Colston
Keith
I am unsure of the exact date when Colston first appeared, but it seems likely to be arouund 1958 or 1959. I have a thought that it may have been started by the former executive of Hoover UK (son of Sir Charles Colston who basically set up Hoover's UK operation) but I am not entirely sure.
Their first product was a countertop dishwasher, and indeed I have often wondered if this was an abandoned Hoover project. This machine was cheap and basic, with a horizontally aligned spining tube, mounted slightly off centre on the rear of the machine. Apart from the Swanmaid Select it was the only front loading, pullout rack dishwasher in the UK. Apart from the spinning tube, it was ahead of its time in that it would draw in water to the bottom of wash chamber, where it could be heated as the water circulated - basically how dishwashers operate nowadays. The other machines had integral tanks to heat the water and, apart from the Swanmaid, all other dishwashers were top loading. The operation of the Colston seems to have been similar to some 1950s US Fridgidaire models that have been recently featured in other threads, although the Colston was a much smaller scale machine.
It was designed to sit on the countertop or draining board, and could operate on hot or cold fill. The first models were esentially gravity draining. This first design continued into the 1970s largely unchanged although other and better looking models were added, all operating in the same manner except the 1970s 707 (I think that was the model number) which was bought in and "badged" from Europe.
As a DISHWASHER it actually worked quite well, although pans, casseroles and bowls were a problem as they could only be mounted in the top basket, facing down. Mind you if you could get them in, they were generally washed quite well too (my Mum had one)
It is not clear whether they manufactured the dishwashers themselves or whether they shared facilities with the Rolls company (all manufactured in the UK) but certainly one appeared fairly soon badged as a Rolls although they also were sold under the colston name. The Colston appeared in the December 1960 Which report of dishwashers. You may recall the Rolls name being mentioned here before. This was a UK company which was set up around 1959 and which sold a range of (initially at least) twin tubs - heavily marketed and quite cheap - the most basic model being about half the price of say a Hoovermatic. Their capacity was about 2/3s that of the Hoovermatic, Supermatic or Supertwin.
There is no evidence of any link between Rolls & Colston beyond the badged dishwasher. Rolls went bust in 1964 (sadly dragging Bylock with them - they bought out Bylock in 1963). The manufacturing capacity swiftly re-appeared as Tallent Limited who manufactured basically the same machines with some minor variations for the likes of English Electric and Goblin amongst others.
However, towards the end of the 1960s these machines, having had their styling updated a bit (squared up bodies and controls moved from the front to the top of the machine) where re-launched under the Colston name. There were a couple of models (Coronet is one that springs to mind) although none to my knowledge carrying the automatic rinse function that the TOL rolls had). These carried on right through to the end of the 1970s, more or less the same and still cheap (if not quite so cheap) as they ever were although the Indesit L5 auto came very close in price to it - and who wanted a twin tub when you could have an automatic as well, poorer spin or not.
As I mentioned earlier, the dishwashers carried on until at least the mid 1970s, although they seem to have petered out around then. However Colston launched themselves into the washer/drier market in around 1973 with an imported model. Other European members will probably be able to give the country of origin in a instant, but it was the first mainstream washer drier in that it was 60cm square and fitted under a counter. The 1960s Bendix washer driers could hardly be described as main stream and there were a few other italian models sold in very limited numbers. This washer drier had a great big door and I suspect the heater and blower were mounted in this. Later there was a washer only version (Rob and Paul got one a while back) and if memeory serves there was a later washer drier with a conventional door. Whether these were of Ariston origin I do not know.
In 1981, in a fit of utter lunacy, Ariston bought Colston and for a short while twin tubs appeared under the Ariston name, along with a single tub washing machine and spin drier. By this time the only full size single tub was the Hoover and what they were thinking bringing out this machine in a market that had virtually declined to nothing, is anybodys guess. Anyway, it was a short lived venture and, after a year or so the machines, and teh Colston name, disappeared forever. I have some more pictures on my computer at home that I can load later for you.
Al
