Damon Mcknight
The Hills Hoist is an Australian icon. Designed by Lance Hill of Adelaide, the height-adjustable rotary clothesline became a fixture of suburban life in 20th-century Australia. It was designed to allow for the compact hanging of wet clothes, exposing their maximum area to the wind. The Hills Hoist was manufactured in Adelaide, South Australia, from 1945 onwards. However, in recent years, the Hills Hoist has been manufactured in Asia, and sales have declined as backyards have shrunk and other options have become available.
| Characteristics | Values |
|---|---|
| Description | Height-adjustable rotary clothes line |
| Design | Quintessentially Australian industrial design |
| Inventor | Lance Hill of Adelaide |
| Year of Invention | 1945 |
| Place of Invention | Australia |
| Year of First Manufacture | 1945 |
| Place of First Manufacture | Adelaide, South Australia |
| Current Place of Manufacture | China |
| Cultural Significance | Listed as a National Treasure by the National Library of Australia |
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What You'll Learn
Hills Hoists were manufactured in Australia
The Hills Hoist is a height-adjustable rotary clothes line designed to allow for the compact hanging of wet clothes so that their maximum area is exposed for wind drying through rotation. It is considered one of Australia's most recognisable icons, frequently used by artists as a metaphor for Australian suburbia in the 1950s and 1960s.
Hills Hoists were manufactured in Adelaide, South Australia, beginning in 1945. They were based on prior product designs purchased by Lance Hill from the Australian inventor Gerhard "Pop" Kaesler. The manufacturer soon became nationally market-dominant, and rotary washing lines became common across much of the world.
The Hills Hoist was designed by Lance Hill of Adelaide after he returned from serving in World War II. Prior to the Hills Hoist, most people hung their washing on static wooden clothes poles strung together with wire, which had to be regularly re-propped or replaced as the poles deteriorated in the weather. The Hills Hoist, on the other hand, could be raised and lowered and could even spin with the wind.
The Hills Hoist was not just an object for drying clothes but also a great plaything for children. It was a fixture of 20th-century Australia, becoming a symbol of home ownership and Australian suburban life.
While the Hills Hoist was originally manufactured in Australia, its direct successors are now mostly manufactured in China.
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Hills Hoists are an Australian icon
Prior to the Hills Hoist, most people used static wooden clothes poles strung with wire, which required regular re-propping or replacement due to weather damage. The Hills Hoist revolutionised laundry days by offering a compact and efficient solution. It could be raised and lowered, and its rotating design allowed clothes to dry effectively in the breeze.
Beyond its practical purpose, the Hills Hoist became an integral part of Australian backyard culture. It was a beloved symbol of home ownership and a fixture of suburban life in the 20th century. Children played on them, and they even served as unique venues for birthday parties and weddings. Artists have used the Hills Hoist as a metaphor for Australian suburbia in the 1950s and 1960s, and it has been listed as a National Treasure by the National Library of Australia.
The Hills Hoist's impact extended beyond Australia, as it became the generic term for rotary clotheslines and inspired similar designs worldwide. However, sales of the original Hills Hoist have declined in recent years due to smaller backyards and the popularity of alternative drying methods. While the rights to the design have changed hands, the Hills Hoist remains a beloved symbol of Australia's innovative and resilient spirit.
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Hills Hoists were sold to an American firm
The Hills Hoist is a height-adjustable rotary clothesline designed to allow for the compact hanging of wet clothes, exposing their maximum surface area to the wind. It was invented by Lance Hill in 1945 in his Adelaide workshop, with the first version costing £10.10, plus an additional £1.50 for installation. The Hills Hoist soon became a fixture of suburban life in 20th-century Australia, with the company, Hills Limited, expanding into New Zealand and the United Kingdom in the 1950s.
Despite its iconic status, sales of the Hills Hoist began to decline as suburban backyards shrank and householders opted for more space-efficient alternatives. In 2017, Hills Limited sold the rights to the Hills Hoist and other Hills home living brands to AMES Australasia, a local subsidiary of the US-based Griffon Corporation. This sale stirred emotional reflections among Australians, many of whom lamented the passing of a national icon.
The Hills Hoist was not just a symbol of Australian suburbia but also a versatile fixture in people's backyards. While it served its primary function as a clothesline, it doubled as a plaything for children and inspired diverse artistic creations. Its sale to an American firm marked the end of an era for many Australians, evoking fond memories of a quintessential part of their cultural landscape.
The Hills Hoist's impact extended beyond its practical use, becoming a metaphor for Australian suburbia in the 1950s and 1960s. It was listed as a National Treasure by the National Library of Australia and featured prominently in artistic works and even the 2000 Sydney Olympics closing ceremony. The sale to an American firm raised concerns about the future of this iconic symbol, with fears that it might disappear from the Australian landscape.
