Funny you should mention that.....
Posted by Caroline on January 19, 1998 at 17:30:31:
In response to I am certain this is not a lady-like question, but..., written by Daničle B. on January 19, 1998 at 15:09:09
Last night, on the Antiques Roadshow, they had a boat-shaped , well, chamber pot, only it wasn't for the chamber, it was portable, for use in church, etc.(during Mr Collin's sermons?) and was for ladies! I think it was callled a 'borderloo' and was made in England about 1800.
Now, Parson Woodforde, who kept a diary just full of trivia, had an outhouse at the bottom of his garden, which he constantly referred to as "the Jericho". Very modern houses did have inside water-closets (and very unhealthy they were, in the main) that were officially called 'water-closet', but I think might also be called by ther old medieval name 'guarderobe'(look out for your clothes!). The phrase "gardey-loo" (from the french 'Guardez- de l'eau!) is supposed to have been shouted when people emptied the chamber-pots out into the street, but I really don't know if this is just hearsay or whether it's true! But it's supposed to be the reason why many English people still excuse themselves by "going to the loo!"
Reference the water-closets, the book "A History of Everyday things" (in the bibliography)(volume 3?) has drawings and detailed accounts of the workings of these in Georgian times.
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