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Old fashioned coal range clothes irons.
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DescriptionThe average weight of these cast-iron tools was 15 pounds.
In this modern day and age, permanent-press clothing has practically done away with the tedious task of ironing. But in days of old, before the steam iron was invented, ironing was a necessary chore that demanded that the user stand next to a hot stove and repeatedly heft heavy irons from stove top to ironing board.
In the 1800s and early 1900s, everyday clothing and household linens were made from 100 percent cotton or flax linen and, after laundering, both demanded heavy pressing with hot irons to remove wrinkles.
They were called "sad irons"..They weren't called "sad irons" because the women who used them were depressed.
The term was in reference to the weight of the iron; in the early 1800s, the word "sad" meant "heavy."
'Hard work'ContributorHeather Newby
In this modern day and age, permanent-press clothing has practically done away with the tedious task of ironing. But in days of old, before the steam iron was invented, ironing was a necessary chore that demanded that the user stand next to a hot stove and repeatedly heft heavy irons from stove top to ironing board.
In the 1800s and early 1900s, everyday clothing and household linens were made from 100 percent cotton or flax linen and, after laundering, both demanded heavy pressing with hot irons to remove wrinkles.
They were called "sad irons"..They weren't called "sad irons" because the women who used them were depressed.
The term was in reference to the weight of the iron; in the early 1800s, the word "sad" meant "heavy."
'Hard work'ContributorHeather Newby
Shown in this image
Location (city or town)West Coast
Category Information
Category TagHousehold
From Facebook
Date Created1st August 2021CommentsJoycelyn Hiha
Have one at my front door
Sonia Bradley
Was probably best not to make your wife angry when ironing haha
Caroline Dunlop
Mum had them, and I had the job from time to time of using them.
Neroli Johnson
I have one
Paula Owen
Neroli nice we only have kerosine ones
Paula Owen
Neroli, Scot is going to have a go cleaning them up and putting handles on
Phyllis Aberhart
My mother used one. They used to also make good door stope
Lee Henderson
SPARKS MUSEUM in Rangiora has heaps of these and 3 hours of viewing things of old
Irene Joyce Cassidy
Lee Henderson must go and have a look
Robin James
Have one as doorstop
Steve Rodda
Robin James me to
Ian Gilbertson
Have some at the heritage park
Sharyn Kevin Ratcliffe
I do own one now
Craig Norman
Sharyn Kevin Ratcliffe Mine is the door stop to my back door.
Sharyn Kevin Ratcliffe
Craig Norman mine used to sit on my log burner now on a table
Di Bundy
These are still used on every corner of every posh suburb in Delhi, and the guy usually only takes on new customers if someone dies or moves out. Nothing irons your clothes as crisp!
Irene Joyce Cassidy
i have a couple of these
Marion Robina Hogarth
My Nana used to use these irons back in the 1950's
Dawn N Jack Fearn
Me too
June Williams
My Nana used one. I remember it back in the ‘50s.
Nicola Te Raki
We still have one.
Sue Seymour
I used to iron the hankies with these at my grans in the 60s. One on the handle being used and the other on the coal range heating up.
Clare Pierson
Sue Seymour and they held the heat well. Didn't have to stand beside the coal range as in the article. And there were electric irons without steam long before steam irons. Originally it was thought that weight was needed for ironing and then it was rea… See More
Pauline Barker
I’ve got a couple.
Jeanette Williams
Pauline Barker I have as well, like the top row
Sandy Brears
Made good door stops, just do not stub your toe on it
Kay Walsh
Funny....I took this the other night. My Grandmother's old iron she kept on the side of the Wellstood for quick ironing jobs like hankies, and her Grt Aunt"s old copper kettle which Gran had chromed when she got tired of polishing it. Retrieved them from her old hse in Westport while it dries out.
Lynda Pope
I have still got one that I think was my grandmothers, handed down from my mother. Used it all the time in the late 70s- mid 80s before power was connected to Neils Beach. I still have it and wouldn't part with it. Great door stops!
Carleen Craw-Thomson
I use one as a door stop
Jacqueline Evans
My mother used these I still have one of hers I use as a doorstop
Lynette Ewers
My mum used one in the 60s when the mill burnt down at Hannah's Clearing and had no power
Marlene Coleman
Nana had one as a door stop.