While the sale of the rights to an American firm marked a significant shift, it did not signal the end of the Hills Hoist. The new owners acquired the rights to manufacture and sell the product, ensuring its continued availability, albeit under different ownership. Despite the change in rights ownership, the Hills Hoist remains an enduring symbol of Australia's cultural history.
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Hills Hoists were designed by Lance Hill
The Hills Hoist is a height-adjustable rotary clothesline that was designed by Lance Hill of Adelaide, Australia, in 1945. Hill, an Australian entrepreneur, based his design on the prior work of Australian inventor Gerhard "Pop" Kaesler, who had created a prototype two decades earlier. Hill's wife wanted an inexpensive replacement for the line and prop she had been using to dry clothes, as they took up too much space due to her growing lemon tree. The Hills Hoist could be raised and lowered, and it could even spin with the wind, making it a significant improvement over the static wooden clothes poles that were commonly used at the time.
The Hills Hoist soon became a fixture of suburban life in 20th-century Australia, with its height adjustability and compact design allowing for the efficient hanging of wet clothes to maximise their exposure to wind drying. It became so popular that it became the generic term for rotary clothes lines in Australia. The Hills Hoist was also used for many things other than hanging clothes, such as a play object for children, a wedding ceremony structure, and a summer tent.
The Hills Hoist has been listed as a National Treasure by the National Library of Australia, and it has been frequently used by artists as a metaphor for Australian suburbia in the 1950s and 1960s. It has become so iconic that it was even featured in the closing ceremony of the 2000 Sydney Olympics, with giant roaming Hills Hoist robots.
Despite its iconic status, sales of the Hills Hoist have declined in recent years as suburban backyards have shrunk, and households have opted for more space-efficient fold-down clotheslines. In 2017, the company that produced the Hills Hoist sold the rights to the design, and it is now mostly manufactured in China. However, the Hills Hoist remains a beloved symbol of Australia and a testament to Lance Hill's innovative design.
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Hills Hoists were inspired by Gilbert Toyne's design
The Hills Hoist is an Australian icon. It is a height-adjustable rotary clothesline, designed to allow for the compact hanging of wet clothes so that they may be efficiently dried by the wind. The Hills Hoist is so iconic that it has been used as a metaphor for Australian suburbia in the 1950s and 1960s. It was even featured as the emblem of the 1996 Adelaide Festival of Arts and in the closing ceremony of the Sydney Olympic Games in 2000.
Gilbert Toyne, an inventor from Geelong, Australia, was the first person to design a rotary clothes hoist around 1912. Toyne was inspired by his mother's struggle with washing and drying clothes for her large family. He wanted to make the job easier, more efficient, and more effective. In 1911, he partnered with Blacksmith Lambert Downey, and together they launched the Aeroplane Clothes Hoist Company at Melbourne's Royal Agricultural Show. Their original design was marketed as "cutting-edge" due to its ability to raise lines high enough to prevent clothes and sheets from dragging on the ground while still catching the breeze. By the early 1920s, Toyne's "All-Metal Rotary Clothes Hoist" was being manufactured and advertised in Australia—about 25 years before the first "Hills Hoist". In 1925, Toyne patented his design, which included an enclosed crown wheel-and-pinion winding mechanism, and began selling them in 1926.
Toyne's patent expired in 1941, allowing competitors to enter the market. Lance Hill, a motor mechanic from Adelaide, South Australia, created the first Hill's Hoist in 1945. Hill's wife wanted an inexpensive replacement for the line and prop she had been using to dry clothes, as they no longer had sufficient room due to her growing lemon tree. Hill's design was identical to Toyne's expired patent, featuring the same crown wheel-and-pinion winding mechanism.
While Hill was not the first to invent a rotary clothesline, his entrepreneurship and good timing allowed the Hills Hoist to become a beloved symbol of Australia. In the post-war boom, many Australians aspired to own a house with a large backyard, where a Hills Hoist could easily fit.
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Frequently asked questions
The Hills Hoist is a quintessentially Australian industrial design item. It was designed by Lance Hill of Adelaide after he returned from serving in World War II. For decades, beginning in 1945, the devices were mainly manufactured in Adelaide, South Australia. However, in recent years, they have been mostly manufactured in China.
The Hills Hoist is considered one of Australia's most recognisable icons. It is listed as a National Treasure by the National Library of Australia. The height-adjustable rotary clothesline was designed to permit the compact hanging of wet clothes so that their maximum area could be exposed for wind drying by rotation. It became an integral part of Australian backyards and was used for many things other than hanging clothes, such as a play object, a wedding canopy, and a summer tent.
The Hills Hoist was invented by Lance Hill in 1945. However, it was based on prior product designs purchased from the Australian inventor Gerhard "Pop" Kaesler. Gilbert Toyne also patented a rotary design for a clothes hoist in 1926.
While the Hills Hoist company sold the rights to the clothesline in 2017, the product is still being sold. However, sales have declined as suburban backyards shrink and more householders opt for fold-down clotheslines.
