This perfect lavoir could be nowhere else but Jersey. Deepest Jersey, in the parish of St Martin on a typically drizzly Friday morning. All you could hear at this spot this morning was the gentle sound of the stream as it merrily ran into the communal washing place and thence onwards, under the lane and cottage opposite and eventually to Queen’s Valley Reservoir.
See how well and unobtrusively the lavoir has been maintained down perhaps 200 years.
The lavoir will have been originally constructed by the landowner for use by family and neighbours, the latter perhaps expected to pay a small fee. In the near silence this morning it wasn’t difficult to imagine the local women, now long forgotten, catching up on the gossip as they did their weekly wash.
Convenience of a washer and dryer probably compensated for the lack of social opportunities.
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Exactly so Pat. The women could swap news there without their men listening in. Probably a lot of splashing as the more scandalous talk went on 🙂
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Husbands have a way of crimping conversation.
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How interesting. I’ve never heard of a lavoir (although I recognize its root in français, similar to laver and lavabo). I can imagine that it wouldn’t work very well with our weather! We do however still have similarly-aged raised stone basins that were originally used for watering horses passing through town on market day. I love the image you conjure up of the social opportunities from their use.
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Are your stone basins associated with streams Jane? The larger cousin of our lavoirs are abreuvoirs, originally used for watering animals.
Virtually disappeared now in GB are horse troughs which, if they survive at all, are ornamental or are used as planters.
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These are horse troughs and, yes, are now used as planters by the city (in the summer!). Something like your abreuvoir probably existed, but they would have been in the countryside rather than in town.
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That would only be fun in the summer! My Nana had a mangle. It was such a palaver but at least you didn’t need to iron the sheets.
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A mangle! I’ve never seen one in use. Now I’m guessing the lavoir women might have shared a mangle as well, would have made sense.
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Oh, the stories lingering there must have been almost tangible. Thank you for taking us there with you. I sure do wish I had someone to gossip with while I do the laundry.
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You can almost hear the chat can’t you? Material for a short story maybe 🙂
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It could absolutely be a short story.
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I don’t know what happened but for some reason I was not following you any longer, that’s why I was missing all your posts lately.😱following you back now🤩
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Thanks Sabina 🙂 You haven’t missed a lot, I don’t blog so often these days.
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