Henry Robert Morland
‘Twas on a Monday morning
When I beheld my darling
She looked so neat and charming
In every high degree
She looked so neat and nimble, O
A-washing of her linen, O
Dashing away with the smoothing iron
Dashing away with the smoothing iron
She stole my heart away.
Henry Robert Morland
‘Twas on a Tuesday morning
When I beheld my darling
She looked so neat and charming
In every high degree
She looked so neat and nimble, O
A-rinsing out her linen, O
Dashing away with the smoothing iron
Dashing away with the smoothing iron
She stole my heart away.
Helen Allingham
‘Twas on a Wednesday morning
When I beheld my darling
She looked so neat and charming
In every high degree
She looked so neat and nimble, O
A-hanging out her linen, O
Dashing away with the smoothing iron
Dashing away with the smoothing iron
She stole my heart away.
Franz Xaver Simm
‘Twas on a Thursday morning
When I beheld my darling
She looked so neat and charming
In every high degree
She looked so neat and nimble, O
A-mending of her linen, O
Dashing away with the smoothing iron
Dashing away with the smoothing iron
She stole my heart away.
Henry Robert Morland
‘Twas on a Friday morning
When I beheld my darling
She looked so neat and charming
In every high degree
She looked so neat and nimble, O
A-ironing of her linen, O
Dashing away with the smoothing iron
Dashing away with the smoothing iron
She stole my heart away.
William Henry Margetson
‘Twas on a Saturday morning
When I beheld my darling
She looked so neat and charming
In every high degree
She looked so neat and nimble, O
A-folding of her linen, O
Dashing away with the smoothing iron
Dashing away with the smoothing iron
She stole my heart away.
Emil Brack
‘Twas on a Sunday morning
When I beheld my darling
She looked so neat and charming
In every high degree
She looked so neat and nimble, O
A-wearing of her linen, O
Dashing away with the smoothing iron
Dashing away with the smoothing iron
She stole my heart away.
Henry Robert Morland
I have recently been looking at eighteenth and nineteenth century paintings looking for images of people working. These include a fascinating series of paintings of working women, which I have used to illustrate the traditional rhyme.
The Curious Archaeologist 
Charming, much like your no 2 son who’s been here today…. Not much sign of ironing though.
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Beautifully illustrated Gordon , and enjoyable to see the old lyrics. I can’t help but think conditions where not a pleasant as portrayed
Two images here that might be nearer the truth.
And
https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Magdalene_Laundries_in_Ireland
Sadly life was hard if you were a worker.
Great post though. x
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True life was harder than it is today, but I have long learnt not to distrust images of the past because they don’t match our idea of what it ‘must have been like’, or take them at face value because they do. It’s part of the fun of being an historian and part time time-traveller.
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Yes I realized on reflection that you are no novice and that you know more than I do especially as you are a part time time traveler(a fact I was not aware of) , I know also not to take too much at face value, I really liked the post though!!
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Glad you enjoyed it
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Beautiful art making hard work look lovely – as was the point, I am guessing. 🙂
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I have an old smooching iron, I was searching for some history about the I iron I inherited mine from my grandmother.
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I am not sure what a ‘smooching iron’ is. However there were some wonderful designs of irons in the past. The simple flat iron that was heated on a stove, irons which were heated by means of a piece of red hot iron pushed inside them (the type shown in the pictures). Then there were those that contained hot ashes or burning coals (the latter had chimneys!). And finally my favourite, because it was such a terrible idea, the gas iron, attached to a gas tap by a flexible tube this had a flame inside. It could easily burn you clothes and occasionally explode!
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