Washing Equipment, early to mid 20th century

Women laboured for generations with the simplest laundry technology, lugging water in buckets and scrubbing the washing on washboards before boiling it in the copper. Tools like this were in widespread use until at least the 1950s.

Washboards used by the Carroll family of Summer Hill, and washing basket and dipper, loans courtesy Orange and District Historical Society

Improvised and reinforced kerosene tin and galvanised mop bucket, loans courtesy Golden Memories Museum, Millthorpe