On Monday I wrote about the week's holiday on the Norfolk Broads you could have had for £2 a head. On the same spread in the Radio Times of April 20th, 1928, are many other fascinating advertisements.
These were the days when if you wanted a radio you'd probably build it yourself. Promising "Grand tone and plenty of volume" Ediswan's New R.C. Threesome could have been yours for £2 10s (and an hour's construction time).
You can make this 3-valve set yourself. An hour's work. You can't go wrong. Parts cost only 50/-. Reproduction is beautifully mellow - clear as crystal. Several stations at full Loud Speaker strength. Excellent performance made certain by the Ediswan Valves H.F.210, R.C.2 and P.V.2 - be sure to use them.
Send coupon now for free
Instruction Book and Blue Print.
The same company was also promoting a battery charger:
CHARGE YOUR OWN BATTERIES
with the Ediswan Home Accumulator Charger. Save money - no trouble - for the radio and the car battery.ABSOLUTELY SAFE
All that is necessary is to connect Charger to lampholder or power socket, and to the accumulator to be charged. There is nothing to go wrong. Safe and compact. Full instructions are enclosed with each Charger.Price £2 17 6 Complete
for A.C. Mains only.
I like the "absolutely safe" and "nothing to go wrong". And "safe" again. You wouldn't be able to say that these days, especially with two unprotected valves - made of glass and which get hot - sticking out! Oh, and the complete lack of an electrical earth!
But look at this Wonderful Wireless Offer. A ready-built two-valve set in a polished Oak Cabinet, with matching Loud Speaker on Easy Terms (10/6 down, and a further 14 monthly payments of the same amount (total "easy" cost £7 17s 6d compared with buy now (then) price of £7 17s 6d ... hang on, that's the same! You didn't have to pay any more for credit!)) So that's four people for a week on the Broads, or £1,000 now. See Monday's post if that doesn't make sense.
On the same page there's an Adana Printing Press for 47/- (or £2 5s).
3 comments:
Two quid a head? We could feed a family of fourteen for a month on that and still have enough left for a charabang trip to Barry Island with a stop off for ten pints each on the way home. We had to work ninety seven hours a week for eightpence halfpenny . . . .
You were lucky ...
I enjoyed the first comment.
But it is all relative. What was a typical salary in 1928?
In 1957, we spent a holiday in Austria, hotel, full board, cost including travel was 23 guineas each. But that was nearly 3 times my weekly pay. It was still good value - I expect the pound was stronger then.
H Senior
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