1950's Lighting

[YoungBart]

Hi All,
I'm sure most of you are far to young to remember the 1950's, But maybe you've got a friend that does....
Basically I am currently working on the electrical design for a redevelopment of the Beamish museum in the North East, One of my tasks is to find info on 1950's fluorescent lighting (preferably batten fittings) but anything would help, Im especially after info on lamp colour and wattage but any info/pics/brochures would be of use. I've emailed a few companies but just wanted to see what you guys could come up with, Any help would be much appreciated .Unfortunately The 50's happened 30years before myself...

Thanks Again
James

 

[telectrix]

fluorescent light in the 50's. we were lucky to have a bulb in the outside bog!

 

[ruston]

It' still the same here Tel.

 

[Midwest]

We used to dream of having an outside bog, we had to use a shoebox in middle of road.

 

[ruston]

We used to dream of having an outside bog, we had to use a shoebox in middle of road.

You were lucky..............

 

[Midwest]

Cardboard box? You were lucky.

 

[ruston]

Me Granny had a tandem dry netty- luxury

 

[cdavies33]

Could always go for some vintage coolie's and fit led Edison screws in them

Large lamp shades | Green enamel light shade | Factorylux

 

[davesparks]

See if you can get hold of a copy of 'Stubbs new electrical encyclopaedia' it was printed in the early 50's so should be of some help.

 

[Deleted member 72666]

The fluorescent tubes that were made and used in the 50's had a bayonet cap at each end as opposed to the bi-pin configuration we have today.I can't remember but I think they were rated at 85 watts for a 5 foot tube. They also needed a 4 pin metal cased starter to get them to strike. If I think on I'll try and post a picture of one tomorrow.

 

[telectrix]

We used to dream of having an outside bog, we had to use a shoebox in middle of road.

shoe box?..... luxury. tasco carrier bag if we were fortunate enough to get one. had to wipe ours arses with the bag, then scoop the poo into it.

 

[telectrix]

Me Granny had a tandem dry netty- luxury

tandem netty? posh. we had 2 holes in the ground, in the middle of the nettles.

 

[Andy78]

When I think of vintage fluorescent lighting I always think of the glass and cast metal explosion proof type fittings you come across in old industrial locations. Would love one of those up in the shed.

 

[Lucien Nunes]

I believe that specific rating became a standard in the first-generation T12s because of the pressure to equip wartime factories with fluos. Lighting makers were already tooled up for low-pressure sodium ballasts and the new fluos were deliberately made compatible with the existing ballast designs.

I can think of a few BC-equipped battens still in use, although with adaptors on bi-pin tubes. I have a small stock of new BC tubes and 4-pin starters, although the later 4-pin starters were just ordinary glow starters between the mushroom pins and the plain pins were just linked across. Originally they used a separate heater and bimetal strip, before the glow tube with its internal bimetal contacts was developed.

Returning to the OP, I do have some 1950s fluorescent lighting catalogues including commercial fittings, from Ekco, Holophane and maybe others. Those two were big in commercial lighting, Ekco especially in fluorescents. I would be happy to do some scans but it's tricky - working 16-20 hours a day 7 days a week at the moment and simply can't undertake to do anything until the pressure eases, I don't even get home at all some weeks to hunt them out. I can ask around my lighting friends when I speak to them though.

 

[Barry White]

When I think of vintage fluorescent lighting I always think of the glass and cast metal explosion proof type fittings you come across in old industrial locations. Would love one of those up in the shed.

victor flameproof flouresent first time I saw a balast without a separate starter thick toughened glass tube 2 1/2" diameter with blue cast parts Still in use at caphouse mining museum near wakefield.