The Hills Hoist - an Australian icon

The reat Australian dream of families in post war years was to own a house in the suburbs on a quarter acre block.

In the aftermath of the 1939-45 conflict, when the scarcity of building materials and other shortages curtailed the building of houses and the purchase of household items, people longed for the stability of family life and the comfort of a suburban existence.

The aspirations of a post-war society included much labour saving devices; one of the most iconic was the Hills Hoist clothesline. Lancelot Hill invented the hoist from a previous idea, which was not successful, due to problems with the movable mechanism. Hill advertised his invention in the Adelaide Advertiser in 1945. He was making his hoists in a garage in his own home in the initial stages. The following year Harold Ling became his partner, and production began in earnest. By 1946 a Sydney branch had been opened and the Hills were displayed at Royal Shows in Sydney and Melbourne. Price 10 guineas 51 to install.

Seven million hoists have been produced over 50 years as well as other products, children’s’ play equipment, monkey bars etc.

The 1950’s saw a passionate interest by families - housewives in particular - for labour saving devices. In contrast to the restrictions and shortages of the 1930’s depression years, followed by the Second World War in the 1940’s, the 1950’s began an era of affluence and technical advancement, when Australian families eagerly sought all kinds of household appliances.

In modern times, many changes have taken place. Families have become smaller, houses are larger, often with less land around them, so a narrower horizontal clothesline, or indeed no clothesline at all has replaced the traditional Hills Hoist. Indoor electric dryers are common in the apartments which also proliferate in urban areas.

Perhaps in this era of modern technology, many of us look back with some nostalgia at the friendly family oriented backyard with the Hills Hoist, the simple barbecue and the lemon tree on the lawn.

Source: Olivia Mitchell writig in 2006-11 DTHS Newsletter