A lovely UK bunch from 1971

[robm]

Hello everyone

I came across this pic and thought I would share it with you. Unfortunately, the pics aren't great so any improvement would be greatly appreciated.

So does anyone know what these machines are? I have a rough idea but thought it would be good to discuss.

PS The square door Hottie. I know this was supposed to go 1100rpm but does anyone know what sort of motor it had?

Rob

 

[chestermikeuk]

Classic Laundry

Morning Rob, a real classic set you have their, I know most but I would like others to have a discussion first....the one that is puzzling me is the twinny next to the keymatic??is it a Colston or is it the elusive Hotpoint Twin Six??

The reason I`m thinking that is most catalogues grouped by manufacturer and then had all non specifics on another page...and as all the other machines are group by Hoover and Hotpoint a Colston would be out of place!!get my drift..

An engineer told me that the Hotpoint 1600 (first produced in 1970, really ahead of its time by 8yrs with the fastest spin of its time , 1100rpm) had the same motor and control timeline programmer, as the Hotpoint 1504 timeline Top Loader,(next to it) which would be the big brushless motor!!!

thanks for posting, Mike

 

[74simon]

Hey Mike/Rob,

yep, that twinny is a Colston, the folding washtub lid is a giveaway!

I'm guessing the catalogue is either autumn/winter 1970 or spring/summer 1971, as the matchbox Keymatic wasn't launched until spring '71, some time after the standard and Deluxe Hoover matchbox Automatics! Interesting that automatics outnumber the twin tubs, if you don't count the Hoover Twosome!

Incidentally, I think I've found a widebody dumped in woods near me - it's face down in mud, VERY rusty and the top is missing, but it is a very wide automatic, with the grey tape round the base, so I have little doubt as to what it is! A bit far gone really...
Si

 

[matchboxpaul]

here we go & OMG OMG OMG Simon!

Here we go : did a search for mail order catalogue and came up trumps. Its an Autumn/winter 1971 Freemans catalogue. As ever with catalogues it will go for stupid money - it kills me to think that I had probably between £500 and £1000 worth of kays/john moores/great universal etc when i was a kid. they all got wizzed when i was about 10 or so.

OMG OMG OMG : Simon, Simon, Simon does the widebody remains still have a readable information plate on the bottom at the back at all.
if its missing the top, you can still tell whether it was a key or auto by the door (if it still has one) - chromed for the key and white for an auto.

if its a key it will be either 3203, 3203H or 3223H
if its an auto it will be either 3208 or 3221H OR it could be my mystery widebody automatic that my aunt and uncle owned - hence my excitement!!!!!!

i dont expect the model plate will be on it and, if it is, it wont solve the mystery, but nevertheless i am really intrigued.

then again it might not be a hoover - could be a hotpoint 1600, or something older.

any chance of some piccies of its remains?

http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/FREEMANS-Autu...oryZ1141QQssPageNameZWDVWQQrdZ1QQcmdZViewItem

 

[electron1100]

Freemans

Arghhhhhhh I think they are all LOVELY, i have never seen the Hotpoint 1600.......

Also in the Freemans book (off subject I know) are all those lovely old record players!!

Its almost worth buying the bloody book just forra trawl through it all

The earliest front loader i can remember is an AEG lavamat, controls and soap dispencer on the top....1972-ish i think

My grey memories

Gary

 

[gyrafoam]

Mike------

Does that English Electric Deluxe 474 have anything in common the the (US) Westinghouse machines? Something about the appearance of the door/window remind me so much of our old Westys.

Do you recall if the Bendix had a lighted control panel?

Would love to order one of those old Hotties, but would want that 1970 model you described with the 1100 rpm extraction speed. Can I order it in "Sunny Yellow" please? I dream!

 

[74simon]

Hey Paul, I checked the back of the machine, but couldn't find an ID plate anywhere, the main back panel is also missing, and the bottom back panel is very rusty.

I will got back with a camera, and maybe some thick gloves so I can tip it onto its base to check the door! It was turfed down a 30' drop, so maybe the top is lurking nearby. I've got the appropriate pages in my service manuals, so maybe I can ID it from that! About 15 years ago I found the top of a Parnall Spinwasher, but this was left at the family home, and went missing some time ago, sadly...

 

[robm]

Hotpoint 1600

Hi everyone, here is a pic of the the 1600. I think Mike posted this sometime ago. Thanks for all your comments Mike. I'm intrigued by this machine, would have loved to see it in action. The review says it's quiet so it must have a brushless motor.

Does anyone know what came after this machine as I believe it wasn't made for long. Did the Liberators just start from that point?

Paul - I know what you mean about the catalogues my mother used to get Peter Craig (Littlewoods really) and Empire Stores. What a shame she chucked them.

I've never seen the English Electric Machine, I actually know very little about the late 60s and early 70s front loading machines.

I noticed that the Bendix was almost twice as expensive as the Hottie??

