Whitsun wedding prep and wash days

Season 3, episode 7. Fred moves to his new lodgings near Albert Park in Middlesbrough and is struggling to pack around the demands of his,  Janie’s friend Carry has to send sad news to her sister Annie in Australia, we also take a little look at a wash day in the 1880s.
Instagram: @mylovelettertimemachine
Twitter: @1ngi
Email: mylovelettertimemachine@gmail.com
Writer and Producer:  Ingrid Birchell Hughes

Transcript

[Intro]
Welcome back to My Love Letter Time Machine, Hi, I’m Ingrid Birchell Hughes, and I’m serialising the love letters of my great great Grandparents, Fred Shepherd and Janie Warburton. Travel 140 years back in time with me now where we take a look at Victorian history through their eyes and today Fred moves to his new lodgings, and Janie’s friend Carry has to send sad news to her sister Annie in Australia, we also take a little look at a wash day in the 1880s.

[Whitsun Wedding prep and Wash Days]
It’s evident Fred and Janie are scrabbling for time to squeeze in their letters to each other. They are both busy in their own respective spheres which explains the hurried nature of their writing. Our Fred is struggling to pack for his new lodgings around the demands of his job, the wedding planning for Fred Warburton and Polly Roe is gathering apace, and Janie is treasuring the last days of her friend Carry’s visit. It’s fun to see a sarcastic banter between Fred and Jinny Reckless emerging through the letters too - in Fred’s last letter he said “Will you please tell Jinny Reckless from me love, that I do not feel very pleased that she should occupy your time talking about such a trivial matter as a wedding, instead of letting you write a letter to me which is by far a more important and necessary duty.” and Jinny manages a retort in this next letter of Janie’s:  

Handsworth 
May 15th 1882

My own darling husband
I received your very welcome letter this morning, I was so sorry to disappoint you love, I am not vexed at you, you could have given me no cause darling. [Jinny] only came up about half past four and had to go back early, so you must forgive me this once.

The reason you can't see the dresses love is because they will be at the dressmakers and they will not be finished before Whitsuntide.

I don't think our John minds being turned out of his bed at all for you darling, the next time you come up you will be able to sleep together.

I will tell [Jinny] Reckless what you say love, she said I was to tell you that she is not friends with you, because you scarcely would speak to her when you were here at Easter.

I wish I could've gone with you to Redcar on Saturday, it was a very nice day here, it is a fine experience for you, having to get the house ready for your new secretary, I don't doubt but what he will be quite satisfied with your arrangements. You will have done your best under the circumstances, it has been rather awkward for you choosing for him, not knowing his taste, and I feel confident he will admire your taste. I think the house is a very cheap one.

I wish I could have walked to Saltburn, on the sands with you darling it would have been enjoyable, and it will be someday won't it love? You did thunk deeply to get surrounded by water I am surprised I should have smoled[sic] a smile if I had seen you, the head clerk, in such an undignified position, without shoes and stockings wading through the water, I am glad it was no worse love, if you had had to swim through, it would've been rather awkward.

I wish I could have been there to pour tea out for you and have had a look around the town with you and see the loveliest of places it would've been a treat love. It must be a splendid place by your description love I quite long to see it, it will be so nice to be such a short distance from the sea, it will be delicious to get a breath of fresh sea air occasionally. The gardens and woods must be lovely to be nicer than Roche Abbey. Thank you for the bluebells and Hawthorne they did smell so sweet. It would have been an Eden darling if we could've had been there together, but we shall see them all when we are married love. I feel quite resigned to Middlesbrough already, with your description of Redcar and [Saltburn], but I should be anywhere with you darling. You will soon see me soon now and I shall have you for a blissful three days my husband, I wish it was here, I feel as though I could hardly wait until then. I do love you more than ever. 

Carrie and our John, the children and I went for a walk yesterday morning in the wood down by Mr Hothams, everything looks splendid the bluebells are all out, we shall have to explore all our old walks when you come. love I did not go out in the afternoon mother went for a walk instead in the evening I went to church, after service I went with Polly Corbett for a walk as far as Darnall, I had not time to go to your house we only just went into Darnall, I was home again at 9 o'clock, I did wish you were with me we could have had such a nice night, the four of us. Our John, Carrie, you and I.

I have not had but two afternoons out with Carrie since she has been here, Miss Mottershed wanted us to go this afternoon so we are going, I shall write again tomorrow so love excuse me it is nearly dinnertime and they're wanting me in the kitchen.

Carrie is going back to Harrogate tomorrow I shall be sorry to lose her, Carrie’s Aunt has sent word that they are very busy.

