Thread Number: 77162
/ Tag: Vintage Automatic Washers
70th Anniversary of Hoover UK Washing Machines, 12th October 1948 |
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Post# 1010967   10/16/2018 at 04:29 (2,019 days old) by chestermikeuk (Rainhill *Home of the RailwayTrials* Merseyside,UK)   |   | |
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Well another seven decades has passed so quickly from the official factory dedication and opening ceremony for the Hoover UK Washing machine factory built in Pentrebach, Merthyr Tydfil, South wales, UK, The original factory is now used by the Hoover European Group (Hoover now owned by Candy Italia) , no production takes place but is used as the warehousing and distribution hub for the UK.
The state of the art factory was purpose built following the closure of many coal pits and with regeneration monies from the government of the time. Indeed a purpose built railway line was made running west out of London to carry dignitaries of the day. The picture is of the opening day with dignitaries reception tents to the left, a covered walkway from the railway platform and bandstand for the celebrations. Thread Link is to our 60th anniversary celebrations !! CLICK HERE TO GO TO chestermikeuk's LINK
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Post# 1010969 , Reply# 1   10/16/2018 at 04:37 (2,019 days old) by chestermikeuk (Rainhill *Home of the RailwayTrials* Merseyside,UK)   |   | |
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Official evening reception card, with a dedicated radio programme on the BBC !!
The link is to the local history site of Merthyr Tydfil, all rights and a big "Thank You" to AlanGeorge editorial team and website which contains fascinating pics and comments from the official opening and year. CLICK HERE TO GO TO chestermikeuk's LINK |
Post# 1010970 , Reply# 2   10/16/2018 at 04:46 (2,019 days old) by chestermikeuk (Rainhill *Home of the RailwayTrials* Merseyside,UK)   |   | |
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Here are some recent pics following a tour around the old town. These are from the railway station and platform from which the dignitaries would have arrived on and walked under the covered walkway to the factory.
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Post# 1010971 , Reply# 3   10/16/2018 at 04:57 (2,019 days old) by chestermikeuk (Rainhill *Home of the RailwayTrials* Merseyside,UK)   |   | |
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And recent Hoover Head Office building pics, view from the road and sports field grounds !!
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Post# 1010972 , Reply# 4   10/16/2018 at 05:03 (2,019 days old) by chestermikeuk (Rainhill *Home of the RailwayTrials* Merseyside,UK)   |   | |
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The first washing machine produced at the time was the single tub with hand wringer, consisting of an aluminium washtub capable of holding 4lbs of clothes. It used the famous revolving Hoover Pulsator to whirl the clothes through the washwater for thorough cleaning. A hand wringer then squeezed water from the clothes for drying.
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Post# 1010973 , Reply# 5   10/16/2018 at 05:13 (2,019 days old) by chestermikeuk (Rainhill *Home of the RailwayTrials* Merseyside,UK)   |   | |
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Here is the Hoover 0307 Wringer Washer from 1948 in action, pics and video. My Aunt Alice had one of these nifty washers, I remember when she got a new Servis MK70 twintub her son , my cousin Paul, took the motor out for a school project and made a paint sprayer with it. He now has a commercial paint spraying equipment and is using his skills to respray our vintage machines !!
CLICK HERE TO GO TO chestermikeuk's LINK |
Post# 1010975 , Reply# 6   10/16/2018 at 05:29 (2,019 days old) by chestermikeuk (Rainhill *Home of the RailwayTrials* Merseyside,UK)   |   | |
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"Her Majesty" Queen Elizabeth 2nd of the United Kingdom has attended the Hoover factory, seen here with Mr Felix Mansager, Chairman of Hoover Ltd on the 25th anniversary.
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Post# 1010976 , Reply# 7   10/16/2018 at 05:43 (2,019 days old) by chestermikeuk (Rainhill *Home of the RailwayTrials* Merseyside,UK)   |   | |
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So we start to arrive on the 12th to celebrate our favourite appliances.
From the left, Jon (LavamatJon), Mikey (MikeyMatic), Danny, Steve (SESteve), Mark (Mark_Siges), Mike (ChesterMikeUK), Mathew (Keymatic3203) and Jack...Al is behind the camera and busy in the kitchen.