Nera Doig
Yep, still got 1
Lynne Brown
Still have three of middle one love them
Anna Jensen
I use to straighten my hair with one way back in highschool lol
Gloria Kerridge
Remember my Mum using one of these.. she has two and. No hold up with heating. One on stove - one being used.
Gae Galway
Ironed my school uniform with one of these as only had power for lights at night.
Mary Hood
I remember!
Jillian Stewart
We have one on our fire right now. It gets very hot. Still use the electric one tho.
Leonie Penniket
Still have a set of 3 sizes of ones on the middle shelf.
Betty Mccormick
they make great doorstops.Grandma Simpson hadthem think they were always kept on th Aga
Betty Buckland King
I have one as my doorstop
Daphne Andrews
“Mrs Potts Irons.”Think that’s the name, why not sure.
Michaela Perkins
my nan was using one of these, listening to the first live broadcast on the radio, the Hindenburg.....
Annie Mcbrydie
I have two irons like this.
Margaret Mckee
Funny, I am writing my life story and just last night wrote about using one when living at the Karamea Hotel in late 50s. I have one now as a door stop.
Yvonne Jean
my mum had one but must have got lost
· Reply · 3h
Naireen Bass
I wonder how many burn holes they made in clothes?
Anita Ross
I remember my aunty Mona's sitting on the coal range
Miriama Lance Johnsen
I’ve got my Nanas set
Dave Lyes
They still use them in Africa, in particular the ones with the lid you can put hot coals into.
Clare McDonnell
I have one
Raewyn Stephens
my dad found one with the bottom not flat. never found out what it was used for. i think he gave it to a museum
Le-Ann Muir
I have one that is used as a Door Stop now.
Lois McMillan
Mine is a door stop I brought it back home from flitwick uk
Patricia Milne
I remember our one sitting on thr side of the coal range. Don't have it now, sadly. Quite a relic.
Dennis Gibbs
When I was young, mum would heat up the irons on the wood stove and when hot enough take off the handles and put them into a big wooly sock and put them into my sister and my beds.
Fantastic to hop into bed with them after they cooled a bit.
Better than a hot water bottle.
Patricia Bentley
Very heavy
Shona Ratana
I remember seeing these irons, however always used an electric iron.
Lyn Stark
I used one (3) in Zambia on a wood range as we only had generator power in the evenings. It was a good way to get seams pressed and ready for more sewing once the power came on.....you would have several on the go to reheat while using the other.
Lyn Stark
I have one now, but it's a door stopper
Herbert Shirlz
Yep. My brother threw Mums out in 2015.
Geoffrey King
I use one like in the middle photo as a door stop
Catherine Carey
remember my mum doing the ironing with these
Mary Parker
I also still have one, cheers.
Denise Inwood-McKnight
Miree Gibson
I have had 1 for yrs, great doorstop
Christina Fairhurst
Yep… my mum used one to iron our clothes. She also Baked the best sponges ever in our coal range in our house at McDougall Ave in Dunollie
Lynn Day
My mum Netta Durkin lived in Dunoliie back in the day
Pamela May Walford
I remember my Mum using one before the electric iron. They did do a good job too. Many became a great doorstop.
Frank Newsome
i have one like 2nd shelf one its old
Lynn Day
Yep I have two of them. As everyone says best door stops ever
Denise Biddick
I have my nana Bones who lived in Big River Hakarere born in Mai Mai
No photo description available.
Annie Annie
yes my grandmother had an iron like that
· Reply · 12h
Glenn Hood
Do you remember the ones you had to put hot coals into them
Angie Quinn
I still have one and use it as a doorstop
Lynette Clarkson
Gave photo number 6 to my son& wife
Di Mackie
I still have mine!
Rose Henham
I do
Gillian Johnson
I remember using one in the 50's as we had no mains electricity
Helen Green
Yes, mother had all of those. Wonderful!
Peter Chinnery
Still have one m y 21st birthday present was an election iron
Janine Manson
My mum had one
Janine Manson
The good old days
Joy Hill-Cooper
Can remember mum and gran using them
Cindy Proudfoot
I own one of the ones at the top..sits in the garden with the old kettle and old frying pan.
Gabrelle Hart
Yep Nanna Had these...we also used to stir the washing in the old copper if you know what that is.
Joy Drake
That was the way to iron in the day.
Denise Marilyn TeWhata
Still have my grand ones
Barbara Scott
We had one to play with when I was young.
Elaine Matthews
Am so bad. Put them in the recycling.
