Coldeast Laundry, Titchfield.

[honeybun]

In census returns of 1861,71 and 81 I have found some relatives living at Coldeast Laundry, Titchfield.

The wife was a laundress and her husband was a labourer, later a market gardener.  I found something on the web about this building but can't find it now!  I'm sure it was a laundry, then a workhouse and latterly a hospital.  I think it is still in existence as part of the N.H.S.  I would like to know how the whole family came to be living there, would she perhaps have run it and therefore the accommodation would be part of the job?  Was this usual?  Who sent laundry there - wouldn't "the gentry" thereabouts have had their own servants to do their laundry?

I know that a laundress at that time was quite well paid and went to houses to do the family's washing there.  Isn't it unusual for a wife to have a job as well as her husband - usually the census doesn't mention wives having jobs at all.

Honeybun

[Biker]

Hello,

I'm no specialist on the subject, but laundry work consumed a great deal of time in the middle class and upper class Victorian households - the weekly washing would take upto 4-5 days to complete.  Because of lack of technology and fear of disease and pollution, the washing process was long, complicated with a lot of repetitive processes (e.g. boiling, 'blueing', rising, airing) . 

Those, generally middle class families, who could not afford to employ more than a 'general maid of all work', often employed a laundress to work either 'in' or 'out' for that specific purpose.

In institutions, it was again an importatant and time-consuming job.

I did notice a few references on the net to this institution, so probably a significant part of the family income was derived from doing the institution's laundry.  It would perhaps make more sense of her occupation being noted on the census, as well as the family living there.  Also, if it was a workhouse at the time, it was common for the workers to live 'in', so to speak.

Just a few thoughts ...

Regards
Jonathan

[Biker]

Sorry, forgot to add, this is a useful site with descriptions of laundry houses, laundress occupations etc: http://www.victorianlondon.org/frame-health.htm

Regards
jonathan

[honeybun]

Hi Jonathan

Thanks for your quick reply and for a bit more information.

I'll try another "Google" for Coldeast and see if I can get anything else.

Honeybun