Baby's Toilet (1905)

Nothing to do with potties... Baby gets a good wash. In this charming Hepworth actuality film a crisply uniformed, no-nonsense nurse bounces a baby girl on her lap before submerging the unsuspecting infant into a tub of soapy water. The baby is surprisingly content to be so vigorously sponged and rinsed but somewhat less happy when extracted from the suds and deposited onto a set of unwelcoming metal weighing scales. Once back on a familiar lap, however, the baby delights in being dried, powdered and expertly pampered. (Catherine McGahan)

For more information about filmmaker Cecil Hepworth see http://www.screenonline.org.uk/people/id/450004/index.html

You can watch almost 1000 other complete films and TV programmes free of charge at the Mediatheque at BFI Southbank - http://www.bfi.org.uk/mediatheque

Category:

Film & Animation

Tags:

• BFI
• babies
• children
• washing
• bath
• servants
• Edwardian

[diablaxcrista]

Hmm, my great-grandmother and great-grandfather where both born around or in 1905 and lived until about the late 1990's. I wonder if that baby in the film lived that long...it's not unusual for people to lived up until they're 100. :)

[BFIfilms]

@diablaxcrista She died in 1997. See my comment below for more details.

[BirdValiant]

It's strange to think that that baby probably grew up, waxed old, and died long ago.

[MerleOberon]

I hear they're going to to do a remake of this

[ManilaSyndicate]

Cute :-).

[Sheri451]

I thought to myself this baby is going to pee all over thay nurse if you don't put a diaper on him, but someone says it was a girl.

[Oakleaf700]

what an amazing comment below! Just shows that one never knows when someone will die.. Your Grandpa lived in three centuries, and that takes some doing- hope you live as long!

[Jeff98177]

My grandpa was born in 1898 and lived until 2000. My grandma died in 1960, and they made a double headstone and put 1898 - 19__ on his side. They had to fix that after he died. He would've gotten a kick out of that. lol

[rudolfvonlvasquez]

An epic "How to bath a Baby" tutorial clip.

[Lemon020202]

@dasdasdus the baby is a girl...she is the daughter of the film maker.

[Lemon020202]

Anyone think its odd that this baby girl isn't being breastfed? Especially in those days? or did her mother die? wow, strange when i was a baby I was breastfed until 5 months and i'm almost 30 years old. I wonder if they had a pump, cause that baby bottle looks kinda weird.

[Lemon020202]

@FillionDollarSmile LOL....MY GRANDPARENTS WERE BORN IN 1939 AND 1940. i AM 29 YEARS OLD. LOL. BY MOTHER WAS BORN 1958 . WOW...HUH? CUTE. My great grandmother was born 1920 so, i am almost 30 and its almost 2011! So this baby would be someones great-great grandmother! wow.