They will think I am quite a stranger at your house but I really have not had the time to go down this last week, it will have to be Friday if I get this week. We haven't a pen fit to write with, it is striking twelve I did not stay another minute
I remain my darling husband 
your loving true and faithful 
wife 
Janie

To help make sense of Janie’s next letter, I should probably remind you that Carrie’s family, the Higgs, had all emigrated to Australia in a bid to escape the recession. They’d sailed from Southampton in the November of 1881, and after some consternation in the Suez Canal, where at least two family members ran off - temporarily or permanently - the details of which are impossible fathom at this distance, the family evidently arrived in Australia around March 1882, including Carrie’s younger sister Annie, who would be 17 by this point and so far has not enjoyed the best of health since leaving Sheffield. 

Handsworth 
May 16th 1882

My own darling husband
I have scarcely a minute to spare to write today , it is the washing day + we are so busy but I don’t like to disappoint you love if I can help it.

Carrie has gone back to Harrogate to day, in pretty good spirits. She looks very well + bears up well. She gets rather sad sometimes but we have tried to cheer while she has been here, she would like to have stopped longer but could not because of them being so busy. The last time Carrie heard from Annie she was rather better, but she will have sad news to tell her next time she writes, the young gentleman that Annie kept company with at Sheffield has died since since she went away. Carrie sent her word in the last letter that he was ill but she will not get it until Whitsuntide + now he is dead + buried, it will be a shock for her poor girl, Miss Mottershed told me they loved each other deeply. […] Annie used to tell Miss Mottershed more about themselves than she told Carrie. We went there yesterday afternoon. It was a very fine day but cold, we came back by the 7-20 train. We had to get home early because of having a cricket club meeting + there was only Mother + Kate left at home. 

I have mended your gloves darling shall you want them before Whitsuntide, it you do I will send them by post.

Polly + I are going to morrow, Mrs Roe can’t go with us, to buy the dresses by ourselves, after we have done our shopping we shall go up to have tea with our Polly. 

Oh my darling I shall be glad when the time comes so that I can meet you + have you with me for a happy three days, I wish they would not go so quickly darling, I am so loathe to part with you, I love you more than ever. I must be braver this time + not cry love or you will think that I am not a very lively companion.

I am writing this upstairs + they are expecting I am getting dressed, so darling excuse more this time

I remain always my husband
your loving true + faithful Wife
Janie

I’m amazed that Janie got a letter written at all given that it was a washing day. A challenging day at the best of times but even more so for the occupants of a public house. The 16th of May 1882 was a Tuesday which seems to have been the usual day for washing at The Cross Keys unlike a Monday for most people, this must have been to factor in that the pub would have been open on the Sunday for customers.

The job of rising extremely early to light the fire under the washing copper to boil water would most likely have fallen to their servant Kate, but the labour of laundry would have fallen to every available able bodied woman in the household. I have only had to hand wash large items on a very few occasions and how women did this (and still do in a greater part of the world) each week appals me. So much back breaking work for so little productivity.  As a western woman in the 21st century, I am repeated grateful for the invention of the washing machine and it has to rank alongside birth-control as one of the critical factors in enabling women to have more control over their own lives. 

Janie lived and died before the invention of the electric washing machine. She would have dragged heavy sodden sheets from the copper through mangles to wring them out, she would have scrubbed collars and other grimy items on washboards with bars of carbolic soap. It would have been hot, steamy physical work. Janie would have had to do a whole number of things we don’t even think about too - like grating soap into a washing powder, before mixing it into a paste, adding in rickets blue to make the whites look whiter, disposing of the dirty water bucketful by bucketful, and then at some point, getting a meal ready for everyone that would more than likely have been bubble and squeak with cold meat from the previous day’s roast dinner. If you are not in the UK bubble and squeak is a sort of fried hash made up of left over roast potatoes and any other cooked vegetables - usually cabbage. It’s tastier than it sounds - I promise. 

Actually when I think about Fred moaning that Mrs Gordon served him and his fellow lodgers cold meat three days on the trot, I wonder if part of the reason was the amount of washing poor Mrs Gordon had to do, and having to set aside the fires for heating washing water, meant that being able to provide a hot meal as well for all her lodgers was just becoming beyond her. 

Janie has already promised Fred that he will not be subjected to quite so many cold dinners but I do wonder how much how much her aspirations will survive the practicalities of running a household with limited resources. 

In Fred’s next we get to hear how he also is struggling under the cosh. 

Royal Exchange Middlesbrough, The North Eastern Steel Co Limited headed paper]
May 18th 1882.

My own darling Janie,
I received your two letters of the 15th and 16th. I should've replied earlier we have been so very busy that I really have not had the time. I think that this week beats all previous weeks in the way of working that I have known. On Monday night it was 10 o'clock Tuesday 1/2 past 9, and last night 11. O'clock. We have had a board meeting today, and I had to get out the usual financial statements after 6 o'clock last night and as they had to be done it caused me to be very late. I had to prepare a statement showing how the company would stand for money at the end of August next which is a rather difficult matter as I have scarcely any figures to work upon having been on such a short time. I think I have managed pretty well so far, as two months ago I estimated what we should have at the end of June, and as far as I can see we shall only be about £200 difference which is not much in £27,000. That was rather a good guess wasn't it?

