September 1860: Fisher’s washing machine

Nearly half a century before the world’s first electric domestic washing machine was introduced by US inventor Alva John Fisher, his British namesake, Nottinghamshire engineer John Fisher unveiled a novel design for a domestic washing machine that employed a strikingly different concept to today’s rotary machines.

‘This invention,’ wrote The Engineer, ’consists in combining with a tub or other suitable vessel, for containing the articles to be treated, a blowing apparatus for forcing atmospheric air or any suitable gas for depuritating, bleachingor otherwise treating the contents of the tub or vessel, whether soap ley, plain, or acidulated water or other liquor be employed.

The article explained that during operation the tub is partially filled with hot soapy water, the clothes are placed into this water, and then a “blowing apparatus” attached to the vessel by a number of small pipes is used to force air through the ’through and amongst the articles contained therein.’