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Gathering the Jewels features over 30,000 images of objects, books, letters, aerial photographs and other items from museums, archives and libraries throughout Wales.

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Home » The Domestic Sphere » Activities in the home » Laundry

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  • Sandby made at least three visits to Wales. In 1770 he stayed at Wynnstay, the seat of Sir Watkin Williams-Wynn. The following summer he returned to paint scenes for the theatre at Wynnstay and to tour North Wales with his patron. In 1773 he toured South Wales with a group of botanists led by Joseph Banks. The drawings Sandby made during these tours were used to produce four sets of aquatints which played an important part in introducing a wider public to the ancient monuments and wild scenery of Wales. This watercolour of the West gate of Cardiff was probably executed on Sandby's 1773 tour and served as the basis for the aquatint of the same subject. As in many of Sandby's drawings of ancient sites, domestic elements are included. Here the laundry maid hangs clothes on the line by the castle wall, introducing an intimate, contemporary feel to the image. Text by: Department of Art, National Museums & Galleries of Wales
'The West Gate, Cardiff', by Paul Sandby, late 18th century
Spirit iron heated with methylated spirit, from Glamorgan, early 20th century
Clark's 'Fairy Prince' enamelled gas iron from the Rhondda Valley, mid-20th century
Flat iron stands, 19th century
  • Rolls of delicate frills and lace, which were used as decoration on caps, aprons, night-gowns and underskirts, required special treatment with goffering irons. A red hot piece of iron like a poker was inserted into the hollow tube which was fixed on an iron stand. These were often designed by the local blacksmith. The moist starched fabric would be grasped in both hands and pressed over the tube to obtain a semi-circular scallop of flute effect.
Goffering iron stands, 18th or 19th century
  • Rolls of delicate frills and lace, which were used as decoration on caps, aprons, night-gowns and underskirts, required special treatment with goffering irons. A red hot piece of iron like a poker was inserted into the hollow tube which was fixed on an iron stand. These were often designed by the local blacksmith. The moist starched fabric would be grasped in both hands and pressed over the tube to obtain a semi-circular scallop of flute effect.
Goffering iron stands, 19th century