I am getting about sick of this late work it is rather too much, but I cannot get out of it yet. Of course it was nearly 11:30 when I got home to tea last night, and when I had had tea + I had to start packing up for removal , the consequence was it was 1/2 past 1 before I got to bed. And I ha[d] to be there at the exchange by 1/2 past [8?] this morning, which I think is rather good time. I feel sure if it were not that it is for you, I should not stand much more of this. However it cannot be helped so I must make the best of it.

How shall you manage for your John and I to sleep together this time, will not your Fred be there as well?

Of course I am extremely sorry that Jinnie Reckless declines being friends with me, but my darling, I  shall survive it. 

Did I see the young man that Annie Higgs kept company with in Sheffield? It is a sad thing about him dying, I hope it is not of a broken heart. I suppose they would love each other in the proverbial boy + girl style – endless fidelity +c.

Where do they hold the cricket club meetings, in the clubroom?

I am much obliged to you for mending my gloves love, I think I shall not want them this next week, so that will not be necessary to send them by post.

I should be going down to Redcar again on Saturday I wish I could take you love, it would be very enjoyable.

I hope you have quite recovered of your cold. How are your father and mother for health? I understand you will be going to our house tomorrow, will you let me know how they all are, particularly my mother, as I shall not write until next week.

Only nine more days darling and then I shall have the felicity of seeing you, until then I remain 
your loving, true + faithful husband 
Fred

P.S/ if I have not time to write tomorrow please address your Sundays letter
C/oMr Smith 
Albert Terrace 
Linthorpe Road 
Middlesbrough

Handsworth 
May 18th 1882

My own darling husband
I am anxiously waiting for to morrow so that I may have a letter, it does seem such a long time from Monday to Friday to be without one. Oh darling I shall be pleased to see you, just nine days now to Saturday week. I wish it only wanted nine minutes.

I do long for the time to come, we will have a glorious time everything looks at its best now. It is spending in the woods, we shall have to have our favourite walk through the wood past the crab tree, do you remember it love? That day I was at Annie Mottershed’s we went to the Midland Station to see her sister off to Matlock, I saw the train in from Middlesbro that you usually come by, I did wish you had come by it then darling, when it gets nearer the time for seeing you love I do get so restless I feel as though I could not wait until then it passes over, I long for you so much, I do love you more than ever my own husband. I want to go down to see your mother to night if possible, we have been very busy all day but Thursday night is not very often busy, I am afraid they will think I have forsaken them + I do not want them to think so, I wish you were there to bring me back love.

We got the dresses yesterday. I am sure you will like mine, it is very pretty I think, our Polly met us in the the town + brought one for herself, we went up there to tea, we cam back by the 7-20 train to Darnall + Polly came to our house + stopped until ten o’clock, she has been very amiable since Carrie + I went down to tea, we are very friendly at present.

Johny Mortar called to day he missed the train at Kiverton Park so had to walk, we are having splendid weather now quite hot. I have been busy ironing to day, I had to put part of it off yesterday, I have been straightening out my light dresses I shall have to wear my cream coloured one at Whitsuntide love as I know it is a favourite + I am trimming my last summers hat for your especial benefit I like to make a little preparation for you my lover, it will be glorious to be together again,  I do want you darling, it will be harder to be parted this summer, I think we shall feel it more than we did through the winter because we used to have such delightful walks but we shall have to try + make the best of it as I know darling it will bring us the sooner together for ever. There will not be one wedding at our Church this Whitsuntide there has been generally a good many on WhitMonday. Our Fred + Polly[’s bans] will be called the first time on WhitSunday. I am sorry I can’t give you more to day but there is not many minutes to past time […]
I remain always 
Your loving true + faithful 
Wife
Janie

Royal Exchange Middlesbrough, The North Eastern Steel Co Limited
May 19th 1882.

My own darling Wife,
I received your nice loving letter this morning. You will no doubt have received mine this morning. It is a long time darling from Monday to Friday but as you will now understand I could scarcely have helped it. I hope you will forgive me for my seeming negligence love.

It only wants eight days wifie from tonight to our meeting + I know you will be pleased to see me, + we will have a glorious time of it, it people will only leave us to ourselves. 

We must not miss our old walk through the wood. Do I remember the crab tree love? Can I ever forget anything, our first meeting by the style in the nursery, our first friendship, our parting for a year + the memorable walk afterwards, my confession of love + yours darling, with all the revelations of your person + mine, how I asked you to be my little wife - I can never forget these things love, they are indelibly stamped on my memory which you no doubt think a very good one, but by the side of Mr Cooper’s is very poor. 