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Post# 1010977 , Reply# 8   10/16/2018 at 05:46 (2,019 days old) by chestermikeuk (Rainhill *Home of the RailwayTrials* Merseyside,UK)   |   | |
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Post# 1010978 , Reply# 9   10/16/2018 at 05:56 (2,019 days old) by chestermikeuk (Rainhill *Home of the RailwayTrials* Merseyside,UK)   |   | |
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Of course official t-shirts to show both Hoover and MadeInMerthyr,an exciting community engaged public art project developed in consultation with staff and students at Merthyr Tydfil Collegel
John (AutorinseJohn) Steve (SESteve) Mikey (MikeyMatic) and Danny donned t-shirts ready for the "Hoover Washing Machine demonstrations .. #MadeInMerthyr CLICK HERE TO GO TO chestermikeuk's LINK
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Post# 1010979 , Reply# 10   10/16/2018 at 06:02 (2,019 days old) by chestermikeuk (Rainhill *Home of the RailwayTrials* Merseyside,UK)   |   | |
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Here we see the first of all Hoover Washing Machines produced from the Merthyr factory.
First Wringer Washer, Hoover 0307, 1948 First Hoover Twosome and SpinaRinse, 1957 First Hoovermatic Twintub, 1957 and First Automatic, Hoover Keymatic, 1961
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Post# 1010981 , Reply# 11   10/16/2018 at 06:05 (2,019 days old) by chestermikeuk (Rainhill *Home of the RailwayTrials* Merseyside,UK)   |   | |
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And here with lids off and Ready for Action...
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Post# 1010982 , Reply# 12   10/16/2018 at 06:07 (2,019 days old) by chestermikeuk (Rainhill *Home of the RailwayTrials* Merseyside,UK)   |   | |
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Hoover 0307 Single Tub , 1948
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Post# 1010983 , Reply# 13   10/16/2018 at 06:12 (2,019 days old) by chestermikeuk (Rainhill *Home of the RailwayTrials* Merseyside,UK)   |   | |
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Hoover TwoSome,from 1957, consisting of Hoover 1312 single tub and Hoover 3004 SpinaRinse spin dryer. its paired here with a hand wringer as most Twosome Sets we have collected the owners had an earlier washing machine then added the spinner.
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Post# 1010984 , Reply# 14   10/16/2018 at 06:16 (2,019 days old) by chestermikeuk (Rainhill *Home of the RailwayTrials* Merseyside,UK)   |   | |
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Mathews (Keymatic3203) lovely Hoovermatic Twintub first model from 1957, a revolution in washday and the twinny sold all over the world and was so popular with British housewives it made them the last in the world to move over to automated washing machines.
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Post# 1010986 , Reply# 15   10/16/2018 at 06:20 (2,019 days old) by chestermikeuk (Rainhill *Home of the RailwayTrials* Merseyside,UK)   |   | |
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And finally the first automated washing machine, The Hoover Keymatic, which revolutionised washday, a slope fronted tub, hot and cold fill, uses a Keyplate to select eight wash programmes, also uses the famous "Hoover Boiling Water Pulsator, a pulsator disc as used in the single tubs and twinnys for a more vigerous wash action.
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Post# 1010987 , Reply# 16   10/16/2018 at 06:31 (2,019 days old) by chestermikeuk (Rainhill *Home of the RailwayTrials* Merseyside,UK)   |   | |
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Team Hoover have been busy renovating our Keymatics , and two cabinets are back minty fresh from the sprayers (my cousin Paul as mentioned above) , will do a comprehensive thread later !!
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Post# 1010988 , Reply# 17   10/16/2018 at 06:34 (2,019 days old) by chestermikeuk (Rainhill *Home of the RailwayTrials* Merseyside,UK)   |   | |
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Meanwhile in the kitchen Al is rustling up culinary delights....
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Post# 1010991 , Reply# 18   10/16/2018 at 06:42 (2,019 days old) by chestermikeuk (Rainhill *Home of the RailwayTrials* Merseyside,UK)   |   | |
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Here are the Hoover single tubs which make up the first, middle production and one of the later and last styles. The beautiful model on the LHS was brought up by Nigel (Reversomat) and donated to the collection,
it is brand new, never been used and even has the wringer tied up in yellow cotton thread. Thanks Nigel.. |
Post# 1010992 , Reply# 19   10/16/2018 at 06:45 (2,019 days old) by chestermikeuk (Rainhill *Home of the RailwayTrials* Merseyside,UK)   |   | |
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Here with the worktops placed behind the wringers which act as a clothes catching tray..
