Britain's Oldest Fridge? - UK Vintage Radio Repair and Restoration Discussion Forum

tedzed1 · 28th Oct 2010, 8:55 pm

Came Across this today,

http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/arti...eezing-up.html

Is it the oldest, or can you do better,

Darren-UK · 28th Oct 2010, 9:08 pm

That doesn't surprise me at all. Those older applicances carried on into eternity and were often superceded only for the purpose of modernising or if they began to corrode.

Also, following a few tragic accidents with children, that type of door latch came to be seen as a hazard. I recall some manufacturers encouraged people to trade in this type of fridge for new models, to help avoid dumping and the aforementioned accidents. This, of course, would also have hastened the demise of many such fridges.

chipp1968 · 28th Oct 2010, 9:11 pm

I think..i was told my fridge....which was my Grandmothers from new was from 1946 ..It is my fridge I have no other .it could be later .its a coldrator.

Skywave · 28th Oct 2010, 9:28 pm

Quite amazing - but then it is a General Electric 'fridge. Purchase price of £135 in 1952, eh? I'm not sure what that translates to in today's prices, but it does tell you that that 'fridge was sure expensive.

Not it exists now, of course, but I do recall the family fridge in our pre-fab when I was a kid (mid '50s): an Electrolux. It used to amaze people when they were told it was mains gas powered.

"But I thought 'Electrolux' only did electrical things . . . ."; "But how can you have a gas-powered 'fridge?" were two very common reactions.

Fascinating article.

Al. (Skywave)

stubbyeddy · 28th Oct 2010, 9:44 pm

I have 3 here at the farm, a little old Prestcold fridge from the early 50s used in the dairy a huge Gec form 1957 used in the farm house kitchen and a early 50s Lec in my Lodge kitchen, they are all ones i recused locally and restored myself. i have been replacing the tired old 90s plastic fridges with them. There are still lots of these old 50s and 60s fridges out there i know i have turned a fair few down this year! just to note my Gec from 1957 was priced in the book at £103

Colourstar · 28th Oct 2010, 10:11 pm

That looks in super condition and certainly out-shines any modern pretenders! You really come to appreciate the build quality of products from that era when you use them on a daily basis, as I know many of us on here do.

Incidentally, the word 'fridge' was often written without the 'd' in the 1950s. Many articles in Electrical and Radio Trader refer to 'Frige sales up', 'New Electrolux frige', 'Boom time for Friges' etc... It always looks wrong!

Steve J

mark pirate · 28th Oct 2010, 11:20 pm

A pal of mine has a late thirties fridge (with compressor mounted on the top) it is still in working order, only used during the summer months as a beer fridge!
Cant remember the make, but as i helped him move it, i know it weighs a ton

Mark

chipp1968 · 29th Oct 2010, 8:48 am

Just managed to find a picture of my ..my Grandmothers fridge .
I was told it was bought in 1946 and not expecting it ,she didn't believe it was for her when it was being delivered .It could be as late as 1950 .I would like to find out how old.Its quite small ,no light but has a small icebox .

Tractorfan · 4th Nov 2010, 10:47 pm

Hi,
My auntie had a fridge just like that one. Is it a Prestcold?
Cheers, Pete

chipp1968 · 5th Nov 2010, 2:24 pm

Hello , Pete.If you mean my fridge .Its a Coldrator

trabant · 13th Feb 2011, 4:12 am

Just noticed this on here believe it was also covered on the jeremy vine show around the time it was in the paper .

I have at home a 1958 frigidire frimatic this is our newest fridge in original factory gloss black paintwork with pink interior works perfectly though the mains lead needed replacement as it was completely bare of insulation .

A 1953 frigidaire we bought in leeds 9 years ago from the house it was installed in when new this had apparently been running pretty much ever since it was first plugged in the week of the coronation .

However our oldest fridge which is my drinks fridge in my cafe is wait for it ....
a 1927 glasgow built sternette solid oak cabinet zinc lined belt driven compressor still going strong !!

murphyv310 · 13th Feb 2011, 10:44 am

Clyde built of course! No wonder it still works

Lucien Nunes · 13th Feb 2011, 10:07 pm

One of the interesting things about these 'oldest working appliance X' competitions is that people are surprised that they exist. It's become habitual, with advertising on all fronts (especially the energy-efficiency mob) proclaiming that all old appliances are dinosaurs, to assume that they must now all be dead like the dinosaurs.

Many of the original designers and manufacturers probably expected their better-made goods to last a lifetime and would have been perplexed at the idea that anyone would have wanted to replace them. One day people might be surprised that a games console or computer built in 2011 lasted a whole year!

