Does anyone remember?

[pyounger]

I was in Ireland last week and travelling towards Galway when the hire car conked out in the middle of nowhere - except for a small cottage, the occupants of which made me very welcome while I awaited help.

The lady of the house was ironing and I suddenly realised how old her electrics must be. She had the iron (a fairly modern looking one) plugged into the light socket above where she was standing, I suddenly remembered those funny little plugs you used to be able to buy in Woolies - we used one on our Christmas tree lights when I was a kid... then another flash back in time, I noticed this plug was plugged into a double adapter type socket you used to get so you could still have a bulb in as well as whatever else... there was a pull chord to switch the second socket on or off.

I haven't seen these plugs and sockets since the late 60's and don't suppose they are now made. I guess plugging your iron into the light socket isn't considered the done thing these days

 

[securespark]

Yes, I do remember my gran using one...

I used to have until recently, a lampholder adapter that allowed an iron in one and a lamp in the other. No cpc for the iron, though...

I still have a BC plug, I had it attached to a socket so I could use a drill when the sockets were off.

That was in the days before cordless, you understand.

 

[Alarm]

Can just recall one in my nans before it was totally rewired in about 1967

 

[Electrifying]

I remember them well - there's some up for sale on ebay:

http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Vintage-B...K_Collectables_Vintage_RL&hash=item19ca8ae9bb

 

[pyounger]

I remember them well - there's some up for sale on ebay:

That's them! Just need the double adapter now and I'm away!!

It's a shame they are not still generally available because they did have many handy uses.

I notice that Screwfix have the small 5amp round pin sockets for sale - although I couldn't find the plugs - what a price though! - but handy for lighting

 

[NewOrder]

My late grandad (who died this morning but it was expected, he was very very old very very frail so we knew it was a matter of days) used one in his new build in 1990. He used one to extend the lights in the garage. Instead of the other cable feeding an iron it feeds another light fitting!.

Certainly one way of solving the problem, it was only a 60w bulb in the second light but I can see this could be open to a lot of abuse and hence they are probably considered dangerous now.

Funny this thread should come up the day my grandad died though, as the one in his garage is the first one I've ever seen, although I know from grandparents etc they existed.

Slightly OT but I was watching homes under the hammer on Iplayer the other night while nodding off, and I noticed one of the houses had wiring so old, that the light switches had a socket underneath them. It was on a wooden patress with a metal switch and a small metal socket. It had no earth and from what I could tell no shutters.

Must have been pre 1920ish unless it was for lights only?., would this have been used for lighting only or other things too?

 

[JohnW2]

She had the iron (a fairly modern looking one) plugged into the light socket above where she was standing, I suddenly remembered those funny little plugs you used to be able to buy in Woolies - we used one on our Christmas tree lights when I was a kid... then another flash back in time, I noticed this plug was plugged into a double adapter type socket you used to get so you could still have a bulb in as well as whatever else...

Ah yes, I remember them well - and it's amazing what can be found in my cellar...

Untitled

• JohnW2
• 9 Nov 2011
• 2

All plug into a B22 bayonet lampholder. I think the one on the left (clearly well burned!) is what you're describing ... provision for a lamp plus two 2-pin sockets. The top one allowed 2 lamps in one socket (both 50s/60s vintage). The bottom two are much more modern 'shaver adapters'.

I remember well the Christmas tree lights, and also massive radios, plugged into those things - but never irons

Kind Regards, John.
Edit: typos corrected/

 

[JohnW2]

My late grandad (who died this morning but it was expected, he was very very old very very frail so we knew it was a matter of days) used one in his new build in 1990.

I'm very sorry to hear that and, as you say, strange that this thread should appear this very day.

Kind Regards, John.

 

[Taylortwocities]

I thought that everybody still had a set of these:

Untitled

• Taylortwocities
• 7 Apr 2009
• 4

 

[bernardgreen]

There is a two way bayonet on my desk as I type.

If it wasn't for the pins being exposed when there was no lamp or plug in it the bayonet socket was a very good design. Real springs to exert pressure on the contacts and a contact wiping action as the lamp or plug was rotated to engage the catch.

 

[Alarm]

I respectfully we stop this particular thread as we are showing our ages

 

[JohnW2]

If it wasn't for the pins being exposed when there was no lamp or plug in it the bayonet socket was a very good design. Real springs to exert pressure on the contacts and a contact wiping action as the lamp or plug was rotated to engage the catch.

I recall a bayonet plug (without wire, of course) being plugged in when a lamp was not needed, by those would were a little more safety-conscious than others. Mind you, I also recall multiple cables coming out of some of the 2-pin plugs which were plugged into such adapters!

Kind Regards, John.

 

[ericmark]

I seem to remember being told the power and light had a different tariff in early days and using the lighting supply was cheaper. But of course illegal. So the using of a lighting supply saved money.
My dad who's house was built 1952 was proud to have 5 sockets in his house. My grand dad only had two 15A sockets in his house and a wooden fuse box with each fuse holder having spare wire on the back.
Do you remember houses looking like this?

 

[bernardgreen]

I respectfully we stop this particular thread as we are showing our ages

Age is good. Age brings maturity and experience.

Bernard 60+ but still 30 or less in mind and spirit.

 

[JohnW2]

Bernard 60+ but still 30 or less in mind and spirit.

Ditto!

Both my daughters, and hence most of their friends, are 30-ish, and I subconsciously 'identify' with them and their age group, and therefore find it 'confusing' that they often treat/regard me differently from the way the look upon their true contemporaries!

Kind Regards, John.