Description

The ‘Washday Blues’ book is great for reminiscing about what washdays used to be like before we had washing machines. The poems tells the story of what we had to go through to get the family washing done which  many women can relate to and have their own stories to tell. Whilst the photos will provoke memories of the items we used to use.  The book can be used on an individual basis or as part of a group activity.

The 'Washday Blues' book contains two poems.

The photos contain images of items used for washing, drying and ironing such as:
•Dolly Tub
•Posh(er)
•Mangle
•Clothes Horse
•Clothes Pulley
•Carbolic Soap
•Maid
•Dolly Pegs
•Flat Iron

Book Review
Washday Blues by Mindful Gifts CIC is a reminiscence book designed for people with Dementia to share together with their families and carers. Vicki Phipps, the founder of Mindful Gifts has had many years’ experience in this sector of Health and Social Care, using the insight and knowledge she has gained to produce this beautifully presented book.

The book is a paperback with the cover well representing the content, immediately attracting the attention of the reader; it is also large enough for two or three people to look at it collectively with ease. The book content is a series of delightful photographs shot in black and white depicting the family washday in times before washing machines were standard household equipment. The illustrations portray the days when water was heated in the copper, agitated with a ‘posh’ in a ‘dolly tub’ then passed through the mangle. Each photograph is accompanied on the facing page by a short rhyme discussing the scene. In fact the title of the book is a clever echo of the fact that a blue bag was added to the wash to make all the ‘whites’ dazzlingly bright.