirates) and then foretting where!  He never found them.

[cathyaus]

Oh NO diplodicus 
Was he able to get replacement medals ??

Cathy

[diplodicus]

No, he couldn't. After his death, among his papers I found the correspondence where  he had tried to get another set. I hadn't known about that before. 

[Wiggy]

Oine day someone will dig them up and they really will be treasure - I hope if that happens you can claim them - so keep all those papers!!     

Or are they under tons of concrete and highrise??   

[bykerlads]

I actually have a small hussif made of khaki cloth.
It was amongst a lot of other bits of sewing equipment in a sewing box I bought in bric-a -brac shop some years ago.
I've often wondered about the soldier to belonged to.

[teamtamer]

Sorry - a little late to the party (reviving a 5 year old thread, even.)

I noticed on the Australian War Memorial site, and went in search of a meaning - which led me to this thread.  Somebody here wondered had wondered if this was part of standard kit.

A 'Housewife' was standard issue to Australian servicemen in WWI, 
per Australian Imperial Force (AIF) Order No. 2 of 26 August 1914.
(see https://www.awm.gov.au/encyclopedia/soldiers_kit/  )

I laughed when I first read it ... I wondered if it was dry/larrikin humour.  But then, the military doesn't make jokes, even in Australia.

Regards
Dan C.