Lucien

Heatercathodeshort · 14th Feb 2011, 12:40 am

Around 1970 I was asked to repair a Pye 11U in Portsmouth Road Kingston upon Thames. It was in an enormous mansion close to the river lived in by a very old lady. I spent some time replacing the dropper and when the job was finished I attempted to find the old girl.
It was impossible! Corridors everywhere and many rooms leading off. I got completely lost in the house and ended up calling out of an upstairs window to the old dear that was working in the huge garden. She came in and rescued me and after making my way to the basement discovered a large room surrounded by old fridges. It turned out that she had a 'bottling mania' with all the fruit from the garden. [ I was in fear of being 'bottled' myself..] One of the fridges dated from 1927. It was a BTH with the compressor unit mounted on the top similar to a beehive. There were around five fridges all very old and working as intended. This has always stuck in my memory. That old fridge would have been forty odd years old back then! It would probably still be working but fashion dictates... Regards, John.

trabant · 14th Feb 2011, 1:55 am

Lucien thats my thoughts exactly im sure i read somehwere you could build an old style mini and drive it 40000 miles before it had created as much pollution as just building one of the new sort with all its plastic bits .

same with the fridge its far more energy efficient to have one fridge for 80 years than say a new one every 3 or 4 years .

youll notice from my avatar i extend the vintage theme to motoring as well one car rattling around for 60 years must be a little better for the planet than those plastic pieces of rubbish they build now .

LXSTEIN45 · 14th Feb 2011, 4:48 pm

We just got rid of my grandparents fridge that was still working after 50 years or so. I am sure it was originally designed to work on 220V as opposed to the 240V too! Very similar to the above style, very rounded but smaller, The opening handle I can only describe as looking like a blazer pocket that one would push down to open.. Was it an Electrolux maybe?

audiomagpie · 14th Feb 2011, 8:03 pm

Years ago, manufacturing companies were run by engineers. Now everything is run by the bean counters.

These appliances were built up to a standard. Nowadays everything is built down to a price.

Greg

kalee20 · 14th Feb 2011, 8:12 pm

Quote:

Originally Posted by LXSTEIN45

We just got rid of my grandparents fridge that was still working after 50 years or so.

So why did it go - or did you just put up with this modern stuff till you found something really old?

Peter.N. · 14th Feb 2011, 9:44 pm

Modern fridges are rubbish, we have replaced ours twice in the last 15 years, the last one failed due to a corroded pipe and dumped all its refrigerant in the kitchen. I have a spare in the garage for such emergences, it says on it 'Seeboard' which is who we had in Kent - we have been down here for over 40 years, it worked perfectly.

Peter

The General · 14th Feb 2011, 9:59 pm

Not that old compared to most of these old soldiers, but still giving excellent service is our Gibson Frostclear fridge/freezer, bought in the mid 90's from RAF Molesworth for the equivalent of £68. I don't know how old it was when we bought it, but it's probably early 80's. Built like a tank, very heavy & auto defrost. Small freezer, but huge fridge. Plenty of beer room....
Cheers,
Mark.

28th Oct 2010, 8:55 pm	#1
tedzed1 Hexode Join Date: Dec 2009 Location: Tamworth, Staffordshire, UK. Posts: 320	Britain's Oldest Fridge? Came Across this today, http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/arti...eezing-up.html Is it the oldest, or can you do better, __________________ Cheers Paul.

28th Oct 2010, 9:08 pm	#2
Darren-UK Retired Dormant Member Join Date: Apr 2003 Location: Blackpool, Lancashire, UK. Posts: 4,061	Re: Britain's Oldest Fridge That doesn't surprise me at all. Those older applicances carried on into eternity and were often superceded only for the purpose of modernising or if they began to corrode. Also, following a few tragic accidents with children, that type of door latch came to be seen as a hazard. I recall some manufacturers encouraged people to trade in this type of fridge for new models, to help avoid dumping and the aforementioned accidents. This, of course, would also have hastened the demise of many such fridges.

28th Oct 2010, 9:11 pm	#3
chipp1968 Rest in Peace Join Date: Jul 2006 Location: Somerset, UK. Posts: 2,356	Re: Britain's Oldest Fridge I think..i was told my fridge....which was my Grandmothers from new was from 1946 ..It is my fridge I have no other .it could be later .its a coldrator.

