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Vintage signs

Posted: Sun Dec 03, 2023 9:42 am
by dan_b
Vintage sign from Willesden Electricity Dept. in northwest London dated 1936, aimed at promoting the roll out of domestic electricity.
[source, the Milne Electrical Collection at the Amberley Museum in West Sussex, UK]

Not quite sure the grammar matches the intention?! :lol:

Image

Re: Vintage signs

Posted: Sun Dec 03, 2023 11:05 am
by openspaceman
dan_b wrote: Sun Dec 03, 2023 9:42 am Vintage sign from Willesden Electricity Dept. in northwest London dated 1936, aimed at promoting the roll out of domestic electricity.
[source, the Milne Electrical Collection at the Amberley Museum in West Sussex, UK]

Not quite sure the grammar matches the intention?! :lol:

Image
:lol:

That is the era when WESCo would make a connection to the house with one lamp on a 5A circuit for free, you paid for any extra, which lead to a proliferation of multi bayonet fittings hanging off the lamp for supplying radio and even irons I was told.

Re: Vintage signs

Posted: Sun Dec 03, 2023 12:55 pm
by Thebeeman
openspaceman wrote: Sun Dec 03, 2023 11:05 am That is the era when WESCo would make a connection to the house with one lamp on a 5A circuit for free, you paid for any extra, which lead to a proliferation of multi bayonet fittings hanging off the lamp for supplying radio and even irons I was told.
Does that mean we aren't supposed to do that now?

Re: Vintage signs

Posted: Sun Dec 03, 2023 1:59 pm
by openspaceman
Thebeeman wrote: Sun Dec 03, 2023 12:55 pm
openspaceman wrote: Sun Dec 03, 2023 11:05 am That is the era when WESCo would make a connection to the house with one lamp on a 5A circuit for free, you paid for any extra, which lead to a proliferation of multi bayonet fittings hanging off the lamp for supplying radio and even irons I was told.
Does that mean we aren't supposed to do that now?
I doubt you were supposed to use them then.

https://flameport.com/electric_museum/b ... daptor.jpg

I don't think I have seen one since the fifties at my grandmother's house.

Mind my home makes use of half a dozen extensions off the 30A twin sockets in each room.

Re: Vintage signs

Posted: Sun Dec 03, 2023 2:13 pm
by Bugtownboy
For a graphic indication of the state of housing/electrics, watch ‘Get Carter’ (the proper version with Sir Michael Caine).

There’s one scene where he plugs his electric shaver into the ceiling light.

It really is a shock to look behind the story if you grew up in the 70’s.

Good film too.

Re: Vintage signs

Posted: Mon Dec 04, 2023 12:52 pm
by Moxi
I was more shocked at that scene because he’s sprinkling his whiskers all over his dead brother in the open coffin! My grandmas old radio used to be on the dining room table with the flex plugged in to the ceiling rose so that set up was very familiar as was the bakolite? Switches, in fact you could more or less swap my grandmas dining room for Carter brother place with regard to decor, furnishings etc.

Moxi

Re: Vintage signs

Posted: Mon Dec 04, 2023 1:03 pm
by Bugtownboy
Moxi wrote: Mon Dec 04, 2023 12:52 pm I was more shocked at that scene because he’s sprinkling his whiskers all over his dead brother in the open coffin!
:shock:

Watched the film countless times and never tire of it - now a family thing to look out for the 6 fingered man in the pub scene.



Classic film !

Re: Vintage signs

Posted: Mon Dec 04, 2023 2:17 pm
by Moxi
:D Not wishing to be pedantic but the old fella only has 5 fingers, admittedly that's 5 fingers and a thumb but it was the 70's and Newcastle :lol:

Joking aside, I have watched that film hundreds of times and never ever noticed that before !

A much better movie that Mr Stallone's updated attempt, some things are best left original :roll:

Moxi

Re: Vintage signs

Posted: Mon Dec 04, 2023 2:25 pm
by Moxi
Mind you I worked with a Burner in British Steel when I was in my late teens and he used to hold and smoke his cigarette between the knuckles of his middle fingers, leaving his forefinger and pinky finger extended across his cheek. I asked him one day why he smoked like that and he replied by holding both his hands up showing the middle two fingers of both hands had been amputated at the knuckle joint.

I asked him how that had happened and he told me that when bracing the chains and hooks to lift some scrap around 5 tonne in weight he had wrapped his inner fingers around the chains and when the crane hoisted up and the weight came on the chains his fingers were pinned and crushed against the load before he could let go.

I will never forget that salutary tale and even though I don't often get the chance to act as a banksman these days I never hesitate to warn others when I see them making the same potential mistake as poor old Roy.

Moxi

Re: Vintage signs

Posted: Mon Dec 04, 2023 2:46 pm
by Bugtownboy
Moxi wrote: Mon Dec 04, 2023 2:17 pm A much better movie that Mr Stallone's updated attempt, some things are best left original :roll:
If you ever come across it (and haven’t already) have a read of Jack’s Return Home by Ted Lewis. What the film was based on, though the book is set around Scunthorpe

Get Carter takes the essence of the book - which I thought was darker, and in some ways, better