Standard Telephones and Cables Pty Ltd was a telecommunications company that began as part of Western Electric, a telephone manufacturing company set up by Alexander Graham Bell. Following the First World War, Western Electric diversified to include electric generators and wireless receivers, all still imported. In 1925, Western Electric was sold to the International Telephone and Telegraph Company. In Australia, it became known as Standard Telephones and Cables (Australasia) They worked closely the Postmaster Generals department to set up telephone and radio networks throughout Australia. Its first factory was in Chippendale, New South Wales but ut developed to have branches in all stated of Australia. By the end of the Second World War STC was Australia's biggest manufacturer due to its critical role in producing telecommunications equipment, domestic radio receivers, telecom cables, military equipment and electron tubes. The company returned to peacetime manufacture. Rather than reduce staff it used its excess capacity to produce electric irons and other domestic appliances including vacuum cleaners and floor polishers. This model was produced at the beginning of the 1950s. It was once owned by Mr. Stiff from Stiff and Gannon, Wodonga.This item has local and national significance. It was used in a local Wodonga business and is representative of domestic appliances used in the 1950s. It also has national significance as it is an excellent example of good produced by the manufacturing industry in Australia during that period.Model 30 Airzone Vacuum Cleaner and accessories. Manufactured in AustraliaMetal logo for Airzone including engine specificationsdomestic appliances, standard telephones and cables pty ltd

Vacuum cleaners have been part of the household for many years. Beginning as simple tools blowing the dust to the current sucking up the dust and being powered by electricity. From the shape of a barrel to those that stand upright, from being fitted onto a 'sled' to those with wheels and from heavy to light.Used by a resident in the Kiewa Valley Electrolux cannister steel vacuum with leather handle at the top, the electric socket (and cut power cord attached) at one end and the cloth covered hose at the other end. Two steel extension handles, hose and cord works. Parts with combination dusting and upholstery tool and hardwood floor dust mop and refrigerator crevice tool. The cannister sits on a 'sled' of two long rods on each side.Hand written on the cannister "1932 Model" "Electro / lux / Made in Sweden / Design Nr B156 Registered" on top On bottom "Ser 1234 No. 1456 / Volt Watt" ....(not legible)electrolux, vacuum cleaner 1932

Electrolux vacuum cleanercleaning, houshold item

Used by the Uebergang family of Tooram Park, Allansford.Upright hand-propelled vacuum cleaner has a canvas bag suspended by a spring with stencilled brand name and two rear wheels.Vacuette Special/ Model C Serial number 597887 Distributed by Sole Distributors/Vacuette Distributing Company, London Stores bldg., Melbourne, Australia/Guaranteed service.allansford, uebergang, vacuette, london stores, scott & fetzer, cleaning equipment, vacuum cleaners

Found on nature strip in Blackburn South at the time of indestructible rubbish collectionA red vinyl barrel-shaped vacuum cleaner with red material hose and black plastic ends. Later addition is the metal tube and plastic nozzleElectrolux - World Famous 300Wdomestic items, cleaning

Set of 6 photographs of equipment fitted to the MMTB vacuum tram or suction car No. 6 that was used to vacuum sand and dirt from the Melbourne tracks. Built by the MMTB at Preston Workshops in 1963 and used until 1973 when replaced by a road vehicle. See page 78 of Destination City for further details. 1 - shows the roof mounted equipment 2 - side dust tanks 3 - equipment in the centre section of the tram 4 - vacuum motors and air tanks 5 -probably main suction unit 6 - equipment and pipework in centre of tram.Yields information about the MMTB Vacuum or suction tram No. 6 and some of its equipment.Set of 6 black and white prints on plain paper.tramways, works trams, vacuum tram, suction car, tram 6

Hand operated Bellows vacuum cleaner. Previously #27 The “Baby Daisy” Vacuum Cleaner is constructed from timber, steel and leather bellows. It has a carry handle fixed to the top. The base is approx. 500mm x 250mm. The height is approx 400mm. On one side is a bracket for a handle (missing) used to operate the bellows. The device is mounted on a foot plate that is split. On one side of the bellows is a circular metal detachable hatch, fixed by wing-nuts. This has a central hole for a tube (missing). Attached internally to this hatch is a cloth dust collection bag. The metal hatch has the following moulded words arranged in a circular fashion. 'DAISY Vacuum Cleaner). There are two brass plates fixed to the side of the cleaner above the hatch. These plates are stamped with 'Rd. No. 518080 and Rd. No. 530353' Gold printed Labels on the side say the following. BABY DAISER Vacuum Cleaner. Registered England. No. 518080/7 No. 530353/08 Trade Mark No.294851 /07 Designs France No. 25469/08 Germany No. 330219 / 08 Further Patents applied for. In the centre of the label is a picture of a Daisy Flower. With the words Iles Patent. This is surrounded by a ribbon with the words. 'The Daisy Registered Trade Mark'. On one side near the base of the cleaner the number '7749' is stamped into the metal.fBaby Daisydomestic equipment, cleaning, vacuum cleaner

