This will be the first of a recurring series based on memories handwritten by Frances Markward Hall. With the weather getting a little colder, I thought it might be nice to remember how lucky we are to have indoor plumbing. :) I have edited a little for ease of reading and clarity.
Frances was born April 29, 1889 in Lampasas, a daughter of John & Adelphia Florence (White) Markward of Lampasas, TX. The Markward family grew up and lived in a white stone house now known as Markward Manor and the children attended Lampasas schools and went on to further their educations in Georgetown, Austin and San Antonio. Adelphia's family, the Whites, also long time residents of Lampasas, lived on the hill above the Markward property.
Frances Markward married John Hall of Royse City, Texas on June 10, 1919. They had a son,
John Walter Hall, and a daughter, Mary Ethel Hall. Mary died as an infant. Frances and her family lived in Dublin most of their adult lives; she died there in 1965.
Many guests ask about the water storage tank in the back of the property. There used to be a windmill—you can see it in older pictures of the house and Frances describes its location and purpose in her remembrances.
Here is what Aunt Frances has to say about bathing…
We had no running water except to the tin tub in the bath house which was clear across a big yard and at the far side of the garden next to the wind mill. It had windows with wooden Venetian blinds, and we splashed out there in the summer time.
Baths were taken in metal wash tubs [in the bath hosue] and we carried our water in and then emptied it out.
Note: the bath house was about a 200 yard walk from the main house in those days. Not bad in the summer, but in the winter, probably a little chilly.
So the next time you shiver a little before getting into a shower with hot running water in a heated bathroom, remember how Aunt Frances, Ethel, and Forest used to bathe.
Check out our new historic walking tour of the downtown Lampasas area at Voicemap.
