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Dennison’s Birmingham's first light switch

Dave Riley

Dave Riley

master brummie
I came across this amusing however very dangerous set up in a old copy of Practical Mechanics Magazine, June 1937. Thank the Lord we now have modern Wiring Regulations in place.

I am sure this is obvious, but please, don't try this at home!

Light Switch.jpg
 
Dave Riley said:
I came across this amusing however very dangerous set up in a old copy of Practical Mechanics Magazine, June 1937. Thank the Lord we now have modern Wiring Regulations in place.

I am sure this is obvious, but please, don't try this at home!

View attachment 147978
Click to expand...
Dave, this is a great piece of history, thank you! just think how much for granted we take light switches and how our expectations of them are SO high.........
 
I have a watch in one of their cases. I hope it’s not going to catch fire or give me a shock!

Seriously, 50 volts not so bad, 230 - lethal. I wonder if they had trouble with arcs? No doubt it was d.c. as the word dynamo implies, perhaps they stopped the machine before they used the switches.
 
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Grace Guide say AL Dennison came to England in 1874, but there is a record of a provisional protection patent issue in the London Gazette for February 3, 1872.

In August 1904 the watch case manufacturers at Terrace Road were Messrs Dennison, Wigley and Co. The partnership was dissolved in January 1906.

In 1904 they were summoned for omitting to register an accident. The magistrates indicated that it was the 5th time complaints heard under the factories Act.
 
think this is what was the dennison watch co...not much left of it now

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It looks like the Watch Case Company had two entrances, and mentioned as Villa Road and Terrace Road.
 
The earliest Kellys mention I have (1888) lists only the Terrace Road address, though on the c1889 map it could also have entrance on Villa Road. By the c1904 map below he factory has enlarged towards Villa Road.

map c1904 showing Dennison watch cases , terrace road..jpg
 
The Franklin Dennison mentioned in the article, in the 1901 census, was 47 and born in Boston, USA. He had a son Andrew Dennison (11). They were living at Roxbury, Church Lane, Handsworth and entered as a watch case maker.

By 1960 the Dennison Watch And Case Co. was referred to as Soho Hill. At the death of David Lee Dennison, in May 1963, the Dennison Watch and Case Co. was one of the subsidiaries of Denbro Ltd. Soho Hill

A report in August 1967 says Denbro underwent changes, with Andrew L Dennison remaining on the Board. Denbro Group had been founded in 1936, and Dennison Watch Case Co in 1894 by Aaron L Dennison.

In 1968 Denbro formed a link with Igniters Ltd, specialists in torch ignite systems for large oil and gas burners in power stations and kilns.
 
The newest car in Carolina’s picture is the Mk1 Cortina just under the word “Birmingham”.

The picture can’t be older than late 1962.
 
crikey i did not realise it expanded that much mike...a lot of it is car park space now but this could have been the villa road entrance

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In 1881 Franklin Dennison (27) was at Villa Road with father Aaron, and both were watch case makers. 1883 Kelly’s gives Aaron at 27, Villa Road, (North side) the last mentioned before Villa Grove.

Aaron died in 1895 while living at Wretham Road, Handsworth.

By 1911 Franklin was 57 at Cranford, Old Ulverston?, Leamington, with his son Andrew Leslie.
 
In the 1871 Census Aaron was a lodger in Hall Road, Handsworth with William Midgley and down as watch maker.

This draws into question the entry in Grace's Guide that says Aaron moved to England in 1874.
 
Pedrocut said:
In the 1871 Census Aaron was a lodger in Hall Road, Handsworth with William Midgley and down as watch maker.

This draws into question the entry in Grace's Guide that says Aaron moved to England in 1874.
Click to expand...

hi pedro do you know the number of hall road aaron was at...reason i ask is because we have a forum member who used to live at no 8 hall road...

thanks

lyn
 
The 1871 census doesn't give the number in Hall Road, but follows on from Eden Lodge and Fairfield House. The 1890 Map shows the W side with several houses, much more than the E side.

1883 Kelly starts Hall Road from the Villa Road end and with odd numbers up to 153.The even numbers are shown
in the thumbnail.

368C4940-C725-4548-ABA9-FD6CCAFEE980.jpeg
 
Pedrocut said:
In 1881 Franklin Dennison (27) was at Villa Road with father Aaron, and both were watch case makers. 1883 Kelly’s gives Aaron at 27, Villa Road, (North side) the last mentioned before Villa Grove.

Aaron died in 1895 while living at Wretham Road, Handsworth.

By 1911 Franklin was 57 at Cranford, Old Ulverston?, Leamington, with his son Andrew Leslie.
Click to expand...

map of no 27 villa road..as suspected all gone now such a shame as i would imagine they were nice houses

villa road num 27 2.jpg
 
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