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Post# 1010993 , Reply# 20   10/16/2018 at 06:55 (2,019 days old) by chestermikeuk (Rainhill *Home of the RailwayTrials* Merseyside,UK)   |   | |
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Time for lunch, Carrot & Orange or Mushroom soup, fresh bread rolls, pork pies and mushroom n veg pasties !! YUM, the usual teas and coffees by the urnful..a selection of Als made coconut tarts, chocolate & peanut crunch fancies, Lemon bites and Tea cake made by Ian.
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Post# 1010996 , Reply# 21   10/16/2018 at 07:03 (2,019 days old) by chestermikeuk (Rainhill *Home of the RailwayTrials* Merseyside,UK)   |   | |
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Time to getb the T-shirts on for official pics lol, here you go Spike thanks for sorting out the delivery, a big thanks to Mikey for ordering !!
#MadeInMerthyr |
Post# 1010997 , Reply# 22   10/16/2018 at 07:04 (2,019 days old) by combo52 (50 Year Repair Tech Beltsville,Md)   |   | |
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Thanks Mike and Al and others for sharing your celebration of Hoovers 70th, this should have made the national news in the UK, what a great idea.
Over here I guess we missed Whirlpools 70th anniversary of building their first automatics [ some time in 1947 ] but I guess that the 70th anniversary of Maytag's first automatic should be coming up some time next year [ 1949 ] Maybe we will have to get some of the Maytag boys working on that for year.
John L. |
Post# 1010998 , Reply# 23   10/16/2018 at 07:06 (2,019 days old) by chestermikeuk (Rainhill *Home of the RailwayTrials* Merseyside,UK)   |   | |
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Well what to do with a static original Hoover Shop Store sign, Steve, Miekey and Danny went searching for lights and came back with a string of neon lights with various colourways, I think it sets it off just great, Thanks Guys !!
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Post# 1011000 , Reply# 24   10/16/2018 at 07:09 (2,019 days old) by chestermikeuk (Rainhill *Home of the RailwayTrials* Merseyside,UK)   |   | |
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Post# 1011003 , Reply# 25   10/16/2018 at 07:33 (2,019 days old) by chestermikeuk (Rainhill *Home of the RailwayTrials* Merseyside,UK)   |   | |
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And of course no celebration without cake, Big Thanks to Mikeys partner Matt for whipping up a yummy Red Velvet Cake for our Hoover Celebrations 70th..
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Post# 1011004 , Reply# 26   10/16/2018 at 07:36 (2,019 days old) by chestermikeuk (Rainhill *Home of the RailwayTrials* Merseyside,UK)   |   | |
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Post# 1011006 , Reply# 27   10/16/2018 at 07:41 (2,019 days old) by chestermikeuk (Rainhill *Home of the RailwayTrials* Merseyside,UK)   |   | |
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Al makes the pic from the kitchen..."Thanks Al"
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Post# 1011008 , Reply# 28   10/16/2018 at 07:44 (2,019 days old) by chestermikeuk (Rainhill *Home of the RailwayTrials* Merseyside,UK)   |   | |
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Post# 1011011 , Reply# 29   10/16/2018 at 07:48 (2,019 days old) by chestermikeuk (Rainhill *Home of the RailwayTrials* Merseyside,UK)   |   | |
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After all that breathing in and re-arranging its time for drinks, Mikeys in charge of the fizz. Als getting dinner ready.
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Post# 1011013 , Reply# 30   10/16/2018 at 07:49 (2,019 days old) by chestermikeuk (Rainhill *Home of the RailwayTrials* Merseyside,UK)   |   | |
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Nowthen - theres a rule in Als kitchen, The Chef stays on one side and everyone else is on the other lol.
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Post# 1011015 , Reply# 31   10/16/2018 at 07:52 (2,019 days old) by gansky1 (Omaha, The Home of the TV Dinner!)   |   | |
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Post# 1011023 , Reply# 32   10/16/2018 at 08:02 (2,019 days old) by chestermikeuk (Rainhill *Home of the RailwayTrials* Merseyside,UK)   |   | |
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Post# 1011024 , Reply# 33   10/16/2018 at 08:07 (2,019 days old) by chestermikeuk (Rainhill *Home of the RailwayTrials* Merseyside,UK)   |   | |
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A layered veggy pie consisting of beetroot, grilled peppers, sweet potato and onions along with salads , pasta with pesto and dressings !!
