VISIONARY IN A LAUNDRY

Dominion, Volume 18, Issue 150, 21 March 1925, Page 15

VISIONARY IN A LAUNDRY

HAPPY GIRLS AMONG THE WASHING

“This is the Trappy Warrior, he Who every lauudryman should wish to be. . .” No laundryman has ever been called the friend of man. Laundries and laundrymen take their place with mothers-in-law, tripe, sausages, and Wigan, which, when mentioned, provoke immoderate laughter. From the days of Widow Twankey, whose reputation was built up on a washing basket, laundries have provoked both man’s laughter and his wrath. But Barry Neame, of the Blue Bird (of Happiness) Laundry, Clapham, is out to change all that, and, w'hat is more, is succeeding, states the “Daily News.”

Mr. Neame Is a remarkable man with remarkable ideas. He has ideals in laundrying. He believes that it pays to give the "straight deal” to his employees—to pay them well, to pay them for their holidays and foi their overtime.’ to give them tea "buckshee” twice a day; to increase their wages automatically on their birthdays; to let them dance to train them step by step; to provide a firstclass West End doctor for them. He actually treats his workers as his friends, and even, which is more difncult, as himself. Mr. Neame is that most fortunate of -men—the artist with money; the visionary wjth the necessary wherewithal. The Bine Bird Laundry is getting as near perfection as a laundry can get, both the laundry and Mr. Neame’s exquisite house adjoining—a house in which Cromwell is believed to have lived—are mints of his ideas for beauty, comfort, and health.

In the laundry, for example, every possible step has been taljen to’ render the workers’ work safe and clean. The “lagging" round the pipes is highly coloured—bright red for steam (danger), yellow for hot, and blue for cold water. All the water is -soft None of the irons (specially made) have to be lifted a foot or so when finished with; they slide on to stands level with ironers’ tables. All the walls are either white enamel or sunny distempet. All the doors are black and white.

' The Blue Bird is everywhere, even on the crockery and the stationery. Round the canteen runs a rail some nine inches from the walls on which the girls can rest their feet while eating, All the radiators are dull burnished gold in colour. The girls—of whom he now has 120— start when they are 14, and go rig>t through the business. Until they are 16 they are given one whole day “off” a week to> go to the Brixton Voluntary Day Continuation School. There are bathrooms and a rest room, which can be warmed and darkened, and a large garden is now being laid out with lawns and dozens of fruit trees, in which a King Charles mulberry tree still bears hundreds of pounds of fruit, and will soon be sur-

rounded by medlars and basil and marjoram. Mr. Neame is a big, jolly, optimistic man, thoroughly in love with his laundry. He calls himself a Socialist who believes ardently in Liberalism and his King and Constitution. He is a keen (and practical) industrial psychologist, who gave the writer abundant evidence of his understanding of and affection foi his workers.

“I believe that the progress the world is going to make in the next 30 years •will be perfectly astounding,” he said, “and the progress is coming from people with vision. Boredom causes far more industrial unrest than physical tiredness. The only test for workers is: Are their conditions the conditions which I should enjoy? Life is just crammed , with interest for me, and I work in my laundry seven days a week!”

Almost all the famous hotels send their washing to the Blue ,Bird, and Mr. Neame collects parcels from so far north as Golders Green. Anyone is welcome to inspect the laundry by appointment, and Mr. Neame will send a motor to fetch visitors.

Everyone in the factory, from Mr. Neame'down-wards, is now subscribing sixpence or threepence a week towards a piano, and then a wireless set. There is a dance every day after lunch (which is cooked free), and on Saturday a mixed dance is held, at which a factory jazz band plays.