Chamber Pots

In my last article we learned about spittoons.  Let’s continue with a slightly, okay, more than “slightly” unseemly topic:  chamber pots.  We have a nice example of a chamber pot used by the pioneers of the area.  This pot is a part of the Virgil and Thelma Linam Collection.  What is a chamber pot you ask?  A chamber pot is a container shaped like a bowl with a handle that usually has a lid and is used to contain urine.  They are also called a jerry, a po, a gazunder, a potty, and a few other colorful names.

Chamber pots were mainly used before the invention of indoor plumbing.  Before indoor plumbing, pioneers of the area had outhouses, which, like they sound, were a small house-like structure that were outside.  Imagine having to use the outhouse in the middle of the night in the winter.  Not fun.  So people would keep a chamber pot under their bed which they would use, store back under the bed, and empty in the morning.  During the day they would use the outhouse, but at night, a chamber pot was more convenient.  Besides under the bed, chamber pots could be hidden in a stool or other piece of furniture or even in a closet or cabinet.  Chamber pots could be as plain or as fancy as one wanted.  Our chamber pot is a simple ceramic design, but if you visit the History of the World on the BBC website, you can see a beautiful engraved silver chamber pot.  If you think about it, variations of the chamber pot are still around today.  If you have a child and you potty trained them, the training toilet is a small version of the chamber pot.  Hospitals also have a variation of a chamber pot:  bed pans.

If you’d like to learn some more interesting facts about chamber pots there is an interesting trivia quiz at http://www.funtrivia.com/playquiz/quiz31288923d1fc0.html.  Our chamber pot from the Virgil and Thelma Linam Collection is not on exhibit at the moment but stop by the Western Heritage Museum Complex and Lea County Cowboy Hall of Fame to learn about other aspects of the pioneers’ lives.  Lastly, I didn’t do this on purpose, but tying in with the topic of chamber pots, the Community Players of Hobbs will be putting on Urinetown – The Musical.  Yes, you heard that right.  Have you ever wondered what happens when the water runs out and the use of water is restricted to the point where you have to pay to use the bathroom?  Well, come on down to the Playhouse June 7, 8, 9, 14, 15 or 16 at 8pm or June 10 or 17 at 2pm and find out.  There’s great music and lots of dancing that you won’t want to miss.  You can purchase tickets online now at communityplayersofhobbs.com.  In the special instructions tell them Erin sent you.