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Post# 1011025 , Reply# 34   10/16/2018 at 08:11 (2,019 days old) by chestermikeuk (Rainhill *Home of the RailwayTrials* Merseyside,UK)   |   | |
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Post# 1011028 , Reply# 35   10/16/2018 at 08:23 (2,019 days old) by chestermikeuk (Rainhill *Home of the RailwayTrials* Merseyside,UK)   |   | |
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Post# 1011029 , Reply# 36   10/16/2018 at 08:29 (2,019 days old) by chestermikeuk (Rainhill *Home of the RailwayTrials* Merseyside,UK)   |   | |
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Next day had us fixing and using the washers, first up was getting the Hoover Keymatic widebodied automatic gutted and all parts removed ready for painting !!
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Post# 1011030 , Reply# 37   10/16/2018 at 08:33 (2,019 days old) by chestermikeuk (Rainhill *Home of the RailwayTrials* Merseyside,UK)   |   | |
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While sitting watching...
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Post# 1011031 , Reply# 38   10/16/2018 at 08:36 (2,019 days old) by chestermikeuk (Rainhill *Home of the RailwayTrials* Merseyside,UK)   |   | |
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Testing the Vorwerk...
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Post# 1011033 , Reply# 39   10/16/2018 at 08:39 (2,019 days old) by chestermikeuk (Rainhill *Home of the RailwayTrials* Merseyside,UK)   |   | |
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Post# 1011034 , Reply# 40   10/16/2018 at 08:42 (2,019 days old) by chestermikeuk (Rainhill *Home of the RailwayTrials* Merseyside,UK)   |   | |
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Post# 1011035 , Reply# 41   10/16/2018 at 08:45 (2,019 days old) by chestermikeuk (Rainhill *Home of the RailwayTrials* Merseyside,UK)   |   | |
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Post# 1011036 , Reply# 42   10/16/2018 at 08:48 (2,019 days old) by chestermikeuk (Rainhill *Home of the RailwayTrials* Merseyside,UK)   |   | |
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Post# 1011037 , Reply# 43   10/16/2018 at 08:52 (2,019 days old) by chestermikeuk (Rainhill *Home of the RailwayTrials* Merseyside,UK)   |   | |
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Nige and Steve trading knowledge on the filter flow Hotpoint 1502 !!
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Post# 1011038 , Reply# 44   10/16/2018 at 08:54 (2,019 days old) by chestermikeuk (Rainhill *Home of the RailwayTrials* Merseyside,UK)   |   | |
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Post# 1011039 , Reply# 45   10/16/2018 at 08:58 (2,019 days old) by chestermikeuk (Rainhill *Home of the RailwayTrials* Merseyside,UK)   |   | |
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Twinny washing in the new AEG dishwasher sink...
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Post# 1011040 , Reply# 46   10/16/2018 at 08:59 (2,019 days old) by chestermikeuk (Rainhill *Home of the RailwayTrials* Merseyside,UK)   |   | |
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Washing & Rinsing..
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Post# 1011041 , Reply# 47   10/16/2018 at 09:01 (2,019 days old) by chestermikeuk (Rainhill *Home of the RailwayTrials* Merseyside,UK)   |   | |
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"Officially" With Hoover...
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Post# 1011042 , Reply# 48   10/16/2018 at 09:02 (2,019 days old) by chestermikeuk (Rainhill *Home of the RailwayTrials* Merseyside,UK)   |   | |
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Perusing literature..
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Post# 1011043 , Reply# 49   10/16/2018 at 09:04 (2,019 days old) by chestermikeuk (Rainhill *Home of the RailwayTrials* Merseyside,UK)   |   | |
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Sorting out the Keyplates...
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Post# 1011044 , Reply# 50   10/16/2018 at 09:10 (2,019 days old) by chestermikeuk (Rainhill *Home of the RailwayTrials* Merseyside,UK)   |   | |
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Post# 1011045 , Reply# 51   10/16/2018 at 09:13 (2,019 days old) by chestermikeuk (Rainhill *Home of the RailwayTrials* Merseyside,UK)   |   | |
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And the other side...
