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Other Vintage Household Electrical or Electromechanical Items For discussions about other vintage (over 25 years old) electrical and electromechanical household items. See the sticky thread for details. |
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13th Feb 2021, 5:12 pm | #1 |
Diode
Join Date: Feb 2021
Location: Hawick, Roxburghshire, Scotland, UK
Posts: 2
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Vintage Battery Torch Watts Fincham 1932 Ltd
Hi,
I recently acquired this vintage torch made by Watts Fincham 1932 Ltd. I was wondering if anyone knew anything about this torch? I've tried to do my own research on it but I can't find anything. it is 275mm high, 90mm wide and made from aluminium I thought it might be some sort of safety torch for miners etc as it all has rubber seals on the glass and on the battery compartment If anyone can help that would be great thanks |
13th Feb 2021, 9:06 pm | #2 |
Dekatron
Join Date: Jul 2007
Location: Penrith, Cumbria, UK.
Posts: 3,687
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Re: Vintage Battery Torch Watts Fincham 1932 Ltd
Hi there Deano - welcome to the forum!
It doesn't look safe enough to be a miners' lamp to me. Not for a coal mine, anyway. There wouldn't be open contacts for the battery (if that's what they are) beneath the top: it may arc. I can't find the name Watts Fincham in my 1959 Colliery Guardian, although the company may have changed. I note, however, it appears to have a lock for either the lamp or battery access. Any other marks or stamps on it? Government Phaeton arrows or that sort of thing? Maybe for use at sea? Grace's Guide suggests Watts Fincham was an engineering company who dealt with ships' stores, amongst other things. https://www.gracesguide.co.uk/Watts,_Fincham
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14th Feb 2021, 1:21 pm | #3 |
Diode
Join Date: Feb 2021
Location: Hawick, Roxburghshire, Scotland, UK
Posts: 2
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Re: Vintage Battery Torch Watts Fincham 1932 Ltd
Thanks for the reply Russell
Someone that owned it before me have sanded and painted it so I think they have probably sanded of any markings on the outside. The markings I found were in the inside on the rubber/plastic separator cap where the contact points are, where it was printed "Watts Fincham 1932 Ltd" Thanks for your help, I will keep researching and hopefully find what it was used for Dean |
14th Feb 2021, 5:04 pm | #4 |
Hexode
Join Date: Jun 2005
Location: Aberystwyth, Wales, UK.
Posts: 358
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Re: Vintage Battery Torch Watts Fincham 1932 Ltd
I think the torch may have been produced as a safety torch for use in mines, FRANK WHEWELL JOLLY, WATTS FINCHAM AND Co Ltd filed a patent for such . https://patents.google.com/patent/GB...+WHEWELL+JOLLY
Dave GW7ONS |
14th Feb 2021, 5:59 pm | #5 |
Dekatron
Join Date: May 2010
Location: Greater Manchester, UK.
Posts: 18,715
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Re: Vintage Battery Torch Watts Fincham 1932 Ltd
The brand WEFCO may be relevant
https://discovery.nationalarchives.g...ails/r/C632882 I wonder if it's this Wefco model VI from a 2016 ebay listing, unfortunately the images have gone AWOL. https://www.ebay.ie/itm/Vintage-Wefc...-/122039128146
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