Rick Lang
Have a very rusty one
Eileen Madalaine Agnew
Yes mum had one.
Ilisa Jones
Sandi Jones some of yours are in this picture!
John Buchanan
No wonder mum had big muscles on her arms. Mum sure was a hard worker. RI P mum.
Thelma Coutts
My maternal Grandmother had these sitting on the back shelf of her coal range.
Lyn Coleman
Dad has one as a door stop.
Gloria Eggeling
Use our pioneer whanau we’re tough and so resilient xx
Alison Armstrong
They did a wonderful job too..
Bryce Smith
Yes. Also good door stop
Raymond Swift
Still have 2
Les Holmes Germanicus
I still have one.
Percy Billett
Me too
Have one at my front door
Sonia Bradley
Was probably best not to make your wife angry when ironing haha
Caroline Dunlop
Mum had them, and I had the job from time to time of using them.
Neroli Johnson
I have one
Paula Owen
Neroli nice we only have kerosine ones
Paula Owen
Neroli, Scot is going to have a go cleaning them up and putting handles on
Phyllis Aberhart
My mother used one. They used to also make good door stope
Lee Henderson
SPARKS MUSEUM in Rangiora has heaps of these and 3 hours of viewing things of old
Irene Joyce Cassidy
Lee Henderson must go and have a look
Robin James
Have one as doorstop
Steve Rodda
Robin James me to
Ian Gilbertson
Have some at the heritage park
Sharyn Kevin Ratcliffe
I do own one now
Craig Norman
Sharyn Kevin Ratcliffe Mine is the door stop to my back door.
Sharyn Kevin Ratcliffe
Craig Norman mine used to sit on my log burner now on a table
Di Bundy
These are still used on every corner of every posh suburb in Delhi, and the guy usually only takes on new customers if someone dies or moves out. Nothing irons your clothes as crisp!
Irene Joyce Cassidy
i have a couple of these
Marion Robina Hogarth
My Nana used to use these irons back in the 1950's
Dawn N Jack Fearn
Me too
June Williams
My Nana used one. I remember it back in the ‘50s.
Nicola Te Raki
We still have one.
Sue Seymour
I used to iron the hankies with these at my grans in the 60s. One on the handle being used and the other on the coal range heating up.
Clare Pierson
Sue Seymour and they held the heat well. Didn't have to stand beside the coal range as in the article. And there were electric irons without steam long before steam irons. Originally it was thought that weight was needed for ironing and then it was rea… See More
Pauline Barker
I’ve got a couple.
Jeanette Williams
Pauline Barker I have as well, like the top row
Sandy Brears
Made good door stops, just do not stub your toe on it
Kay Walsh
Funny....I took this the other night. My Grandmother's old iron she kept on the side of the Wellstood for quick ironing jobs like hankies, and her Grt Aunt"s old copper kettle which Gran had chromed when she got tired of polishing it. Retrieved them from her old hse in Westport while it dries out.
Lynda Pope
I have still got one that I think was my grandmothers, handed down from my mother. Used it all the time in the late 70s- mid 80s before power was connected to Neils Beach. I still have it and wouldn't part with it. Great door stops!
Carleen Craw-Thomson
I use one as a door stop
Jacqueline Evans
My mother used these I still have one of hers I use as a doorstop
Lynette Ewers
My mum used one in the 60s when the mill burnt down at Hannah's Clearing and had no power
Marlene Coleman
Nana had one as a door stop.
Nera Doig
Yep, still got 1
Lynne Brown
Still have three of middle one love them
Anna Jensen
I use to straighten my hair with one way back in highschool lol
Gloria Kerridge
Remember my Mum using one of these.. she has two and. No hold up with heating. One on stove - one being used.
Gae Galway
Ironed my school uniform with one of these as only had power for lights at night.
Mary Hood
I remember!
Jillian Stewart
We have one on our fire right now. It gets very hot. Still use the electric one tho.
Leonie Penniket
Still have a set of 3 sizes of ones on the middle shelf.
Betty Mccormick
they make great doorstops.Grandma Simpson hadthem think they were always kept on th Aga
Betty Buckland King
I have one as my doorstop
Daphne Andrews
“Mrs Potts Irons.”Think that’s the name, why not sure.
Michaela Perkins
my nan was using one of these, listening to the first live broadcast on the radio, the Hindenburg.....
Annie Mcbrydie
I have two irons like this.
