I grew up with a ringer washer - it was my job to do laundry on Thursdays - and I'd get soaking wet doing all the rinsing in the double tubs. We didn't even have a dryer (and I grew up in the Chicago suburbs in the 60's-70's - can you believe it!), so I'd have to hang it all on the line. In the basement if it was winter.
I have a question - do the clothes really freeze dry in the winter? Not that I could get my wet hands to work out there that time of year, but it sounds interesting...