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Post# 1011050 , Reply# 52   10/16/2018 at 09:20 (2,019 days old) by chestermikeuk (Rainhill *Home of the RailwayTrials* Merseyside,UK)   |   | |
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Post# 1011051 , Reply# 53   10/16/2018 at 09:22 (2,019 days old) by chestermikeuk (Rainhill *Home of the RailwayTrials* Merseyside,UK)   |   | |
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Post# 1011052 , Reply# 54   10/16/2018 at 09:24 (2,019 days old) by chestermikeuk (Rainhill *Home of the RailwayTrials* Merseyside,UK)   |   | |
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Post# 1011053 , Reply# 55   10/16/2018 at 09:29 (2,019 days old) by chestermikeuk (Rainhill *Home of the RailwayTrials* Merseyside,UK)   |   | |
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Post# 1011054 , Reply# 56   10/16/2018 at 09:34 (2,019 days old) by chestermikeuk (Rainhill *Home of the RailwayTrials* Merseyside,UK)   |   | |
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Post# 1011055 , Reply# 57   10/16/2018 at 09:37 (2,019 days old) by chestermikeuk (Rainhill *Home of the RailwayTrials* Merseyside,UK)   |   | |
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Extreme Cleaning !!
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Post# 1011056 , Reply# 58   10/16/2018 at 09:40 (2,019 days old) by chestermikeuk (Rainhill *Home of the RailwayTrials* Merseyside,UK)   |   | |
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Extreme Fixing and Glueing using Sugru the flexible glue..
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Post# 1011057 , Reply# 59   10/16/2018 at 09:42 (2,019 days old) by chestermikeuk (Rainhill *Home of the RailwayTrials* Merseyside,UK)   |   | |
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Post# 1011059 , Reply# 60   10/16/2018 at 09:44 (2,019 days old) by chestermikeuk (Rainhill *Home of the RailwayTrials* Merseyside,UK)   |   | |
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Post# 1011060 , Reply# 61   10/16/2018 at 09:46 (2,019 days old) by chestermikeuk (Rainhill *Home of the RailwayTrials* Merseyside,UK)   |   | |
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Methew and Darren get to grips with fixing Darrens 70 yr old fridge, testing the stats n heater
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Post# 1011061 , Reply# 62   10/16/2018 at 09:49 (2,019 days old) by chestermikeuk (Rainhill *Home of the RailwayTrials* Merseyside,UK)   |   | |
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And more tea ..
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Post# 1011062 , Reply# 63   10/16/2018 at 09:52 (2,019 days old) by chestermikeuk (Rainhill *Home of the RailwayTrials* Merseyside,UK)   |   | |
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From the first Hoover washing machine in 1948 to one of the last...
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Post# 1011063 , Reply# 64   10/16/2018 at 09:57 (2,019 days old) by chestermikeuk (Rainhill *Home of the RailwayTrials* Merseyside,UK)   |   | |
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I hope we have been able to showed you the fun, laughter and commeraderie that we had celebrating &0yrs of Hoover Washing Machine...
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Post# 1011064 , Reply# 65   10/16/2018 at 10:00 (2,019 days old) by chestermikeuk (Rainhill *Home of the RailwayTrials* Merseyside,UK)   |   | |
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Until Next Time !!
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Post# 1011066 , Reply# 66   10/16/2018 at 10:10 (2,019 days old) by chestermikeuk (Rainhill *Home of the RailwayTrials* Merseyside,UK)   |   | |
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A huge thanks to Alistair for his total hospitality and to all who get stuck in collecting, fixing, mending and moving stuff around and for your unending dedication and friendship - more days to come and new and old future friendships to be had …..
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Post# 1011067 , Reply# 67   10/16/2018 at 10:15 (2,019 days old) by foraloysius (Leeuwarden, Friesland, the Netherlands)   |   | |
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Great tribute and celebration!
In a Facebook group about Leeuwarden, there were memories shared about these Hoover single tubs. Many women would rent them for a day every week. They were delivered in the morning and picked up later in the afternoon. Some neighbours sometimes would rent together to minimise the cost. It was the first step away from doing all laundry by hand. |
Post# 1011085 , Reply# 68   10/16/2018 at 15:51 (2,018 days old) by vacbear58 (Sutton In Ashfield, East Midlands, UK)   |   | |
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Firstly, thanks to Mike not only for taking the time to give such a great narrative of a wonderful weekend, but he also must take the credit for most of the set up of the weekend - planning the celebration, arranging for the machines and making sure everything was in apple pie order so that we could enjoy the weekend.
