Going back in time

[phil d]

Several years ago while working in a loft I came across some old volumes of Stubbs electrical encyclopedia,and the customer gave them to me,they were very old, around 1930,s I think. I read them and found them very interesting, it's nice to see how things have changed over the years, eventually I passed them on to Tony, he was writing some articles for the forum and they would be of help to him, I was happy to let him have them as he'd make good use of them. At the weekend I obtained another set of Stubbs, the second edition from the late 40's ,early 50's, it's amazing reading about the "exciting new developments" that are soon to replace some of the old methods,  There's a section on lighting and much is made of the virtues of a new form of lighting, 'it uses less power, casts less shadows, has a longer service life and requires less fittings to light an area than would be required if using traditional filament lamps'. What, you may be wondering is the name of this new 'wonder light', well I'll tell you, it's something called 'fluorescent' and utilises  glass tubes of varying lengths rather than traditional 'bulbs'

I could just imagine how excited those electricians must have felt, reading about this fantastic new light, how they'd probably meet up in their local pub and who'd have the bragging rights for being the first one in the area to fit one, It must have been a bit like us today, remember how eagerly we awaited the LED, and how keen we were to get hold of one. It all seems so dated now, and to be fair it is,how different the wiring regs were back then, ELCB's were just coming out to, and they were discussed with great interest, how they could be used to protect circuits where people might use equipment that leaves them vulnerable to shock risk, such as power tools, or damp environments. Considering that today ELCB'S, or RCD'S as they are now have become a form of primary protection and are fitted to virtually every circuit. 

I wonder if, in 50 or 60 years from now, an electrician will perhaps come across a copy of the 17th edition or one of our other books and read, with much interest and no doubt some amusement about the latest technology of the day.

 

[Geoff1946]

I love these old books too. Some of mine are from the 1950s and I also have a radio construction manual fom the 1920s. Fascinating to browse now and then.

 

[Evans Electric]

I like them too  .    I have an old cable jointer's  book  ,  all the guys wear cloth caps  .  I'd post some pictures but it's in the loft and I 've had enough of lofts for this week . 

Was it the Newnes Electrical ones  I remember ....there was always a picture of a sparky in overalls plus shirt & tie  ,  kneeling on one knee , poking the Avo leads into a large motor  while a sparkling clean apprentice , also in a tie ,  looked on admiringly .     I think the apprentice was possibly Kerching  judging by the age of the books. :innocent

I have  an electrican's  book that shows how to make twisted tee joints , then solder & tape  on VIR cable .      Thats definitely Kerching !!!  

 

[phil d]

I like them too  .    I have an old cable jointer's  book  ,  all the guys wear cloth caps  .  I'd post some pictures but it's in the loft and I 've had enough of lofts for this week . 

Was it the Newnes Electrical ones  I remember ....there was always a picture of a sparky in overalls plus shirt & tie  ,  kneeling on one knee , poking the Avo leads into a large motor  while a sparkling clean apprentice , also in a tie ,  looked on admiringly .     I think the apprentice was possibly Kerching  judging by the age of the books. :innocent

I have  an electrican's  book that shows how to make twisted tee joints , then solder & tape  on VIR cable .      Thats definitely Kerching !!!  

I have a Newnes one too, as you say the sparky in a shirt and tie! I worked at a place once and we had this old guy, I haven't a clue what he actually did, but he always wore a tweed jacket, and there was always a neon screwdriver in the top pocket.

 

[kerching]

have  an electrican's  book that shows how to make twisted tee joints , then solder & tape  on VIR cable .      Thats definitely Kerching !!

Scarf joints, married joints!.......it's all done on laptops nowadays I tell you!

my mates daughter is in process of buying a house that needs a bit of work doing......it was wired in 1926 and not really touched since!

light and switch in every room, socket upstairs and two downstairs

 

[Evans Electric]

Wow  !!  WHo needs all those plugs ? 

 

[Tony S]

I like them too  .    I have an old cable jointer's  book  ,  all the guys wear cloth caps  .  I'd post some pictures but it's in the loft and I 've had enough of lofts for this week . 

Was it the Newnes Electrical ones  I remember ....there was always a picture of a sparky in overalls plus shirt & tie  ,  kneeling on one knee , poking the Avo leads into a large motor  while a sparkling clean apprentice , also in a tie ,  looked on admiringly .     I think the apprentice was possibly Kerching  judging by the age of the books. :innocent

I have  an electrican's  book that shows how to make twisted tee joints , then solder & tape  on VIR cable .      Thats definitely Kerching !!!  

I was taught to do married and spliced tee joints as an apprentice. The tape was rubber which was taped over with cotton adhesive tape.

Never used them since.

 

[Evans Electric]

Never used them since.

