Puffing Billy

[My Good Babushka]

Patented in 1901 by Hubert Cecil Booth, "Puffing Billy" was an oil fueled vacuum cleaner mounted on a horse drawn cart. It required a cleaning crew to haul hoses throughout the house. Wealthy society ladies threw "vacuum cleaner parties" where guests sipped tea and lifted their feet for the cleaning crews to vacuum beneath them.

[Xyzse]

1. That's pretty cool.

I've never heard of that before.

[Lars39]

2. Sure as heck beat sweeping up tea leaves or using a rug beater.

Or at least it did for the staff.