Oldest fridge scoops first prize
29/02/2008
Antiques Roadshow move over. Tomorrow's antiques may well be today's household items - especially the ones that keep on working!
A couple in their eighties from the Wirrall have handed over their trusty Bosch fridge of 54 years' loyal service and won a brand new fridge and local celebrity status - thanks to the Mature Times.
It all started last November when Betty and Graham Guntrip entered a competition called "Time To Change" on the Mature Times' website, prompted by a friend. The aim was to find Britain's oldest working fridge, and the winner would be entitled to a brand new energy efficient model. So Betty and Graham eyed up their faithful old Bosch, which they had bought from their uncle's shop in Hull in 1953. It had never needed a repair, and was still going strong. To their amazement, they won - and received a brand new A+ energy rated replacement.
Betty told the Mature Times: "I was sorry to see the Bosch go, really, it was like an old friend. With this new one, I have to stop and think 'where do I put this?' It was getting a bit ropey, but still worked wonderfully, keeping a beautiful temperature at No. 3. Things were built to last then.
"And it never needed repairing - although it iced up quickly which took a whole day to defrost. The new fridge is so big! At first I kept telling Graham that the temperature wasn't right because my lettuces kept getting frozen, but we've changed the now setting and it's fine."
Time To Change wanted to encourage the public to replace their old appliances, thereby saving significant amounts on bills and reducing carbon emissions. What did Betty think of that? "Well, not changing our fridge for a new one meant we didn't contribute to any landfills for over half a century. But, although it makes a little humming noise, it seems to work hard.
"In 1953 the Bosche was our very first appliance - we didn't even have a vacuum cleaner. I still don't have a tumble dryer now, preferring to hang clothes outside or on my old drying rack as I've always done. But housewives in the 1950s were brought up to 'make do and mend' - and I still do. It's fun! I'm not old-fashioned, but I like the old-fashioned ways. And since winning, poor Graham gets teased about being a 'celebrity' everywhere he goes. It's been quite something for us."
Amazingly this is the first competition the Guntrips have ever entered, and if they hadn't been encouraged to use the internet by their children and grandchildren, they would never have known about it. In fact, since their win, their local press and radio stations have received a storm of protest from people who have older appliances - but didn't know about the competition.
Said Betty: "Frankly, if it wasn't for my friend nagging us to enter, we wouldn't have entered."
The Guntrips' new appliance was delivered to them by the Association of Manufacturers of Domestic Appliances' Chief Executive, Douglas Herbison at their Merseyside home. And dear old Bosch went to that great place of recycling in the sky ...
For more information on the Time to Change campaign visit the website linked below.