Hoover MK1 Washing Machine with ringer

Hoover MK1 washing machine, model 0307, with wringer, made in Pentrebach in the Hoover Factory in 1948.

In 1948, Hoover opened a new factory in Pentrebach, Merthyr Tydfil, South Wales, to manufacture its new line of washing machines. This MK1 was one of the first models produced at the factory. The model was designed to make washing machines more widely available in private homes, at a time when electrical household appliances were limited in availability and affordability. The Pentrebach factory employed 5,000 workers at its height, and played an important role in post-war redevelopment in South Wales. The factory later went on to produce the Sinclair C5 electric vehicle.