And thanks to everyone who came along not just to to share their enthusasiam for the machines and their knowledge but also the fun and laughs as well - its all in the pictures and its seems to get better every time. So here's to the next time :) |
Post# 1011087 , Reply# 69   10/16/2018 at 16:37 (2,018 days old) by vacbear58 (Sutton In Ashfield, East Midlands, UK)   |   | |
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It is hard to over estimate the influence the effect of this simple little machine. Wringer style washing machines had certainly existed long before WW2 in the UK but they were both large and expensive. During the 1920s and 1930s there was a huge increase in home ownership but a great many of these homes had small kitchens (typically around 9ft x 7ft) which made accommodating a machine difficult. And it was more easily possible employ a maid or a "daily" to help out.
But in post war, cash strapped Britain the situation had changed. Not only were dailys had to get (and good ones even harder) but the housewife had changed too. A great many of them had jobs during the war which took them out of the house and widely broadened their horizons and the durdgery and sheer boredom of housework must have seemed more of a prison sentance than a life as women were expected to return to the domestic life. Hoover had been a trail blazer before WW2 in one aspect of domestic drudgery - the vacuum cleaner not so much of the large models (700/800/150/26 style series) but in the lower cost but just as efficient smaller Junior cleaner - the number of these which still appear each week on ebay is a testamanet not only to their longevity but also their popularity - "Hoover" is a verb in UK English for a reason. And so, just after WW2, along they come with a simple washing machine, relatively simple and certainly smaller than the competition, but also more affordable - not only creating the aspiration but making it achievable - either for those who wanted to buy outright or to buy "on-time". And also with a name of quality, carried over from the vacuum cleaners. And it would fit right in to those small, middle class British kitchens - exactly the market they were aiming for - with no trouble at all. It was an established design (and I have heard two stories of how "Charles Colston "discovered" it but my belief is that it was in the mid 1930s rather than post war)and I have no doubt that Hoover (as did others) would have received considerable financial support from the government to build in Wales (and also the previous year in Scotland where they made the motors) and thus provide employment (and they were, apparently, a good employer) for workers where the old industries were starting to decline. Their established sales force of salesmen and demonstraters swung into action alongside an extensive marketing campaign not just to create a niche market, but grab a major sector of it. This little machine was the foundation of all that came after including 30+ years of Hoovermatics sold all over the world. Yes, they had their limitations, particularly with tangling, but they had the name and they had the market and it was a much higer margin product than the automatics that came after. So let's tip our hat to this simple little machine, and the vision and drive of Charles Colston to see just how perfect it was for the market at the time :) Al |
Post# 1011109 , Reply# 70   10/16/2018 at 19:10 (2,018 days old) by optima (Cumbria England)   |   | |
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The Last ever Machine to come off the production line in Merthyr Tydfil was a Candy Smart Washer/Dryer.
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Post# 1011136 , Reply# 71   10/17/2018 at 05:16 (2,018 days old) by Chestermikeuk (Rainhill *Home of the RailwayTrials* Merseyside,UK)   |   | |
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Post# 1011142 , Reply# 72   10/17/2018 at 07:27 (2,018 days old) by Chestermikeuk (Rainhill *Home of the RailwayTrials* Merseyside,UK)   |   | |
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Post# 1011177 , Reply# 74   10/17/2018 at 16:25 (2,017 days old) by marky_mark (From Liverpool. Now living in Palm Springs and Dublin)   |   | |
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Wonderful thread, Mike. Thank you very much for all you do setting up these events and for taking the time to document the celebration. It's fantastic for all to see and for us to look back on.
A big thank you to Al for throwing open his home and welcoming everyone and providing delicious home-cooked meals and never-ending drinks and refreshments all weekend long! It's great to spend time with such a lovely group of like-minded friends. Missing you guys already! |
Post# 1011572 , Reply# 75   10/20/2018 at 17:11 (2,014 days old) by anthony (uk)   |   | |
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Post# 1011595 , Reply# 76   10/20/2018 at 20:36 (2,014 days old) by Launderess (Quiet Please, There´s a Lady on Stage)   |   | |
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While across the pond in USA American middle class and above housewives were moving on from wringer to fully automatic washing machines, her sisters in UK were still largely doing the weekly chore by hand. That is unless there was a wash house/steamy near (and they chose to go), and or could afford (and find) someone to come in and do the work.
