1900s: refuse collection on a working class housing estate

When I was a child in the early 1900s, the Urban District Council was responsible for refuse connection. The collection was weekly from a dust cart drawn by a horse.

A typical galvanised dustbin as used in the early 1900s. Note the handles at each side and on the lid..

Every household had its own dustbin for the family's rubbish. Dustbins were all different sizes and shapes, because householders bought their own according to their needs. All the dustbins were the same dark silver colour, though, because they were all galvanised to prevent them going rusty. There were of course no plastics. Each dustbin had two handles at the side for lifting, and the lid had a handle in the middle.

Dustbins were always kept as much out of sight as possible, but they had to be kept in front gardens because the only access to back gardens in the Victorian style terraced houses was through the house. My father was a very particular person, and quite a handyman. So our dustbin stood on tiles with a privet hedge on one side to make it as inconspicuous as possible. Apart from on collection day, it couldn't be seen from the street or parlour window.

If you have an old photo which illustrates the way of life that my mother describes, I would very much appreciate a copy. Pat Cryer

On collection day one of my parents would carry the dustbin out onto the pavement. Then once the bin was emptied, they would carry it back behind its privet hedge and disinfect it with a pink powder.

Dustmen had a lot of dirty lifting to do and they often wore special hats with a flap at the back to protect their necks and backs. There is a song about it:

My old man's a dustman
And he wears a dustman's hat
...

'A few coppers' - a typical Christmas Box in the early 1900s in recognition for good service during the year. This sample is an Edwardian penny, a Victorian penny, a Victorian halfpenny and a Victorian farthing.

'A few coppers' - a typical Christmas Box for dustmen in the early 1900s in recognition for good service during the year. This sample is an Edwardian penny, a Victorian penny, a Victorian halfpenny and a Victorian farthing.

The dustbins tended to get a lot of bashing. How much would depend on how the dustman was treated. It was common practice to tip him a few coppers as a Christmas Box on Boxing Day. Quite apart from that, for a few coppers tip at any time of the year, dustmen would take away larger things that we no longer needed. This was quite a source of income for them because they invariably knew how to dispose of most things profitably.

Refuse collection on a working class London housing estate in the early 1900s

This website Join me in the 1900s is also known as Join me in the 1900's and is © Pat Cryer.