Everyday work in the home, early-mid 20th Century: Site Contents

Work in the home in the early-mid 20th century was physically demanding, time-consuming and essential to everyday family life. Before modern appliances became common, routine household tasks such as washing clothes, cleaning, cooking, sewing and preserving food required considerable effort, planning and skill. Much of this work was done by women, often with help from children, and it shaped the rhythm of ordinary domestic life.

The pages in this section of the website bring together detailed accounts of the many jobs involved in running a home before automation and convenience foods transformed daily routines. It includes descriptions of traditional washdays, ironing, food preparation, preserving produce, mending clothes and household maintenance, together with recollections from people who experienced these routines firsthand. The pages also explain why tasks were done in particular ways and how families managed with the equipment and facilities available at the time.

Scroll down for clickable links to individual pages which are shown under descriptive headings.

____