THE WASHING TALLY

Greymouth Evening Star, 30 May 1935, Page 9

THE WASHING TALLY

AN OLD ENGLISH CUSTOM In an old volume issued over 70 years ago there are records of many English customs, and the story of the Washing Tally is one of these. These laundry devices date back earlier than the times of Queen Elizabeth, and continued in use till about a century ago, (writes T. S. in the “Sydney Morning I Herald”). The washing Tally, of which an engraving of a reduced size is given, was found nearly a century ago behind some oak panelling in the old chaplain’s room at Haddon Hall in Derbyshire (to which reference is made in Scott’s “Peveril of the Peak”), in the same room in which many other curious relics were preserved—jack boots, pewter plates, fire dogs, cradles, and other things, which each tell their tale of bygone times and of the home life of the Avanels and Vernons —'the successive owners of the place. Judging from the style of the engraving, the lettering, and the ornamentation, it is probably of the time of King Charles 1, and the names of the articles of dress enumerated upon it will accord with that period. After this “Tally’.’ was found, it was published in the “Reliquary,” where it is fully described and where also the engraving here appears. From that account the following description and particulars have been selected: — “The Washing Tally” is five inches and a half in length and four and a half inches in depth. It is. fornrad of a piece of beech wood of the size described, and is a quarter of an inch in thichness, covered with linen at the back and sides. In construction it is precisely similar to a “Hornbook” —in front the different articles aro printed from copper plate and protected by a sheet of horn. Around the 'edge a narrow strip of thin brass, fastened down with highly ornamental nails, attaches the horn, the paper, and the linen to the wood. The Tally is divided into 15 squares, in each of which is a dial, numbered from 0 to 12, and above each square is the name of the article sent to the wash. The articles are: “Ruffes,” “bandes,” "cuffcs,” “handkercher,” "capps,” “shir Les,” “half-shirtes,” "boote hose," “topps,” “sockes.” “shcetes, pillow bercs,” “tablaclothes,” “napkins.” and “Lowells.” On each of the dials is a circular brass indicator fastened by a little pin in its centre, so as to turn round at pleasure. Each of these indicators is pierced on on;? side close to its outer edge, with a round hole through which one number on the dial iis visible. | It will bo noticed that one of the inidicators was fortunately missing, thus I enabling us to see how the dial was ' worked.

We will now give a little description of tho different articles enumerated in the quaint spelling shown on the Tully. Tira “ruffe” was the frill or plaited collar so generally worn in the reign of Elizabeth and in the succeeding reign, which are made familiar by tho many portraits of the “Virgin Queen" and th-j "Illustrious

Notables” of hei' reign, which are extant. They were sometimes worn of gigantic size, and propped up and made to keep in form by a framework of wire, which with the strong starch held them up about the neck of the wearer. Under the Stuarts the ruffes gradually lessened in size. It is interesting to note that the “bande,” from which the small bands still worn by the clergy took their origin, were collars of linen,’ cambric, or other material worn around the neck. When starched to stand up they were simplv “bandes;” when allowed to lie flat on tho Shoulders, they were called “falling bandes.” It may also interest our fair readers to know that the origin of the name of “bandbox” is traced to these articles of attire —the boxes originally being made to keep ruffes and bandes in.

COSTLY LACE The “cuffe” was the lower part of the sleeve, sometimes quite plain, and others richly embroidered or formed of lace, and was worn turned back over the wrist. or handkerchiefs, were, in the days when this Tally was first used, costly articles. Laced handkerchiefs first came into vogue under Queen Elizabeth, and In that and the succeeding reigns were “raced round with gold.” Also Handkerchiefs were wrought With names and true low®, knots, and many of the pretty devices were given and worn as love tokens—the gallants sometimes wearing them as favours in their hats. The term "Capp” would, of course, include night-caps, and these were, under both Tudors and Stuarts, frequently/ most •elegantly embroidered and worked in filigree on velvet or silk, and trimmed with costly lace. “Shirte” was a term applied equally to that part of both male and female attire worn next tho skin, i.e., the holland shirts of both, and in some instances the ruffs and hand ruffs, the bands and wrist bands of cambric or lace attached to them. “Half Shirtas" were stomachers, richly decorated, over which the bodice was hued from side to side. As for “Boot Hose” iioso formerly were not stockings as we now wear tlrcm. but were drawn up the full length of the leg, and sometimes even to the waist, and had pockets in their sides. “Tops" were tho holland linen and lace linings worn around the full hanging boots of the cavaliers. The tops were •exceedingly full and rich among the higher class, and their “getting up" must have been a .somewhat tiresome operation, for the laundress. The "Sock?” was frequently beautifully worked, and was drawn on over the hose, or slocking, and reached back to to calf of the leg. “Pillow Beres” is the old term for what, we call pillow cases. “Tableclothes" have been in use in England certainly since the Saxon period, and in that and every succeeding age. “Napkins" was formerly applied to handkerchiefs anti table linen, as well as to cloths for head-dr asses. “Napery" was the general term for linen, especially that for tho table. "Towell" requires no explanation. Tho washing days in the time of

the Tudors and Stuarts (the period to which the Washing Tally belonged), though a little more important than in tho preceding ages, had none of those unpleasantnesses and terrors whica aro said now to accompany them. Articles which required washing were "few and far between,” whilst those of a texture which would not “stand a. wash” were usually worn. The dyer was far more commonly •employed than tho laundress, and his trade thus covered a “multitude of sins" of onus-

men of personal cleanliness which the laundress would have remedied with more healthy results.

LITTLE UNDERCLOTHING

Velvets ami rich silks wore in the middle ages often worn by tho wealthy without any underclothing whatever, while the domestics and people of lower 1 order wore coarse woollen also without underclothing. The possession of a. linen shirt, even with the highest nobles, was a matter of note, and but few wardrobes contained them. Nightgowns were not known, and the custom was to sleep entirely without clothing. In the time of tlm Tudors nightgowns were worn mostly of silk

or velvet, so that no washing was required. One of Queen Elizabeth’s nightgowns was of black velvet, trimmed with silk lace, and lined with fur. and, in 1565, her Majesty ordered George Bradyman to deliver “Threescore and sixe of the best sable skynnes to furnish us a night gowne.” In the reign of Queen Anne, it became the fashion for ladies to wear their night gowns, or "night rails” as they were called, in the daytime, iu the streets, over the usual dress. Clothes were, in former times, usually washed in the river, but not unfrequently in the common wells of towns, from which the water was fetched for culinary purposes and drinking. Washing by the river or stream side was, and in some cases, is .‘■■.till, followed on the Continent and in the East.