[pmmunro]

Up to the introduction of the "Universal" Avometer, there was no date information in the serial numbers of these meters. For the 20-range Universal Avometer, the format was m(m)y-xxx(x) and this pattern continued until the Model 7 in 1936 whose serial numbers were prefixed "7". The serial numbers of the early Universal Minors which I have are prefixed "U" but none of them is from the 1930s. Eventually, it would have been necessary to use two figures for the 1940s to avoid duplication of serial numbers. On this basis I would agree that Phil's most recently acquired Universal Minor dates from 1936 making it a very early model.

If, as the delivery note suggests, the original owner of his Universal Minor was a private customer, he was probably lucky to get it at all since materials were so scarce and most production in 1946 would probably still have been directed to Government approved "Essential" users.

PMM