Robert Brown explores the history of laundrettes in Basingstoke, highlighting their significance and evolution over the years.
Laundries have been around since Ancient Greece and Rome. Back then, washing and ironing were done by hand using slave labor. They used large tubs filled with soap and water to wash clothes, which were then laid out to dry.
By the Medieval times, a similar method was used. Clothes were placed on a circular wooden rack that was turned by hand to dry. The first public laundry in Britain opened in Salford, Lancashire, in May 1842. It wasn’t until 1880 that one opened in the south, in Battersea, London.
The Basingstoke Steam Laundry and Baths opened in 1885. The site is now where the Eastrop Roundabout is located. Back then, it had to deal with nearby gasworks and a refuse dump, so keeping windows closed was important to avoid dirt on the clothes.
The laundry had a complex mechanical system and used various chemicals, soaps, and bleaches. Clothes were marked for identification and sorted by material type. Hot and cold water, along with high-pressure steam, was essential for removing stains.
Stains that soap couldn’t remove were treated with a special chemical cleansing unit known as “dry cleaning.” This process used solvents like benzine or petrol to dissolve grease and dirt. Starching was also common, making clothes stiffer, especially collars.
Clothes were dried using hot air blown through a netted cage. The cage turned until the garments were dry. A team of young ladies handled the ironing. The laundry also offered collection and delivery services, reaching areas as far as Surrey and Wiltshire.
In the 1930s, one driver had a regular stop at an author’s house in Surrey. The housekeeper would give him a beer and a parcel to deliver, along with some apples as a thank you.
By the early 1960s, the business expanded to include carpet cleaning. However, in 1964, the owners realized their business would be affected by the Town Development Scheme. The building was demolished in February 1967.
In 1962, a new type of laundry opened in London Street—a launderette. Customers could wash their clothes in machines for a fee. A supervisor was there to help with any issues. The launderette became a social hub but closed in February 1980, leaving many customers disappointed.
This article was written by Robert Brown and first published in 2005.
