Is this for gardening?

[veggiechicken]

During the greenhouse contents clearout I acquired this pot - with lid (marked "2") and a ?strainer. I can't think what it was used for
Any ideas please?

All I can think of is :-
1. Boiling up washing
2. Sterilising soil
3. Roasting chestnuts...............

[Bren In Pots]

Could the pot be used for storing comfrey or nettle tea after its been strained.

[veggiechicken]

Dunno Bren
The strainer has quite large holes, is domed, not flat, and is the same size as the base of the pot

[vikkib]

Righty!

I googled galvanised bucket with lid and found this image:

Brocante Vintage: My April Brocante Trip – Normandy

Then googled Lessiveuse... looks like an early French washing machine!

http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedi..._50_litres.jpg

The “lessiveuse”, an early French washing machine! |

File:Lessiveuse-principe.gif - Wikimedia Commons

[taff]

It's a heater thingy. I've got one similar, with two grooves in the sides, one groove fits the larger holed part, the other groove fits a grill thingy.

[veggiechicken]

Well sleuthed Vikki - thank you
I've goggled around a bit and found a few of them for sale on fleabay etc - one has been converted and an electric heating element put in
Looking at it again, the lid if marked 2 1/2 (2 and a half!!). Maybe that means two and a half gallons
I'm going to clean it up and put it with the old glass and wood scrubbing board in the laundry room - don't let on that I have a proper washing machine, will you ?

[veggiechicken]

It's a heater thingy. I've got one similar, with two grooves in the sides, one groove fits the larger holed part, the other groove fits a grill thingy.

There aren't any grooves in this one, taff, the holed bit is the same size as the bottom

[julesapple]

That looks like a laundry soaking bucket - the holed bit would keep the laundry under the water level.

[veggiechicken]

Thanks Jules - that makes sense!! It was the holey bit that troubled me

[Thelma Sanders]

Does the holey bit sit about half an inch up from the bottom? Mum had something similar which was used to heat process jars of fruit - the insert stopped the jars from cracking

[veggiechicken]

Aha - another suggestion!! Thanks Thelma The holey bit is domed so that only the outer edge is in contact with the base of the pot. Its on its side in the 2nd pic.

[PyreneesPlot]

How about using it as a smoker?

[PAULW]

Its a wash copper the holey bit in the bottom is so you can put it on the gas and boil clothes without them touching direct heat like the plate in the bottom of a pressure cooker.

[veggiechicken]

Thanks Paul!! Just found an almost identical one on fleabay VINATAGE PLANTER/WASH TUB | eBay - complete with clothes tongs. I remember my Mum using those tongs to pull the whites out before she put the dirtier washing in!!

[veggiechicken]

How about using it as a smoker?

Its a good idea but I wouldn't fancy eating anything out of this pot