Tuesday, July 06, 2010

Domestic violence

Housework truly did use to involve real violence. All that beating.

Even Hoover had to promise in 1926 that its labour saving vacuum cleaner would Beat, as it Sweeps, as it Cleans – presumably because no decent housewife would otherwise believe that her carpets were truly clean.

Though if you could afford a Hoover in those days you probably employed servants to do the beating for you. No need to exert yourself.