:slap

 

[phil d]

Scarf joints, married joints!.......it's all done on laptops nowadays I tell you!

my mates daughter is in process of buying a house that needs a bit of work doing......it was wired in 1926 and not really touched since!

light and switch in every room, socket upstairs and two downstairs

We've just done one, the pendant was not in the centre it was closer to the window, the customer asked why this was, and there is actually two schools of thought regarding this, one says that it is to replicate natural daylight entering the room, the second is to do with modesty. Apparently, it was to prevent a young lady putting herself between the light and the window and thereby giving a thrill to any passing men should she be undressing during the hours of darkness. 

 

[Evans Electric]

worked at a place once and we had this old guy, I haven't a clue what he actually did, but he always wore a tweed jacket, and there was always a neon screwdriver in the top pocket.

I was site foreman with a firm , refurbing an old hospital .   New guy started  ,  he told me he was 68  but needed the extra money for a year .  So officially retired . Not to tell the gaffer ...no probs .

Always there on time , always came in tie   etc .   changed  into work boots on site . removed tie  , donned pristine overalls  ....wish I could recall his name  .  I  think I was in my 30's then   , I said to him I won't insult you by telling what to do , theres the drawing for  that ward , an apprentice and a mate  , leave you to it .   

Really nice guy , and knew his stuff , we got on well.  

I moved on to another firm and heard that he had died ,   it was a cover up , a scared apprentice knew the truth ....  a pair of their wonky steps  jerked as he was testing in a panel ,  he put his hand out to save himself ...onto the busbars  .  

The official story was his testers were faulty .  

All the steps were wobbly there .      I went to the yard to pick up their van to collect a panel we'd had made ,   bloke in the yard  says  do you know about the brakes ?  "NO"       "Well you'd be better sticking your foot out & scraping it on the road "      He was right .      

Apparently, it was to prevent a young lady putting herself between the light and the window and thereby giving a thrill to any passing men should she be undressing during the hours of darkness. 

Thats true  ...they're fine there but everyone has them moved  .

 

[phil d]

I was site foreman with a firm , refurbing an old hospital .   New guy started  ,  he told me he was 68  but needed the extra money for a year .  So officially retired . Not to tell the gaffer ...no probs .

Always there on time , always came in tie   etc .   changed  into work boots on site . removed tie  , donned pristine overalls  ....wish I could recall his name  .  I  think I was in my 30's then   , I said to him I won't insult you by telling what to do , theres the drawing for  that ward , an apprentice and a mate  , leave you to it .   

Really nice guy , and knew his stuff , we got on well.  

I moved on to another firm and heard that he had died ,   it was a cover up , a scared apprentice knew the truth ....  a pair of their wonky steps  jerked as he was testing in a panel ,  he put his hand out to save himself ...onto the busbars  .  

The official story was his testers were faulty .  

All the steps were wobbly there .      I went to the yard to pick up their van to collect a panel we'd had made ,   bloke in the yard  says  do you know about the brakes ?  "NO"       "Well you'd be better sticking your foot out & scraping it on the road "      He was right .      

Thats true  ...they're fine there but everyone has them moved  .

This lady insisted we put the new pendants back in the same place, she thought it was quaint.

I love working with, or more often now chatting with the older guys, they can tell you some cracking stories. I remember a few years back and I got talking to this old guy in the pub, his war stories were amazing, but he only ever had 2 pints, then went home.Anyway, I was back in work on Monday and the guy didn't go in the pub on a weekend, I went in on the Friday and we got chatting, he was halfway through his second pint and we were nowhere  near the end of the story. In the end i kept buying him drinks so he'd stay until I found out the end of the story.It was a bit unfair of me really I'd buy him a drink and he'd say he was just about to go home, then I'd remind him of how rude it was to refuse a drink when someone has already bought it, the poor old boy was half cut by the time he left the pub, still I think he enjoyed it deep down, and If I can't buy a few beers for a war veteran then it's a poor lookout.

 

[kerching]

. Apparently, it was to prevent a young lady putting herself between the light and the window and thereby giving a thrill to any passing men should she be undressing during the hours of darkness. 

we always called them pervert lights!....there to,prevent shadows being cast on the windows

 

[Tony S]

We've just done one, the pendant was not in the centre it was closer to the window, the customer asked why this was, and there is actually two schools of thought regarding this, one says that it is to replicate natural daylight entering the room, the second is to do with modesty. Apparently, it was to prevent a young lady putting herself between the light and the window and thereby giving a thrill to any passing men should she be undressing during the hours of darkness. 

The actual reason was it was normal to fit a “pear drop” switch hanging from the ceiling via a bayonet lamp holder the position where the electrician thought the bed head would be. The light also was also where the electrician thought things should be.

 

[Evans Electric]

Always there on time , always came in tie   etc .   changed  into work boots on site . removed tie  , donned pristine overalls  ....wish I could recall his name  .

Just came to me  ...   watching the Get me outa the Jungle ..... Harry   , remembered his full name but not appropriate  on here.