HOWARD’S WAY Howard Bradley


LCNi steers a course spanning three centuries


Howard Bradley looks back over 140 years since LCNi launched in 1885 as the Laundry Journal. His thoughts mostly float away on a nautical theme


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ere we are, yet again, an old year nearly exhausted and a new one eagerly waiting in the wings. Time flies, and it really does seem to, especially as one gets older, talking of getting older, our very own LCNi is now celebrating its 140th anniversary which is an incredible achievement – and with the same editor. (Sorry ,Kathy, just joking!).


It is sobering to think that LCNi has been around for the latter part of the 19th century, all of the 20th, and we are now more than a quarter of the way through the 21st century and the title is still going strong. Another magazine founded at the same time was The Girl’s Own Paper which featured articles on fashion, cooking and even stain removal tips, but unlike LCNi, The Girl’s Own Paper came to an end in 1956.


If a drycleaner was able to time travel back to 1885 – even if they do not own a Delorean – they would find themselves in large dye houses and industrial units away from the high street. Much of the equipment would be familiar to the modern drycleaner although there would be a total lack of safety features and open vats of gasoline, kerosene, benzene and even turpentine. Smoking would be commonplace and working conditions very hard, with long hours often worked over a full six-and-a-half-day week.


All at sea


The Titanic did not have a drycleaning facility on board –In fact no ship did at that time as the chemical process for drycleaning on ships had not been invented by then - but with so many well -peeled and well- dressed passengers on board, the Titanic did have Pressing Stewards whose job it was to collect garments from first and second class passengers and for a small fee fully press them in the ships pressing room.


HISTORY LESSON: These costumes are from the film of The Titanic which memorably starred Kate Winslett and Leonardo di Caprio. Pressing Stewards Sidney Holloway, aged just 20, and Ernest Olive, 26, neither of whom survived the sinking, would likely have been working on garments like the outfit on the left. The more intimate ladies underwear ensemble would probably have been looked after by the owner’s own lady’s maid or dresser. PICTURE CREDIT: Shutterstock/Joseph Creamer


Theirs was not an easy job and one can only imagine the heat that they endured. I have researched these unsung crewmen, as their names are just as worthy as any of the famous passengers or senior officers who were on that ill-fated ship. So, to Pressing Stewards Sidney Holloway, aged just 20, and Ernest Olive, 26, neither of whom survived the sinking, you have not been forgotten and I salute you in this, the leading textile care magazine that was in production before both of you were born. Maybe there was a copy on board the ship. The Titanic did not have any on- board laundry facility either but its linen inventory was massive as it carried over 200,000 individual items of linen. Only when the ship was meant to reach port were these meant to be washed at the land-


based laundry facility which were ready and waiting for the ship to arrive. In today’s enormous cruise ships, the drycleaning and laundering facilities are as high tech as you would find anywhere on land, and their sizes are equally impressive. In the Royal Caribbean Oasis class ship, the drycleaning and laundry facility is over two full technical decks and runs 24/7 to process the 10,000 plus towels daily plus 1,000 sheets and many other items. Each tunnel washer on board Is over 36 feet long and are installed at the shipyard during construction of the ship, due to their sheer size. It used to be common practice for people at this time of year to wish one another a healthy and prosperous new year. I have now reached an age where my wishes are for a healthy and peaceful new year.


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