Here, Robin Longbottom examines how a South Craven village became the centre of production for a new electric washing machine

WHEN mains electricity arrived in Cross Hills and Glusburn towards the end of the 1920s, a host of new household appliances suddenly became available to ease the work of the housewife.

Electric lighting meant that there were no more oil lamps to clean, polish and refill.

The old flat iron, that had to be heated on the stove or fire, could be replaced by an electric one and electric vacuum cleaners largely did away with the dust pan, brush and carpet beater.

However, the most important household labour-saving device was the electric washing machine and for a short while, at least, Cross Hills would be a centre for production.

Ernest Hanson, a motor mechanic and engineer from Bingley, had opened a garage at the bottom of Hall Street shortly after the end of the First World War.

He had an interest in all things mechanical and in between repairing motor vehicles worked on the idea of manufacturing washing machines powered by electricity.

He successfully submitted a patent and with some financial backing from Raymond Clough, a Cross Hills worsted spinning manager, he began the production of the Craven Electric Washer.

His machine was essentially a square tub on legs.

Inside was an agitator with paddles, powered by a ¼ HP electric motor, that beat the dirt out of the washing. On draining the water an electric-powered wringer, with “extra large solid rubber rollers”, could be swung over the tub and the excess water squeezed out of the washing.

Hanson offered his machines to the public at the cash price of £19 and 10 shillings and asserted that “the Craven Electric Washer will do the work equally well as, if not better than, some machines at twice the cost”. Furthermore, it had an operating cost of “one penny per hour, assuming that your electric current costs four pence per unit”. It had castors for easy moving, rustless ball bearings, no exposed belts and was guaranteed for 12 months.

Once in production, a delivery van was purchased with the company name displayed on it.

Allan Riley, who had the bakery in Main Street, purchased a machine.

His son, Cedric, recalled many years later that it had “got a lot of washing done with bakehouse overalls and aprons”.

The main drawback to the machine was the link to the power source – “the machine operates from any electric light connection”.

During the early days of electrification householders had the option of installing an electric lighting circuit and a socket circuit, or just an electric lighting circuit.

Many went for the cheaper option of only installing an electric lighting circuit and therefore to run an appliance you had to remove the light bulb and connect it, via a bayonet plug, into the light fitting.

Dual bayonet plug adaptors were available so that a light bulb and appliance could be connected into the same fitting. The main problem was that there was no earth wire on the lighting circuit and the size of the fuse wire in the fuse box had to be increased if you were running an appliance like a washing machine.

Alan Kidd, a widower of Rose Mount, Sutton, ran a machine similar to the Craven during the 1950s.

His neighbour, Mrs Kettlewell, did his washing for him and was forbidden to enter the wash house without first putting on her wellington boots. The rubber boots would have at least afforded some protection in the event of a short circuit and the machine becoming live.

The final words on the Craven Electric Washer must go to Cedric Riley, who recalled that it “did not really take off” and therefore Ernest Hanson returned to repairing motor vehicles until his retirement.