28th Oct 2010, 9:28 pm	#4
Skywave Rest in Peace Join Date: Jun 2006 Location: Chard, South Somerset, UK. Posts: 7,457	Re: Britain's Oldest Fridge Quite amazing - but then it is a General Electric 'fridge. Purchase price of £135 in 1952, eh? I'm not sure what that translates to in today's prices, but it does tell you that that 'fridge was sure expensive. Not it exists now, of course, but I do recall the family fridge in our pre-fab when I was a kid (mid '50s): an Electrolux. It used to amaze people when they were told it was mains gas powered. "But I thought 'Electrolux' only did electrical things . . . ."; "But how can you have a gas-powered 'fridge?" were two very common reactions. Fascinating article. Al. (Skywave)

28th Oct 2010, 9:44 pm	#5
stubbyeddy Pentode Join Date: May 2005 Location: Newtown, Mid Wales, UK. Posts: 186	Re: Britain's Oldest Fridge I have 3 here at the farm, a little old Prestcold fridge from the early 50s used in the dairy a huge Gec form 1957 used in the farm house kitchen and a early 50s Lec in my Lodge kitchen, they are all ones i recused locally and restored myself. i have been replacing the tired old 90s plastic fridges with them. There are still lots of these old 50s and 60s fridges out there i know i have turned a fair few down this year! just to note my Gec from 1957 was priced in the book at £103

28th Oct 2010, 10:11 pm	#6
Colourstar Octode Join Date: Feb 2006 Location: Ilkeston, Derbyshire, UK. Posts: 1,398	Re: Britain's Oldest Fridge That looks in super condition and certainly out-shines any modern pretenders! You really come to appreciate the build quality of products from that era when you use them on a daily basis, as I know many of us on here do. Incidentally, the word 'fridge' was often written without the 'd' in the 1950s. Many articles in Electrical and Radio Trader refer to 'Frige sales up', 'New Electrolux frige', 'Boom time for Friges' etc... It always looks wrong! Steve J

28th Oct 2010, 11:20 pm	#7
mark pirate Dekatron Join Date: Mar 2008 Location: Worthing, West Sussex, UK Posts: 5,185	Re: Britain's Oldest Fridge A pal of mine has a late thirties fridge (with compressor mounted on the top) it is still in working order, only used during the summer months as a beer fridge! Cant remember the make, but as i helped him move it, i know it weighs a ton Mark

29th Oct 2010, 8:48 am	#8
chipp1968 Rest in Peace Join Date: Jul 2006 Location: Somerset, UK. Posts: 2,356	Re: Britain's Oldest Fridge Just managed to find a picture of my ..my Grandmothers fridge . I was told it was bought in 1946 and not expecting it ,she didn't believe it was for her when it was being delivered .It could be as late as 1950 .I would like to find out how old.Its quite small ,no light but has a small icebox . Attached Thumbnails

4th Nov 2010, 10:47 pm	#9
Tractorfan Dekatron Join Date: Mar 2008 Location: St. Frajou, l'Isle en Dodon, Haute Garonne, France.(Previously: Ellesmere Port, Cheshire, UK.) Posts: 3,183	Re: Britain's Oldest Fridge Hi, My auntie had a fridge just like that one. Is it a Prestcold? Cheers, Pete __________________ "Hello?, Yes, I'm on the train, I might lose the signal soon as we're just going into a tunn..."

5th Nov 2010, 2:24 pm	#10
chipp1968 Rest in Peace Join Date: Jul 2006 Location: Somerset, UK. Posts: 2,356	Re: Britain's Oldest Fridge? Hello , Pete.If you mean my fridge .Its a Coldrator

13th Feb 2011, 4:12 am	#11
trabant Retired Dormant Member Join Date: Mar 2010 Location: Carlisle, UK. Posts: 164	Re: Britain's Oldest Fridge? Just noticed this on here believe it was also covered on the jeremy vine show around the time it was in the paper . I have at home a 1958 frigidire frimatic this is our newest fridge in original factory gloss black paintwork with pink interior works perfectly though the mains lead needed replacement as it was completely bare of insulation . A 1953 frigidaire we bought in leeds 9 years ago from the house it was installed in when new this had apparently been running pretty much ever since it was first plugged in the week of the coronation . However our oldest fridge which is my drinks fridge in my cafe is wait for it .... a 1927 glasgow built sternette solid oak cabinet zinc lined belt driven compressor still going strong !! Attached Thumbnails Last edited by Michael Maurice; 13th Feb 2011 at 8:44 am. Reason: changing link to thumbnail

13th Feb 2011, 10:44 am	#12
murphyv310 Dekatron Join Date: Sep 2006 Location: Kilmarnock, Ayrshire, UK. Posts: 5,422	Re: Britain's Oldest Fridge? Clyde built of course! No wonder it still works __________________ Cheers, Trevor. MM0KJJ. RSGB, GQRP, WACRAL, K&LARC. Member

