Wooden clock, to commemorate opening of Hoover washing machine factory in Merthyr Tydfil, October 1948

Wooden clock in the shape of a washing machine made to commemorate the opening of the Hoover washing machine factory in Merthyr Tydfil in October 1948

This wooden mantel clock was made to commemorate the opening of the Hoover washing machine factory in Pentrebach, Merthyr Tydfil on 12th October 1948. The clocks were gifts to those who were involved in the opening of the factory - a seminal moment in British production of washing machines by Hoover. The late 1940s and early 1950s saw a programme designed to reinvigorate industry after the end of the Second World War. The opening of this extremely modern factory (in terms of architectural design, operation and market aspiration) was just one of the developments that brought new economic opportunities to the region. The factory also sought to give employment to disabled coal miners. The clock itself is probably manufactured by well-known maker Smiths who made clock mechanisms and timers for many British appliance manufacturers at the time. It is designed in the shape of the brand-new Hoover Mk1 washing machine being specially built at the plant for the British market. Other examples of the clock have white batten numerals and a red 'seconds' hand. It is unknown as to whether this model is missing the 'seconds' hand. The inscription on the front reads ‘Hoover Electric Washing Machine Merthyr Tydfil Factory Opened October 1948’. The Mk1 washing machine was designed to be a good quality, smaller, cheaper machine, capable of fitting into even the smallest (British) house or flat and take all but the largest items of washing. It also touted a fast wash, a high degree of cleanliness and simplicity of maintenance - with easy-clean lines and few moving parts.

The factory opening event was attended by a long list of high-profile guests from public and industrial spheres of life and the programme of events included an evening cabaret event for the factory staff broadcast on the BBC Light Programme. An estimated 20,000 people from Merthyr and the surrounding villages lined the streets to watch VIP guests arrive by train from London for the opening.