Who Was the Famously Named “Pretty Plumber”?
Her name was Lillian Baumbach. She became the first-ever woman master plumber in the 1950s when it was rare for women to work outside the home. Aside from her incredible accomplishment of becoming the first-ever woman plumber, she was also attractive. Because of her beauty, she became a pin-up girl for an infantry company.
She also made appearances on game shows and was interviewed by the wildly famous Walter Cronkite. Which was, according to her brother, her favorite interview. As if that was not enough, she also wrote a magazine article about women and plumbing called, Helpful Plumbing Hints for Housewives, where she would provide tips for women on plumbing.
The Road To Becoming the First Female Master Plumber
Lillian Baumbach grew up working alongside her father. He was also a plumber and owned his own plumbing business. She ended up growing a knack for the industry and decided to go to school. Once she graduated, she was top of her class. She became an estimator and helped grow her father's business exponentially.
She was a Pen Pal To Over 250 Men
Once word got out, there's a female master plumber; she instantly grew a fan base. That fan base not only reached throughout the nation but overseas as well. She received letters from Germany, France, Australia, and Korea. Seventy-five of the letters alone were from Korea.
Even though she rapidly became famous, she was still humble. She did not let the attention go to her head. One of the most popular requests she received from the letters was for a photo of her. She would only send pictures of herself to a select few.
Not only did she have requests for photos, but she also had men ask for dates. Her favorite letter was from a man in Korea. He was stationed overseas during the war and asked for her opinion on how to fix a leaking radiator in his unit. She recommended he use some gum and a bobby pin.
The Legacy She Left Behind
Lillian Baumbach was indeed a legacy in this trade. She paved the way for other women to get into this field. Many females in the profession were inspired by Lillian and what she accomplished.
Even though there have been great strides made, jobs are still split by gender in the twenty-first century. In 2004, the U.S. Department of Labor's Bureau of Labor Statistics conducted a study, and the results were shocking. Only 0.9% of workers in the pipelayer, plumbing, pipefitter, and steamfitter field were women. There are still more men in the plumbing field today.
There are significant benefits to working in the plumbing field. Plumbing is a union trade, and the union has excellent medical benefits. The pay is also really well due to working for a union. This may be why today there are more women than ever before running their own plumbing companies!
About Sheely Plumbing Inc.
Servicing the West Michigan area since 2010, Sheely Plumbing is the go-to plumber for all plumbing needs. They have great prices and take pride in their work. Their licensed plumbers are there when they are needed. Give Sheely Plumbing a call for expert plumbing services in Alto, MI.