13th Feb 2011, 10:07 pm	#13
Lucien Nunes Rest in Peace Join Date: Apr 2008 Location: London, UK. Posts: 2,508	Re: Britain's Oldest Fridge? One of the interesting things about these 'oldest working appliance X' competitions is that people are surprised that they exist. It's become habitual, with advertising on all fronts (especially the energy-efficiency mob) proclaiming that all old appliances are dinosaurs, to assume that they must now all be dead like the dinosaurs. Many of the original designers and manufacturers probably expected their better-made goods to last a lifetime and would have been perplexed at the idea that anyone would have wanted to replace them. One day people might be surprised that a games console or computer built in 2011 lasted a whole year! Lucien

14th Feb 2011, 12:40 am	#14
Heatercathodeshort Dekatron Join Date: Jun 2005 Location: Warnham, West Sussex. 10 miles south of DORKING. Posts: 9,147	Re: Britain's Oldest Fridge? Around 1970 I was asked to repair a Pye 11U in Portsmouth Road Kingston upon Thames. It was in an enormous mansion close to the river lived in by a very old lady. I spent some time replacing the dropper and when the job was finished I attempted to find the old girl. It was impossible! Corridors everywhere and many rooms leading off. I got completely lost in the house and ended up calling out of an upstairs window to the old dear that was working in the huge garden. She came in and rescued me and after making my way to the basement discovered a large room surrounded by old fridges. It turned out that she had a 'bottling mania' with all the fruit from the garden. [ I was in fear of being 'bottled' myself..] One of the fridges dated from 1927. It was a BTH with the compressor unit mounted on the top similar to a beehive. There were around five fridges all very old and working as intended. This has always stuck in my memory. That old fridge would have been forty odd years old back then! It would probably still be working but fashion dictates... Regards, John.

14th Feb 2011, 1:55 am	#15
trabant Retired Dormant Member Join Date: Mar 2010 Location: Carlisle, UK. Posts: 164	Re: Britain's Oldest Fridge? Lucien thats my thoughts exactly im sure i read somehwere you could build an old style mini and drive it 40000 miles before it had created as much pollution as just building one of the new sort with all its plastic bits . same with the fridge its far more energy efficient to have one fridge for 80 years than say a new one every 3 or 4 years . youll notice from my avatar i extend the vintage theme to motoring as well one car rattling around for 60 years must be a little better for the planet than those plastic pieces of rubbish they build now .

14th Feb 2011, 4:48 pm	#16
LXSTEIN45 Hexode Join Date: Dec 2009 Location: South Manchester, UK. Posts: 262	Re: Britain's Oldest Fridge? We just got rid of my grandparents fridge that was still working after 50 years or so. I am sure it was originally designed to work on 220V as opposed to the 240V too! Very similar to the above style, very rounded but smaller, The opening handle I can only describe as looking like a blazer pocket that one would push down to open.. Was it an Electrolux maybe?

14th Feb 2011, 8:03 pm	#17
audiomagpie Heptode Join Date: Apr 2003 Location: Rugby, Warwickshire, UK. Posts: 824	Re: Britain's Oldest Fridge? Years ago, manufacturing companies were run by engineers. Now everything is run by the bean counters. These appliances were built up to a standard. Nowadays everything is built down to a price. Greg __________________ Greg BVWS committee chairman

14th Feb 2011, 9:44 pm	#19
Peter.N. Dekatron Join Date: Jul 2008 Location: Charmouth, Dorset, UK. Posts: 3,601	Re: Britain's Oldest Fridge? Modern fridges are rubbish, we have replaced ours twice in the last 15 years, the last one failed due to a corroded pipe and dumped all its refrigerant in the kitchen. I have a spare in the garage for such emergences, it says on it 'Seeboard' which is who we had in Kent - we have been down here for over 40 years, it worked perfectly. Peter

14th Feb 2011, 9:59 pm	#20
The General Hexode Join Date: Apr 2007 Location: Milton Keynes, Buckinghamshire, UK. Posts: 329	Re: Britain's Oldest Fridge? Not that old compared to most of these old soldiers, but still giving excellent service is our Gibson Frostclear fridge/freezer, bought in the mid 90's from RAF Molesworth for the equivalent of £68. I don't know how old it was when we bought it, but it's probably early 80's. Built like a tank, very heavy & auto defrost. Small freezer, but huge fridge. Plenty of beer room.... Cheers, Mark.