A washboard is a tool designed for hand washing clothing that are soaked in hot soapy water in a wash tub or sink, then squeezed and rubbed against the ridged surface of the washboard to force the cleaning fluid through the cloth to carry away dirt. With the invent of mechanized cleaning of clothing becoming more common by with the use of washing machines by the end of the 20th century the washboard was soon discontinued. The traditional washboard is usually constructed with a rectangular wooden frame in which are mounted a series of ridges or corrugations for the clothing to be rubbed upon. For 19th-century washboards, the ridges were often of wood, sometimes glass and by the 20th century, ridges of metal became common The first "fluted" metal washboard was patented in the United States by Stephen Rust in 1833 and Zinc washboards were predominantly manufactured in the United States from the middle of the 19th century. A significant item for cleaning clothes still in use today in many countries giving a snapshot into the domestic life of a housewife into the 20th century.Washboard wooden frame with a ribbed glass sectionMarked "Possum Brand"warrnambool, shipwrecked-coast, flagstaff-hill, flagstaff-hill-maritime-museum, shipwreck-coast, flagstaff-hill-maritime-village, washboard, glass ripples, clothes cleaning, washing, laundry

Linton School Cantata Group trained by Miss Barry for school concert. This is one of several copies of the photograph of Miss Barry's cantata group in the LDHS collection. This copy was in Mrs Stella Surman's collection. Pupils and teachers identified in inscription on reverse of this copy of the photograph: Myrtle Thompson, Mamie Ferguson, Myrtle Bolte, Ruby Barton, Olive Ball, Maisie Wise, Sybil Marks, Annie McMillan, Miss Rankin, Clarice White, Stella Brand, Stella Ralf, Annie Brophy, Alice Willoughby, Miss Barry, Lil Gorman, Pearl Nelson, - Burnside, Vera Cornish, Pauline O'Beirne, Doris Downing, Rita Murrell, Mary Nelson, Millie Todd, Ann Brophy, Elvira Martinez, Jean Cox, Lena Allan, Alex Thompson, Jean Gascoigne, Stella Todd, Lucy Johnstone, Eva Simper, Bernice Ball, Myrtle Hands, Elsie Egan, Possum Dawe.Original black and white photograph of Linton State School Cantata Group, children in costume. Photo mounted on grey board.On back: "S E Surman". Also names of children.linton state school, school concert, miss barry's cantata group, surman collection