South Coast Washing Lines

[fly258]

Why are the majority of washing lines in the Portsmouth / Southampton area at a high level?

[Thunderbird+]

Maybe it's to stop the washing getting wet when the tide comes in.
Sorry could'nt resist that :)

[bednobs]

as opposed to what?
i thought washing lines had to be high to get the washing dry. Having grown up in portsmouth, we had a washing line that used a pulley at the topof a high pole(the other end fixed to the house high up), so you had to winch the washing up once you had put it on the line at a reasonable level. We also had a lower level line that was about neck height and fixed. If my mum wanted stuff to dry quick she would put it on the top line where it seemed to blow more.
Perhaps there are a lot of terraced tenament buildings in these areas, so the washing would have to be high to get any air?

[fly258]

As bednobs says in his reply, most south coast washing lines use a tall pole and a pulley system to raise the washing high off the ground (about 8-10 feet).
I have only noticed it in the Portsmouth / Southampton areas and was just wondering why, maybe some Naval connection?

[Solarjunkie]

We use the pulley sytem, always have - Gloucestershire, previously Hastings and Cheshire, so not just Portsmouth etc.