Wigan Album

I reckon some of our "modern" hospitals would benefit from Nubolic soap and a nurse like the one in the picture!

Raymond I am so glad you have found this. This is what our Hospitals are short of today.

In England it was used in state schools at least up until the 1970s; in Scottish state schools its use continued at least until the late 1980s. The smell is evocative for generations of children. Quite often it would irritate the skin.

In the 1960s teachers in England were allowed to use corporal punishment in the classroom, so along with the cane, a child who swore in class might be made to wash their mouth out with carbolic soap.

Carbolic soap is still used regularly in the Caribbean region, especially Jamaica where it can be found in most drugstores or supermarkets.

Bob, you can still get carbolic soap in Wigan Market, 3 bars for a pound, I buy it regularly.

bob:

Are you thinking of 'Carbolic' as that used in schools?

'Nubolic' was Watson's product, I was under the impression so named, as to achieve brand identity to distinguish it from the widely advertised, Lever's product 'Carbolic'.

The former had sold out to the latter, circa 1917.

Last time I looked, you could still buy carbolic soap in UK.

AW:

Sorry, I had posted before your comment had appeared. Three for a quid sounds like good value! Must get my rellies in Wigan to lay in a stock for me, to collect when I next visit.

iv'e never heard of nubolic only carbolic !!

The name 'Nubolic' was heavily promoted. If you Google it, almost all the hits are to advertisements. Brands have value, even if they are intangible. (It has been said that Nestle took over Rowntree, in order to acquire the 'Kit Kat' brand.) So Lever would be motivated to continue promoting the brand that they had acquired from Watson, for as long as it payed them to do so.

At this stage, was there any difference in the soaps? I do not know.

I am guessing that the circumstances surrounding soap production and advertising during World War Two, would have lead to the demise of the 'Nubolic' brand, leaving them to concentrate resources on 'Carbolic' brand. If anyone knows otherwise, I am happy to be corrected.