Remembering Hoover "Electron1100" Gary Tibbals

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One does not really know what to say when such a young person pass..<span style="font-size: 12pt;"> </span>

<span style="font-size: 12pt;">I express the deepest condolences to family, husband and close friends.</span>

<span style="font-size: 12pt;">And Just like every other member shall he live in our memory and through  the momeries left in our little, but so meaningful to us, world.</span>

 

 
 
Gary

Frightening how time flies by at such an insane rate of knots and how things change, sometimes for the better and sadly sometimes for the worse.

Remembering signing into the forum in years gone by and the sense of excitement at seeing a new thread set up by Gary, unveiling another vintage machine that he had managed to save, either via a long drive from his home in the south west or via word of mouth from the local recycling centres in the Plymouth and Saltash areas.

Machines squirrelled a safe distance away from the scrap metal skip, for Gary to drop by later to collect.

The actual Hoover Electron 1100 (or was it an 800?) that was sack trucked into the centre where he worked to be disposed of, but which was taken straight to his car to be saved.

The long drives he made to save a Hoover 3203 and A3062 Keymatic, the Computer Logic and the matching Sensor dryer.

Managing to finally secure one of his favourite machines - Hoover A3060 Electronic 1100 - and my late father and myself driving to Cornwall Avenue in Darlington to collect it for him, before it made it's way down to Saltash via layovers in Crewe and Cardiff. Always thought it uncanny that it would finish up moving to Cornwall to live in Gary's collection, it having lived in Cornwall Avenue since it was first purchased back in 1978.

The most magic moment for me was when he announced in his thread titled 'Finally its happened to me right in front of my eyes but words cant describe it', that the first Hoover matchbox had finally surfaced and been saved!

His threads can be found in the forum archives and his videos are on YouTube and stand as part of the testament to the contribution he made to machine preservation in the UK over the years.
Other chapters of that testament are the knowledge he shared, the friends he made and the machines he saved, most of the latter now residing in other collections and of course his generosity and cutting wit (the SNOB powder, the Philips Twin Tub set that he gave to Mathew and of course 'our lady').

The photos below are from 2009, when he visited Mathew and filmed his Hoover 3203 Keymatic De Luxe and A3114 Selectamatic 1100, the vidoes of which can be watched on YouTube ....

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He also helped save mine and Mathew's Hoover 3236H, with me driving down to Saltash from Derby one Thursday evening after work and going to the school to pick up the Hoover and the top loader the following day.

The first photo shows Gary with the machines he helped save and Beverley Kinsella, who put us in touch with the owner of the school building ...

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As has been mentioned by others, it was a real shame that having seen his machines find new homes (see the linked thread), that ill health generally prevented him from travelling to Wash-in's elsewhere to see them.
We all also missed out on his presence and banter.

My condolences go out to his family and to Mal - you have been and are in my thoughts.

I snapped the photo below just after myself and Gary got back from collecting the machines from the school - I always thought the photo was just a bit 'arty' - means rather more to me now though.
Paul


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1 Year On !!

Having a Cuppa & Cake remembering Gary (Electron1100) one year on, his knowledge certainly carries on as we all come out of lockdown and start to meet up again and continue "Lots more Hoover Repairs" ..

Along with his wicked sense of humour, am just sorting the spares list ready for the onslaught and just laughing as came across old pics "Well, Its Not The One Aa`d Ave Chosen" - Cheers Gary !!

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Farewell Gary

Although I did not have the pleasure of meeting the man, I grew accustomed to seeing
His face in the pics at the UK wash ins! My heart goes out to his partner, and family, knowing that he will be lovingly missed. Goodbye our handsome friend, you will be missed!
Hugs,
David
 

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