Uses and misuses of chemicals in the British home, 1930s-1980s

Rushmore, Catherine L

Uses and misuses of chemicals in the British home, 1930s-1980s

Resource type

Doctoral thesis

Creator (person)

Rushmore, Catherine L

Date published

2016

Abstract

Between the 1930s and 1980s, British home life was transformed by the adoption of labour-saving technologies, among which were chemicals. The voluntary, domestic use of man-made, branded and unbranded chemicals and products (excluding drugs or medicines) is a topic that has been neglected, making this thesis original. From my experience as a museum professional, I was aware that domestically used chemicals were collected but were rarely foregrounded or fully interpreted. This thesis has been constructed by piecing together details from objects, adverts, periodicals and specialist advice literature, as well as industry reports, oral histories and written testimonies. Three different user groups, each with their own distinct aims for using chemicals in the home are considered – housewives, gardeners and photographers – in addition to a group of unintended users, children. This selection of activities not only incorporated housework and leisure, but it also facilitated the study and comparison of women, men and children, which contributed to an inclusive view of domestic life and what it meant to be a domestic user of chemicals. Users and misusers are central to understanding why chemical products exist in particular forms. The types of problems – accidental ingestion, deliberate poisoning, explosions and allergic reactions – were consistent over the period studied. For the bodies responsible for the development, sale and use of chemicals, the tension between providing information so that users could behave safely, and withholding it so that they would either not be deterred from using chemicals or be tempted subvert any warnings, remained a continual preoccupation. The users and misusers in this narrative are given agency: they managed risks themselves, and sometimes they circumvented the safeguards that had been demanded on their behalf. This thesis argues that the domestic uses and misuses of ordinary chemicals shaped the chemicals that were ultimately available to use in British homes.