View of the Marly machine, France, 18th century.

Sir Francis Pettit Smith, English inventor of the screw propeller, c 1856.

Sir Francis Pettit Smith, English inventor of the screw propeller, c 1856.

'Country Cottage Study', 1887.

A horse-powered water pump, 1589.

Ctesibius' water-driven pump, 2nd century BC.

'Wizard' hand-operated bellows domestic vacuum cleaner c 1911.

Pumping plant at Eccles, Greater Manchester, 9 October 1924.

Thorpe-le-Soken, Essex. View at east end of station.

Wooden electrically-driven domestic washing machine, c 1920.

Wooden electrically-driven domestic washing machine, c 1920.

Wooden electrically-driven domestic washing machine, c 1920.