Heritage Homes - Electricity and Appliances

Being able to transform a cold dark room into one that is warmly inviting and flooded with brilliant light, at the flick of a switch, no longer awes us. We take it for granted - “it” being electricity.

 

Although the first light bulb was invented by Canadian Henry Woodward, Thomas Edison bought the patent and developed it so that by 1879 it was used for street lighting – but little else.

Unless one lived in urban centers, that dazzling display of electricity between the hours of sunset and sunrise meant very little. It was not until it became possible to install electricity in private homes and commercial buildings that things truly began to change. From that came the invention of those labour saving devices known as appliances.

 

Machine assisted appliances such as foot powered treadle sewing machines and hand – cranked clothes wringers had been around for some time but electricity revolutionized them. It is interesting to know that, in spite of the hefty price tags of the initial offerings, the target market for these time saving devices was the middle class woman – not her wealthier counterpart. The latter could afford servants so saving time was not a great issue. Indeed, some servants refused to use them – well knowing that if they finished a task sooner with the aid of one of these time saving marvels, there would simply be more time to work on something else!

 

The middle class woman, on the other hand, was always pressed for time. As more and more women began to work outside the home, first in munitions factories during the war and then later to help the family make ends meet during the Depression, the time available to do their home duties became very scarce. Manufacturers’ advertisements promising them an easier life made appliances appear very alluring.

 

By the mid 1920’s, all appliances that we know today (save the microwave and air conditioner) but including the dishwasher had been invented. According to an American survey on appliance use in 1917 dishwashers were “not needed because dishwashing was good training for girls”. The first electric appliance was the fan, but the most popular of all was the electric iron.

 

As with most inventions, the first appliances were purchased by those who could afford them. They saw appliances as objects of status. However it did not take long for less pricey alternatives to make an appearance. A toaster could be purchased in the 1927 Sears Roebuck catalogue for as much as $4.49 or as little as $1.73.

 

The explosion of house building in the period between WW1 and the Great Depression facilitated the electrification of urban centers on a large scale. Older homes installed electricity where they could. Often this meant having exposed wiring on, not in, existing walls or hidden behind tall baseboards.

In spite of the increasing availability and affordability of electric appliances once again urban dwellers were the ones to benefit. Rural electrification was such a major undertaking in Alberta that projects were handled cooperatively between the province, electric associations comprised of farmers, and private utility companies. Their purpose was to improve the living conditions on farms and electrification was part of that plan. But the process was notoriously slow. In a 1961 Canadian government census 62% of farms had no running water, let alone electricity!

 

In spite of all the advances made, domestic technology has never managed to eliminate housework and probably never will. As with the computer, promises to save us time and simplify our lives have done anything but. In the past, a woman was responsible for feeding her family – which she did either by overseeing servants who did the work or she did it herself. Now, with all the “free” time saved through the use of electric appliances, she was expected to become a gourmet cook. Standards simply changed. Domestic technology simply redefines how housework is organized and done – and it appears little will change in the near future.

 

In heritage homes today it is possible to have all the amenities of a modern kitchen with the look of the past. Appliances such as the refrigerator were built into cabinetry much as they are today so there is plenty of historical precedence. The “Kitchen Aid” of the late 1920’s was a glorified appliance garage / cabinet with an electric outlet built in for convenience.

Freestanding restored vintage or new retro styled appliances also contribute to an authentic looking kitchen. Cupboards can be painted or stained wood. Avoid directional canister lighting, “sunshine” ceilings, or harsh task lighting – they scream 21st century. Pendant lights are a better bet. Avoid overly white kitchens and melamine anything.

 

Maybe once the kitchen is organized into a well oiled, efficient, labour saving machine you will find yourself with some free time on your hands – after all, hope springs eternal.                

Written By Johanne Yakula

Sources: From Times Past Antique Furniture and Accessories

Sign up for our free newsletter and you will get our new articles as soon as they are published.