Post war building boom in USA produced suburbs with blocks upon blocks of modern new housing, all equipped and or at least capable of having installed modern automatic washing machines and perhaps dryers. This wasn't always so in UK. Hoover's post war advertising and marketing was brilliant as well. While soap/cleaner product makers still largely focused their attention on Her Indoors (two tarts in the the kitchen and so forth), Hoover aimed their guns at His Nibbs as well. After all the husband was often breadwinner and thus would have to pay (directly or indirectly) for any new large appliance. Hoover also relied upon sentiment. A man would have to be a brute and cad to see his wife continue to suffer on wash day. Ironically final icing on cake; that getting his wife "modern" laundry equipment meant household economy in that things once sent out (shirts, bed/table linen) could now be done at home trapped Madame into doing *more* laundry than she did previously. post was last edited: 10/20/2018-21:56] |
Post# 1011633 , Reply# 77   10/21/2018 at 06:39 (2,014 days old) by chestermikeuk (Rainhill *Home of the RailwayTrials* Merseyside,UK)   |   | |
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Thanks John, yes as you know were always up for a celebration, and yes your right it is important to celebrate, the fact that the companies changed hands and don't is a shame !!
Look forward to catching up again soon !! Cheers Greg, all good fun and here for the line of history, hope you can make it over sometime to see and use for yourself, feels good to have got this far and now able to use it all, but then they are vintage and always one or two need tinkering with ha ha... |
Post# 1011634 , Reply# 78   10/21/2018 at 06:45 (2,014 days old) by chestermikeuk (Rainhill *Home of the RailwayTrials* Merseyside,UK)   |   | |
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Hello Louis, thanks and yes its hard to realise in our lifetimes that the rentals did happen, my local repair shop still going, Frank senior says he soon realised there was a call for "drop off and rent by the day" washers, so he got a garage and filled it with Hoovermatics and wringers and two small vans, Hoover where popular because they were light to move around, he said it started the business for them...
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Post# 1011636 , Reply# 79   10/21/2018 at 06:51 (2,014 days old) by chestermikeuk (Rainhill *Home of the RailwayTrials* Merseyside,UK)   |   | |
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Hello Anthoney, now we are finally sorted there will be more mini meets, will keep in touch and let you know when or drop Al a line and will sort out !!
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Post# 1011637 , Reply# 80   10/21/2018 at 07:02 (2,014 days old) by chestermikeuk (Rainhill *Home of the RailwayTrials* Merseyside,UK)   |   | |
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Morning Launderess, yes a little behind in the automation but as we didn't know any different at the time it wasn't seen as a loss. Nowthen many of the history feeds when we show these pics lament the times
"Standing at the Sink" "Faster Wash Times" " Clothes on the line before next doors auto had got to rinse" and "Water everywhere "Need one today" lol.. All fab memories and history in the making. ps, You would have been very proud of the Hoover Steam Iron results....
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Post# 1011671 , Reply# 82   10/21/2018 at 13:46 (2,013 days old) by reversomatic (east anglia,england,u.k.)   |   | |
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Hi, i would also like to thank Al, Mike and the crew for inviting me to the Hooverfest. Where else could i have had a deep and meaningful conversation about vintage christmas lights
Hi , i would like also to add my thanks to Al, Mike and the crew for inviting me to the Hooverfest. Good food, good company. I really enjoyed seeing the collection of machines. The unused hoover wringer washer i donated was a car boot find from about 22 years ago at a cost of £18.00. , I cant think of a better place for it to end up. Al made an interesting comment that us both being born in 1958 grew up during the heyday of the British washing machine production and Hoover was a big part of it. Our local COOP department store had the appliance section in the basement and there were three separate stands with ladies demonstrating the latest machines from Servis, Hoover, and Hotpoint so you could try before you buy, this was favorite store of mine as a child. Nowadays in the U.K your lucky to find an appliance shop to see machines in the metal as internet sales have killed of so many. Many thanks again regards Nige. |
Post# 1011674 , Reply# 83   10/21/2018 at 14:09 (2,013 days old) by reversomatic (east anglia,england,u.k.)   |   | |
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Sorry about the above posting , i did it wrong the bit about christmas lights should have been further down. I will pay better attention when i preview before posting in future. I was just trying to make the point that it was nice to meet people with the same interests and not being seen as odd.Regards Nige.
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