No one could ever claim that William Blackstone’s washing machine was desirable. The wooden tub contained a flat piece of wood with six small pegs that looked like an inverted milking stool. A handle mechanically moved the wood backwards and forwards, snagging the dirty clothes which were swished about in hot soapy water.

In his defence, Mr Blackstone designed his washing machine in 1874. But aesthetically his machine shared the same characteristics of subsequent washing mach-ines and other domestic appliances over the next century , that is labour saving devices, that would free us people from the drudgery of domestic chores, with no regard to their looks.