Is your memory improving at all love, it was not very good was it at one time.

I wish I could have come in by that usual train love, but ti was not to be, but you will no doubt have the pleasure of meeting the same train a week from tomorrow.

I hope you will have been to our house by this time love, for they are very sensitive, (especially my mother) + if there is a chance of taking anything like that the wrong way they invariably do this. Only the other day I received such a reproachful letter from my mother about not writing oftener. She hinted that if she lived at your house she would have plenty of letters. Perhaps so.

Did John Mortar say any thing about the WhitMonday trip? 

I am pleased that you are making preparations for your lover my darling, he will appreciate them. Perhaps the best preparation (if I may mention such a thing) would be to be without stays love.

Shall we go to Church to hear you Fred called over love?

Did the usual come off this week love, + if so when?

I remain 
my darling Wife
Your loving true + faithful husband
Fred.

Handsworth 
May 19th 1882
Friday night 10P.M.

My own darling Fred
I was pleased to receive your letter this morning but sorry to hear you are so hard worked. I hope you will not get thoroughly knocked up love, it is tiring for you working so late, you often do the board meetings occur.

I do not want you to work yourself to death, even for me darling. You worked the last statement very well to get the amount with so little difference, it was a good guess love,  I feel quite proud of you. I don’t doubt that this will give satisfaction, it is a difficult matter for you to get at the amount of money when you have scarcely any figures to work upon. 

I wish I could have packed your things for you, you would be so tired after your hard days work + having to get up early next morning. 

We must not have so much running about this time, we will have a nice quiet time so that you will have a little rest, then go back to your work quite refreshed. 

The usual monthly came off this afternoon, I had to go to bed for an hour or two I was very sick, I got up to tea + feel quite all right now darling. 

We have been very busy again to night, we have had two meetings, a flower show + club meeting besides all the other company, so I was unable to get down to see your mother I shall have to leave it now until Sunday afternoon, we have a cricket match to morrow at Handsworth, between the Dale? Memorial Church Choir + Handsworth, I am afraid Handsworth are safe to lose, as they have not had very much practise.

The cricket meetings are held in the little room downstairs.

Saturday 5-30
My darling, I am pleased you had time to give me a little more for this morning I should have been disappointed if I had not had my usual Saturdays epistle, but I should have forgiven you love if you hadn’t because I now you would send one if possible, I did not think you were neglecting me darling I felt sure you were busy. I know it was an unavoidable delay, we love each other truly, don’t we darling we could not neglect each other very well. My love for you is stronger than ever my husband + you don’t love me a bit less do you darling?

Only 7 days to our meeting, I wish I could push the days on a bit, I feel all impatience to see you again, it will be a treat to be at the side of you again love, the first four weeks seem to go pretty quick but the last fortnight has been a month.

You will have got to your new lodgings by now, I hope you will be comfortable darling + not have to change any more until I am your little wife + housekeeper, then you will have to settle down with me, won’t it be calamity? Don’t you feel afraid to take me on trail for life darling, I think I hear you say no not a bit, I will do my best to make you happy + I hope to succeed, Oh love I do wish you were here to take for one of our hold Saturday nights walks it is such nice weather but has been very dusty to day.

I knew you would not have forgotten the old crab tree + the other incidents in our history. You have a good memory Mr Cooper’s must be an excellent one if it is a better, I think mine has improved a little but I am rather absent minded at times, I lay the dinner mats for tea occasionally.

I am so sorry I have been prevented from going to your house as I do not want them to think I am neglecting them.

Jonny Mortar did not say anything about the Roche Abbey excursion, I was only in the bar a minute or two I got him a bottle of porter + came out directly I was busy ironing so did not see him again.

We will see about going to Church to hear our Fred called over when you come. We have just heard that Handsworth have won. We expecting them in a minute so cannot write more now love
I remain 
your loving true + faithful 
Wife Janie

The irony of Janie mentioning her memory improving here will be thrown in to sharp relief in the next podcast when she suddenly realises that’s she’s completely forgotten Fred’s birthday. I have to say this is yet another moment of familial recognition. I imagine that those of my friends and family who listen to this podcast will be somewhat amused. So I guess next week we’ll find out how Fred handles his fiancée missing his birthday.

[outro]
Thank you so much for listening to My Love Letter Time Machine. I’d very much like to share Fred and Janie’s story with more people, so If you haven’t already - can I ask to share this podcast with someone you think might enjoy it? You can also find excerpts of Fred and Janie’s letters on instagram at my love letter time machine all one word and you can write to me at my love letter time machine at gmail dot com.

Until next time, take care.
© Ingrid Birchell Hughes 2022