Monday morning mum would arise,

Never ever later than five.

For she had a mammoth feat,

To do the washing for the week.

No washer or tumble drier,

The water heated in a boiler,

Fuelled by a coke fire.

The washing was done in a dolly tub,

With rubbing board and posser.

She'd scrub the collars of the shirts,

Which belonged to father,

Then into the dolly tub they'd go.

With Rinso for a lather,

All of this she would do.

Then rinse the whites in dolly blue,

She'd squeeze out all the water with

Two wooden rollers turned by a handle.

This contraption was called a mangle.

It took her the whole of the day,

To do the washing in this way.

When people re-call (the so called)

"Good Old Days" and sound so enthusiastic.

I think no way, that's not for me,

Give me my automatic. By P Mann, Settle Street,

Great Lever, 0Bolton.

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