Yeovil Sanitary Laundry
Yeovil Sanitary Laundry
Later Yeoman Cleaners, South Street
The Yeovil Sanitary Laundry, advertised as a 'steam' laundry, was established in 1877 in South Street, next door to the Globe and Crown pub. The laundry buildings were alongside the pub to the west and separated by an access track. Extensive drying grounds lay behind both the laundry and the pub. It was advertised in Whitby's Yeovil Almanack Advertiser between 1889 and 1898.
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In the 1891 edition of 'Where to Buy' Yeovil Sanitary Laundry was given the following description -
Yeovil
Sanitary
Laundry,
Through the courtesy of Mr L H Tyler, the able manager, we recently had the privilege of a visit to the various departments of the Yeovil Sanitary Laundry, and under whose guidance we made acquaintance with the internal working, so to speak, of the establishment. The existence of a reliable laundry is a matter admittedly important in every town, and the wants of the inhabitants of Yeovil and neighbourhood, as regards the supply of clean linen, are well placed in the hands of the proprietors of the above-mentioned laundry. The domestic washing day, with its accompaniment of steam and the ever-too-present suds, is one of those antediluvian institutions which is making way for a more advanced state of things. Our dirty linen is collected, taken away, and returned to us "as clean as a new pin," and the Yeovil Sanitary Laundry has, during the past twelve years, done much to ease the household responsibility in this matter and to ensure the supply of shirts and collars of a consistent cleanliness. But our remarks must have a more direct bearing. The sorting room, where the various goods are divided and placed in independent heaps before the process of washing is commenced; the rinsing troughs and other evidences of the initial processes of the work - boilers, coppers, &c.; the hydro-extractor for taking the water out of linen; the fine enclosed asphalted drying ground; the two drying closets, for use in wet weather, are heated by the same powerful stove; the large ironing stove, capable of holding and heating fifty flat-irons at a time. These and other matters which were brought under our notice excited a deal of interest, and it was plainly evident to us that we were in a well-organised and systematically managed establishment. Good order and cleanliness is apparent, and the work of washing and ironing runs smoothly along, eventuating in the production of that perfect whiteness and glossiness in linen which is so much appreciated. The business includes, as a speciality, cleaning and shirt and collar dressing; and the connection is extensive and influential, The laundry has been fitted throughout by Messrs. T Bradford and Co., of London, Manchester, and Liverpool.
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The laundry was enlarged in 1897-8 (see Gallery) and in 1903 a new manager's house fronting South Street was built which also contained an office and receiving room. At the same time, in 1903, the Globe & Crown was rebuilt.
From 1903 onwards it became the Yeovil Sanitary Laundry Co Ltd and was advertised in Whitby's edition of 1903, Collins' Yeovil Directory of and was advertised in Whitby's edition of 1903, Collins' Yeovil Directory of 1907, Kelly's Directories of 1919 and 1935. The last listing was in Edwin Snell's Directory of 1954.
By the early 1960s it had become Yeoman Cleaners and the building facing South Street was given a new ground floor shop front (see Gallery).
The laundry's former offices and manager's accommodation building was converted into hotel accommodation of the Globe & Crown (see final photo in the Gallery).
MAP
A map based on the 1901 Ordnance Survey showing the buildings of the Yeovil Sanitary Laundry highlighted in pink.
gallery
An advertisement for the Yeovil Sanitary Laundry from the 1888 edition of Whitby's Yeovil Almanack Advertiser.
.... and from the 1897 edition of Whitby's Yeovil Almanack Advertiser.
Notice was given in the 27 August 1897 edition of the Yeovil Sanitary Laundry that it was to be extended and that a temporary office was to open.
A notice in the Western Gazette's edition of 7 August 1903 for the rebuild of the Globe & Crown and the construction of the lodge and office of the Yeovil Sanitary Laundry, seen next.
The report of the sad demise of a horse in the laundry's approach track from the 28 September 1906 edition of the Western Gazette.
Seen in a colourised photograph of around 1910, the Yeovil Sanitary Laundry Co. Ltd. was established in 1877 in South Street. This building, the offices, receiving room and manager's accommodation, was built in 1903-4. It later became the premises of Yeoman Cleaners (see below) and later still was incorporated into the Globe and Crown.
Although it was advertised as a 'steam' laundry, more delicate items were washed by hand as evidenced by this advertisement placed in the 19 December 1941 edition of the Western Gazette.
Courtesy of
Colin Haine
Photographed in the 1980s, the track between the Globe & Crown and the laundry building facing South Street led to the laundry's buildings where the actual washing took place. Beyond these buildings, and just glimpsed in the background, were the extensive drying grounds.
A 1960's photograph of bus queues waiting outside the Globe and Crown. Note that the Yeovil Sanitary Laundry building has now become Yeoman Cleaners with a new ground floor facade.
Courtesy of
Colin Haine
Photographed in 1986, buildings of the laundry are demolished.
The Globe and Crown photographed in 2012 with the former laundry building at right, now integrated seamlessly into the pub/hotel premises. Compare this photograph with the one above showing Yeoman cleaners and it is surprising how good a job was made of the restoration - shame they can't do more restorations like this in Yeovil.