Rob

 

[electron1100]

Hotpoint 1600

Hmm that is now i think the most interesting and best looking out this lot

What you reckon to the chances of one of these ever turning up :-(

Gary

Ps was fiddling with my Hoover A3308 today and the ratgit died on me......bit more fiddling and a huge lectric shock and still dead as a dodo........grief......more bloody work.....I have spare control panels so ill try them out later this week, was going to do some vids for youtube aswell.

 

[chestermikeuk]

1970`s

I think this was a grand era to have any one of those machines above, stylish & classic, gracious enough for any kitchen...

Simon, what a shock to find one of those face down in the mud, and what a way to end your days for that poor machine...Uughh!!

Paul, do the numbers thing!!!

Rob, I did see one only once in my childhood, I was always fascinated by the flip up powder dispenser, and having to stand on tip toes to see th timeline with it being on the top, that worktop was similar to the servis quartz...classic at its best...

Gary, freemans..LOl...takes you back, my Grans catalogues wher Grattan, Brian Mills & Trafford...Ohhh the days!!!

Hi Steve, the Hotpoint Filter-Flow is awaiting your vist, filterflow-heater-1050rpm spin....its calling!!!Yes the English Electric Company had an alliance with westinghouse etc, although the machines where made & assembled here, just up the road on the East Lancs Road, Liverpool. Here are the first machines:

 

[chestermikeuk]

English Electric...

The second generation!!this one was the semi auto , you filled manually, set the time, moved the drain lever and set the spin!!!

 

[chestermikeuk]

English Electric

Third generation machines!!!then the link up with Hotpoint began!!!

 

[gyrafoam]

That semi-automatic MkII f/l would be fun to toy with. Fill it up to the top of the window, etc. Clothes would really get some water moved through them! Oh what a mess though, if one forgot to turn the water off!

Those Hottie t/l's are so kool.

 

[matchboxpaul]

fantastic adverts there Mike - never seen the last one before.

the numbers thing ..... mmmmmmm.

well, as far as i know, they are (clockwise left to right):

Hoover Single Tub (twosome) 1321A
Hoover Spinarinse (twosome) 3019
Hoovermatic 3314L

Hotpoint model 1504 Automatic de Luxe
Hotpoint model 1600 Automatic 1100 (seriously doubt one of these will be seen again)

Hotpoint 1460 Supermatic
Hotpoint Countess
Colston 2234 Concorde

Hoover Keymatic 3223H (one of these may still reside just up the road from my parents - i will have to pluck up courage and go ask)
Hoover Spinarinse 3021
and finally
my beloved
sadly missed
long lost
probably extinct
Hoover Automatic de Luxe 3236H 'Matchbox' (the very machine my mum used from 1973 through 1986 and which worked at my aunts through to 1990).

Cheers
Paul

 

[liberator1509]

English Electric and Hotpoint 1600

Mike - when do those great English Electric adverts date from? I wonder if the reason that the Hotpoint 1600 was so short-lived was because of the merger of AEI/GEC and English Electric? The 1600 has a touch of Hoover wide-body about the styling, but I can't imagine that there was any tie-up between those firms. Do you know whether Hoover or Hotpoint started the 'matchbox' size first?

Someone out there had a 'GEC Home Laundry' brochure that showed all three brands...I guess Hotpoint carried over the brand-terms like Liberator and Reversomatic through the 70s so former English Electric customers would follow.

Which top loader do you have - the 1504 is such a cool looking machine...

 

[robm]

This is a period I know very little about which is fascinating me more and more. I was recently thinking about how washers became more and more affordable and domesticated for the average household. It seems to me that the 70s were key in this happening. I wonder how many more people owned washers in the 70s compared to the 60s?

I have added the wikipedia link about GEC, which may be of interest.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_General_Electric_Company

 

[robm]

Cost of Machines in early 70s

I was thinking about how much these machines cost. Does anyone know how much £100 was in 1971 and what it would equate to now? My partner was saying that he rented a room in Earls Court for £5 a week then and that seemed a lot. So £100 must have been around £800 in today's money I'm guessing??

Rob

 

[electron1100]

Cost of machines

Hello Rob

Hmm I remember my mum getting a £200.00 pound bonus in 1971 and with that money she took us(four)to Spain for our first holiday abroad, (Clarksons package holiday)

My first job in 1975 was at Dixons as a salesman (junior) and i took home £12.90 per week

Petrol was about 25p per gallon

So i think £100.00 for a washing machine would have still been expensive, but hey! go back to the early 1960s and the Hoover Keymatic was a 100 guinies!!!!

I got a phone call today (from a local paper wanted advert) from a guy clearing his dead mothers house, telling me she has a very old Hoover 1100 (doesnt know which one) so i am going over tomorrow too see it, you never know

Gary

 

[matchboxpaul]

Fingers crossed for a good un Gary

Mind you, excluding condition, they are all prety much good uns.

Be sure to spill the beans!

Cheers
Paul

Could it be......