Welcome.

I’m Vanessa Willes and I was lucky enough to have an extraordinary friendship with long-time housekeeper Bette Smith. When she died I became the recipient of a cardboard box that contained her precious, handwritten notebooks. Full of recipes, advice and wonderful anecdotes handed down through her family since the early 19th century, they contain a wealth of knowledge and insights rarely shared today.

Bette believed her role was to keep the household running smoothly, and that “the home is the nursery of the present and future inhabitants of this world” where she could “do much to influence and mould their destinies by providing nourishment and comfort”.

Within the box was a note that read: “Every now and then through a happy combination of circumstances we make a discovery. We hit upon a better way than the one we used before. Nothing pleases me more than to tell other women the value of these homely ideas, thus passing them on for future generations who, in their turn, will make their own discoveries.”

I set up Mangle & Wringer to make available Bette’s natural cleaning remedies and I have pleasure sharing the remainder of her vast experience with you, together with my own discoveries, via this blog. I hope you make your own discoveries and that, in your turn, you too hit upon a better way.