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Old 18th Jul 2017, 10:37 pm   #1
robin0577
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Default Any old iron.... but who made it, and when?

Any thoughts on a manufacturer or date for this?

I was given it today. As you can see it's going to need a bit of cleaning. I'll proceed with caution on the basis that it probably contains asbestos.
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Old 18th Jul 2017, 10:47 pm   #2
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Default Re: Any old iron.... but who made it, and when?

That reminds me of a professional pressing iron used by tailors rather than domestic.
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Old 18th Jul 2017, 11:00 pm   #3
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Default Re: Any old iron.... but who made it, and when?

The middle of the cover plate gives the manufacturer away, it's the GEC's Magnet branding.

http://vintageelectricirons.blogspot...ters-iron.html

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Old 18th Jul 2017, 11:04 pm   #4
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Default Re: Any old iron.... but who made it, and when?

"220-230V" would seem to pre-date Operation Aladdin. I can't recall exactly when that was — I THINK late-'50s — but it was certainly post-war.
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Old 18th Jul 2017, 11:07 pm   #5
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Default Re: Any old iron.... but who made it, and when?

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Originally Posted by Paul_RK View Post
The middle of the cover plate gives the manufacturer away, it's the GEC's Magnet branding.

http://vintageelectricirons.blogspot...ters-iron.html

Paul
...and that catalogue page reveals it to be a model 5882 billiard table iron. Possibly from 1919 or earlier. Thankyou.
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Old 18th Jul 2017, 11:15 pm   #6
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Default Re: Any old iron.... but who made it, and when?

I've noticed that magnet logo on an old factory chimney one can see from the M6 N on the left, where the motorway crosses a canal near spaghetti junction. I wonder if that was a GEC works.
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Old 19th Jul 2017, 11:10 am   #7
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Default Re: Any old iron.... but who made it, and when?

That was the GEC works at Witton. I think only the chimney now remains.
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Old 19th Jul 2017, 11:13 am   #8
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Default Re: Any old iron.... but who made it, and when?

Quote:
Originally Posted by ThePillenwerfer View Post
"220-230V" would seem to pre-date Operation Aladdin. I can't recall exactly when that was — I THINK late-'50s — but it was certainly post-war.
What was "Operation Aladdin"? I tried googling it but couldn't find anything that seemed to be in context.

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Old 19th Jul 2017, 11:51 am   #9
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Default Re: Any old iron.... but who made it, and when?

It was when the UK mains voltage was standardised at 240VAC. I couldn't find anything on Google last night either when I was trying to find the date.

The Electricity Boards sent engineers 'round to adapt peoples equipment for the new voltage, where the old local one was radically different. Operation Aladdin came from the idea of "New lamps for old" as light-bulbs were something that needed changing.

I've seen things originally marked "200-220V" which has been over stamped "220-250V" or had stickers applied saying it has been modified for use on 240V.
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Old 19th Jul 2017, 12:16 pm   #10
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Default Re: Any old iron.... but who made it, and when?

I grew up in West Ham in East London, and ours was changed from 200V AC to 240V circa 1960. I remember they had to change the motors of our washing machine and dad's Black and Decker drill. They gave us a new set of lamp bulbs and told us to use the old ones until they blew. The ones in the shed lasted several years.

An uncle who lived a few miles away in Bow was on 200V DC in the 1950's, but I don't know when theirs was changed.
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Old 19th Jul 2017, 12:20 pm   #11
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Default Re: Any old iron.... but who made it, and when?

Quote:
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That was the GEC works at Witton. I think only the chimney now remains.

Presumably "listed" though not "listing"
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Old 19th Jul 2017, 12:20 pm   #12
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Default Re: Any old iron.... but who made it, and when?

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Originally Posted by ThePillenwerfer View Post
Operation Aladdin came from the idea of "New lamps for old" as light-bulbs were something that needed changing.
How lovely! Thanks for that - just explained it to my 10-year-old daughter (who is into the 1960s I Dream of Jeannie at the moment!)

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Old 19th Jul 2017, 6:31 pm   #13
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Default Re: Any old iron.... but who made it, and when?

Thinking back, our washing machine was gas-heated, so didn't have any heater elements to change. My uncle, who lived in the flat downstairs had a, presumably pre-war, electric geyser-type water heater that was leased from the electricity company. It was so old that they didn't convert it, but stopped charging him for it and told him to carry on using it until it stopped working. It was in daily use until he moved out some seven years later.
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Old 19th Jul 2017, 7:04 pm   #14
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Default Re: Any old iron.... but who made it, and when?

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Thinking back, our washing machine was gas-heated, so didn't have any heater elements to change.
Was it a Dean by any chance?

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Old 19th Jul 2017, 7:16 pm   #15
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Default Re: Any old iron.... but who made it, and when?

No, a Servis. I remember it well: just as well as it came with the service contract, as there was evidently a manufacturing fault with the wringer. It chewed up the gears every time it was used from new, and after the third call-out visit in three weeks to fit a new set of gears each time, they gave us a new wringer. As dad worked for the gas board, our other kitchen appliances (Cooker, Fridge) were gas, and we didn't at that time have an electric kettle, so the only other items that needed attention were the voltage tappings on our numerous radios and the TV. My Hornby Dublo train set controllers and transformers were for 230-250v anyway.
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Old 20th Jul 2017, 8:40 pm   #16
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Default Re: Any old iron.... but who made it, and when?

I would say it would date from the late 1940s. Does the element show any sign of life?

Regards, Robin.
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Old 21st Jul 2017, 2:11 pm   #17
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Default Re: Any old iron.... but who made it, and when?

The connector looks 1940s, but I imagine it originally had a pair of porcelain-sleeved individual connectors, red and black.
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Old 22nd Jul 2017, 10:30 am   #18
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Default Re: Any old iron.... but who made it, and when?

Those unsheathed pin connectors make it quite early. I have an electric kettle from 1912 with the same arrangements, plus the two composition / vulcanised rubber connectors that fit them. Unpolarised (obviously- an element has no polarity) on twisted lighting flex, complete with wooden plug. I would imagine the guess above of 1919 would be correct, if not earlier.

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