North East Art Prints - Bath Night

Bath night was usually a Friday night.  The tin bath would be unhooked from its nail in the back yard wall, brought into the house and placed on the clippy mat infront of the roaring coal fire. Hot water would be ladled into the bath from the boiler at the side of the cast-iron range, mam would sit on her cracker (a small wooden stool) and proceed to wash the children.  No modesty here, boys and girls got into the same bath and the same water.  They were washed and scrubbed with carbolic soap, rinsed with luke warm water, then given a brisk rub-down with a coarse towel, night attire donned, supper then off to bed.

© Robert Olley Artwork