Notice this is the tenement's bathroom. Everyone on their floor used the same one.
Likely the tap water was cold. Hot water would have been schlepped from their stove's burner. Both would probably use the same water. Since we know these boys, they likely used it together, but kept super quiet. Tenement rooms echoed something awful.
Surprisingly, no one would really think this was odd. Hot water cooled quickly, was slow and dangerous to carry in buckets or pans, so two or more in the tub was totally relatable. Some parents bathed several children at one time.
And there might be others who were waiting to use the tub. Hurry up!
The few clothes they washed would return with them to their apartment. Nothing was left for another to claim.
Sock stretchers helped keep woolen socks from shrinking. There were also forms for lingerie stockings, probably cheaper lisle instead of silk.
This bathroom was an improvement from previous types, which only had a tub, no sink, and only a drain for the water that was completely hand-pumped in the apartment, or pumped outside, and carried upstairs. Lucky tenants had apartments close to it; hauling water is heavy work.
Our boys could very well have grown up using the older versions. Landlords were notorious for shirking improved living conditions.
No wonder if a person bathed at all, it was likely on a Saturday night. Only Sundays were off days for laborers who worked 10-12 hour shifts.
The room was likely not heated, or if so, meagerly. People learned to get their business done quickly on cold days. It wasn't a place for a long soak!
And for going potty, that was probably an outdoor privy or hall toilet (about like a small closet with just a toilet - each resident brought leftover newspapers or other paper for wiping).
Early tenement bathrooms were for bathing only.
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