Margaret Mckee
Funny, I am writing my life story and just last night wrote about using one when living at the Karamea Hotel in late 50s. I have one now as a door stop.
Yvonne Jean
my mum had one but must have got lost
· Reply · 3h
Naireen Bass
I wonder how many burn holes they made in clothes?
Anita Ross
I remember my aunty Mona's sitting on the coal range
Miriama Lance Johnsen
I’ve got my Nanas set
Dave Lyes
They still use them in Africa, in particular the ones with the lid you can put hot coals into.
Clare McDonnell
I have one
Raewyn Stephens
my dad found one with the bottom not flat. never found out what it was used for. i think he gave it to a museum
Le-Ann Muir
I have one that is used as a Door Stop now.
Lois McMillan
Mine is a door stop I brought it back home from flitwick uk
Patricia Milne
I remember our one sitting on thr side of the coal range. Don't have it now, sadly. Quite a relic.
Dennis Gibbs
When I was young, mum would heat up the irons on the wood stove and when hot enough take off the handles and put them into a big wooly sock and put them into my sister and my beds.
Fantastic to hop into bed with them after they cooled a bit.
Better than a hot water bottle.
Patricia Bentley
Very heavy
Shona Ratana
I remember seeing these irons, however always used an electric iron.
Lyn Stark
I used one (3) in Zambia on a wood range as we only had generator power in the evenings. It was a good way to get seams pressed and ready for more sewing once the power came on.....you would have several on the go to reheat while using the other.
Lyn Stark
I have one now, but it's a door stopper
Herbert Shirlz
Yep. My brother threw Mums out in 2015.
Geoffrey King
I use one like in the middle photo as a door stop
Catherine Carey
remember my mum doing the ironing with these
Mary Parker
I also still have one, cheers.
Denise Inwood-McKnight
Miree Gibson
I have had 1 for yrs, great doorstop
Christina Fairhurst
Yep… my mum used one to iron our clothes. She also Baked the best sponges ever in our coal range in our house at McDougall Ave in Dunollie
Lynn Day
My mum Netta Durkin lived in Dunoliie back in the day
Pamela May Walford
I remember my Mum using one before the electric iron. They did do a good job too. Many became a great doorstop.
Frank Newsome
i have one like 2nd shelf one its old
Lynn Day
Yep I have two of them. As everyone says best door stops ever
Denise Biddick
I have my nana Bones who lived in Big River Hakarere born in Mai Mai
No photo description available.
Annie Annie
yes my grandmother had an iron like that
· Reply · 12h
Glenn Hood
Do you remember the ones you had to put hot coals into them
Angie Quinn
I still have one and use it as a doorstop
Lynette Clarkson
Gave photo number 6 to my son& wife
Di Mackie
I still have mine!
Rose Henham
I do
Gillian Johnson
I remember using one in the 50's as we had no mains electricity
Helen Green
Yes, mother had all of those. Wonderful!
Peter Chinnery
Still have one m y 21st birthday present was an election iron
Janine Manson
My mum had one
Janine Manson
The good old days
Joy Hill-Cooper
Can remember mum and gran using them
Cindy Proudfoot
I own one of the ones at the top..sits in the garden with the old kettle and old frying pan.
Gabrelle Hart
Yep Nanna Had these...we also used to stir the washing in the old copper if you know what that is.
Joy Drake
That was the way to iron in the day.
Denise Marilyn TeWhata
Still have my grand ones
Barbara Scott
We had one to play with when I was young.
Elaine Matthews
Am so bad. Put them in the recycling.
Rick Lang
Have a very rusty one
Eileen Madalaine Agnew
Yes mum had one.
Ilisa Jones
Sandi Jones some of yours are in this picture!
John Buchanan
No wonder mum had big muscles on her arms. Mum sure was a hard worker. RI P mum.
Thelma Coutts
My maternal Grandmother had these sitting on the back shelf of her coal range.
Lyn Coleman
Dad has one as a door stop.
Gloria Eggeling
Use our pioneer whanau we’re tough and so resilient xx
Alison Armstrong
They did a wonderful job too..
Bryce Smith
Yes. Also good door stop
Raymond Swift
Still have 2
Les Holmes Germanicus
I still have one.
Percy Billett
Me too
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West Coast New Zealand History (4th Aug 2021). Old fashioned coal range clothes irons.. In Website West Coast New Zealand History. Retrieved 5th Apr 2026 12:20, from https://westcoast.recollect.co.nz/nodes/view/29735