Skip to main content

Story: Washing, cleaning and personal hygiene

Chamber pot

Image
Chamber pot

Chamber pots were tucked under beds in the days when the household toilet was located in an outhouse in the back garden. The pot saved a trip outside to the toilet at night. The contents were emptied into the toilet in the morning. 

Using this item

Owaka Museum

Reference: CT80.1224b

This item has been provided for private study purposes (such as school projects, family and local history research) and any published reproduction (print or electronic) may infringe copyright law. It is the responsibility of the user of any material to obtain clearance from the copyright holder.

All images & media in this story

How to cite this page

Kerryn Pollock, Washing, cleaning and personal hygiene – Toilets, Te Ara – the Encyclopedia of New Zealand, https://teara.govt.nz/en/object/40802/chamber-pot (accessed 4 June 2026).

Story by Kerryn Pollock, published 1 February 2013.