“Saving” Blantyre Women

This rather interesting advert was published within “Nurse the Patient” a Blantyre publication from 1908 by Blantyre Nursing Association. The booklet itself was distributed by local cottage hospitals and was aimed primarily at local women. The advert in particular is for “The Syracuse Easy Washing Machine”, a new gadget that aided washing. The device could be purchased from James Templeton Smith (founded in Blantyre 1850). I think this is likely a reference to Templeton’s of Broompark Road, Barnhill.

The device seems to be operated manually by spinning a rod around the top, which appears to be attached to gears making churning washing over much simpler than washing by hand. The idea is fairly good as modern day automatic washing machines have similar devices turned on their side (obviously without the operator!).

The advert reads “Perfect for Bed Linen and Blankets”. The catchline….”saves the clothes, saves the woman”. (Not sure that would be used in this modern era!). We all live in an age now taking such things for granted, but this is a good little reminder of what the women had to cope with a hundred years ago if they simply wanted clean bedding.