The Wash Stand.

The Wash Stand.

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It is very hard to believe that even 80 years ago in Cookham, the wash stand set as seen in the photo above was still in use by many families. To have a bathroom in the house was an unheard of luxury. These would be found in the various bedrooms of the house. The stand itself would have a marble top and would be around two feet in depth by about three foot six inches wide. Besides the basin being used to wash in was about eighteen to twenty inches wide, it was often used for the mixing of Christmas Puddings. The jug or ewer, to give it the correct name would carry the warm water from the kitchen to the bedroom. The chamber pot seen on the was often called by little boys as "The Goesunder." As it goes under the bed.

The toilet was usually outside the house and hooked up to a septic tank system, usually next to the family wash house and copper. Bath night was usually on a Friday night in a tin bath next to the fire in the kitchen. Children first and off to bed, followed by father before he went to the local for a pint, then last but not least it was mothers turn. That is where the old saying of "Friday night is bath night" came about.