When I was young my Mom worked from home. She did other peoples laundry. Wash,dry, iron and fold. Then they were wrapped in paper and tied up with a string. She delivered them too. She didn't have a lot of customers but enough to keep her busy and bring in a few extra dollars. I always figured they had to be rich folks that afford to do that. In some cases they were.
Mom came by this occupation honestly enough. My Grandmother,her Mom, did this as well. Grandmas operation was larger and more labor intensive. She still used wash tubs,scrubbing boards and those old cast iron,irons that you heated on the stove. Mom had automatic washers and an electric iron. The clothes were still hung out to dry though.
I can remember helping her fold the sheets. There was a pattern to be followed ,exactly, to accomplish this task. I'm certain my sister and I could still perform that ritual without barely a thought. I recall bringing the clothes in. That meant taking them off the clothesline. I wonder how many people today would know what bringing the clothes in refered too ? We did that chore summer and winter. Hands freezing in the winter and the clothes stiff as boards.
I was pretty young at the time so my helping was limited. I do recall going with her to deliver the laundry and pick up the next batch. There was one home in particular I remember well. It was a large brownstone house. The house was owned by Proctor and Gamble. The people living there were named Devendorf. I won't swear to the spelling of that name but that is how it sounded. Mr. Devendorf was associated with the famed Cunard steamship lines, although I don't know in what capacity. I can't say as I ever met him or Mrs. Devendorf for that matter. We kids stayed in the car when Mom took the laundry back. Sometimes the maid would bring us cookies. She would act like she was sneaking them out to us. Mom told us Mrs. Devendorf knew all about it and thought it funny. She would have given us the whole box of cookies. That never happened though.
There were two or three other homes similar to this. I don't think we went to any of the others. These houses are quite large and stand out prominently. I have been led to understand that these places are still there. Who lives there or the ownership is a complete mystery to me. They are located in Montauk,New York. Not too far from the Yacht club. The Devon Yacht club in fact. I used to think it was named that because of the Devendorfs. They were obviously very wealthy and probably owned that club too ! That is not the case however. Devon is a place in England. Some of the original settlers in the area came from there. The explanation is easy. A small coincidence.
When I was a kid I thought it must be great to have another do your laundry. Still do. Yeah my wife does the wash but sometimes I have to help. I still want someone to come pick up the dirty wash and deliver it back all clean and folded. Now that's rich folks ! And you know, I don't remember them Devendorfs ever having a hole in their socks.
Mom came by this occupation honestly enough. My Grandmother,her Mom, did this as well. Grandmas operation was larger and more labor intensive. She still used wash tubs,scrubbing boards and those old cast iron,irons that you heated on the stove. Mom had automatic washers and an electric iron. The clothes were still hung out to dry though.
I can remember helping her fold the sheets. There was a pattern to be followed ,exactly, to accomplish this task. I'm certain my sister and I could still perform that ritual without barely a thought. I recall bringing the clothes in. That meant taking them off the clothesline. I wonder how many people today would know what bringing the clothes in refered too ? We did that chore summer and winter. Hands freezing in the winter and the clothes stiff as boards.
I was pretty young at the time so my helping was limited. I do recall going with her to deliver the laundry and pick up the next batch. There was one home in particular I remember well. It was a large brownstone house. The house was owned by Proctor and Gamble. The people living there were named Devendorf. I won't swear to the spelling of that name but that is how it sounded. Mr. Devendorf was associated with the famed Cunard steamship lines, although I don't know in what capacity. I can't say as I ever met him or Mrs. Devendorf for that matter. We kids stayed in the car when Mom took the laundry back. Sometimes the maid would bring us cookies. She would act like she was sneaking them out to us. Mom told us Mrs. Devendorf knew all about it and thought it funny. She would have given us the whole box of cookies. That never happened though.
There were two or three other homes similar to this. I don't think we went to any of the others. These houses are quite large and stand out prominently. I have been led to understand that these places are still there. Who lives there or the ownership is a complete mystery to me. They are located in Montauk,New York. Not too far from the Yacht club. The Devon Yacht club in fact. I used to think it was named that because of the Devendorfs. They were obviously very wealthy and probably owned that club too ! That is not the case however. Devon is a place in England. Some of the original settlers in the area came from there. The explanation is easy. A small coincidence.
When I was a kid I thought it must be great to have another do your laundry. Still do. Yeah my wife does the wash but sometimes I have to help. I still want someone to come pick up the dirty wash and deliver it back all clean and folded. Now that's rich folks ! And you know, I don't remember them Devendorfs ever having a hole in their socks.
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