Deck Brush
Description
A deck brush in two pieces, missing a small middle piece connecting the two halves. Hole looks roughly circular in shape – could be where missing broom handle was inserted. Bristles appear to be folded into the wooden base through circular holes in the wood.
This broom head has most of its long handle missing. Brushes were used for general cleaning duties, which included sweeping or scrubbing down the decks. Cleaning was part of the daily routine on board ship, it was important for both hygiene and discipline. On most ships the decks were cleaned during the morning, though times varied. The lower deck was to be washed only once a fortnight, and the cockpit never, being brushed instead. The upper deck was to be washed after sunset, but the captain varied the routine to keep the crew busy. Some captains began to realise that too much water about the decks was causing rheumatism among the men and were tending to cut down on deck washing.
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Object Detail
Breadth: 60mm
Length: 103mm
Length: 170mm