The Anti-moth crystals were sold with the Electrolux Vacuum, along with the many other attachments, including the vaporiser. The crystals were made of paradichlorobenzene which is used in mothballs. Electrolux, founded in Sweden, has been manufacturing vacuum cleaners since 1919. Electrolux Pty Ltd used 'door to door' salesmen to sell their labour saving products to housewives in the City of Moorabbin and throughout Victoria c 1950 Metal tin with blue metal lid and red and white labelFRONT: Electrolux Anti-Moth Crystals. BACK: Poisonous - Not to be taken - Electrolux Pty. Ltd., Melbourne - When used in conjunction with the vaporiser supplied with the Electrolux cleaner in this tin, Electrolux anti-moth crystals will destroy moths and moth larvae and are also effective against silverfish and other similar pests. Crystals or vapour will not harm fabrics in any way. Keep tin in cool place. - Kills Mothscleaning, anti-moth crystals, electrolux, vacuum cleaner

This item is part of the Federation University Art Collection. The Art Collection features over 2000 works and was listed as a 'Ballarat Treasure' in 2007.Framed painting of a woman in green dress holding a vacuum cleaner.art, artwork, neville bunning, domestic goddess, available

In Slovenia, there were no vacuum cleaners until 1970s to perform the jobs so housewives have been beating the dust out of mattresses, blankets and carpetsA woven wooden(willow wood tied together with wire) dust beater to be used in spring cleaning for beating the carpets, mattresses and blankets, dust beater, willow wood, cleaning mattresses, blankets, carpets

Crafty drank all of the mixture by the time they unlocked Room Z, and felt himself deflating down and down, shorter and shorter, thinner and thinner, to the size of a centipede. The Dogtor saw a little black wriggling thing slipping out the crack under the door. Crafty was swept up into the moving vacuum cleaner by the cleaning lady. The Dogtor took the package of dust form the cleaning lady so he could drop it off at the police station.The Flying Dogtor" series was broadcast on Australian Television Network (later becoming the Seven Network) between February and April 1964 (see item D254 for schedule).Handwritten, foolscap, 2 pagesThe title is crossed out. Many edits.the flying dogtor, robin boyd, crawford productions, manuscript

00373.1 Letter dated 30 January 1943 to W.G.Thomson enclosing a list of items that the Hostel wished to purchase and a cheque for £88/19/- in payment. It also requests the vendor considers adding items such as garden tools and hoses for sale, as Legacy would "find it difficult to obtain these items at present". 00373.2 The List of Articles available for purchase by Legacy Club. Broken down room by room. Included items such as curtains, linoleum, vacuum cleaner, kitchen table and chairs, roller for the tennis court and a stepladder. A record of written correspondence regarding purchasing furniture and items for the first hostel established by Legacy in 1943.00373.1 Blue quarto copy paper, black type, two hole punched. 00373.2 White foolscap paper, black type, two hole punched.00373.1 Initialled illegible on behalf of the Chairman - Hostel Committee. 00373.2 Tick marks in pencil alongside some itemsholmbush administration, residences

The Anti-moth crystals were sold with the Electrolux Vacuum, along with the many other attachments, including the vaporiser. The crystals were made of paradichlorobenzene which is used in mothballs. Electrolux, founded in Sweden, has been manufacturing vacuum cleaners since 1919. On the back of the tin - 'Poisonous - Not to be taken - Electrolux Pty. Ltd., Melbourne - When used in conjunction with the vaporiser supplied with the Electrolux cleaner in this tin, Electrolux anti-moth crystals will destroy moths and moth larvae and are also effective against silverfish and other similar pests. Crystals or vapour will not harm fabrics in any way. Keep tin in cool place. - Kills Moths'A small empty vintage red, white and blue round lidded tin, 'Electrolux Anti-Moth Crystals'. The brand is printed in blue text on the middle white and red bands of the tin, with a moth shape included. The manufacturer is printed inside a white star shape on the blue lid. Detailed instructions for use is printed on the back in blue and red lettering. 'Electrolux Anti-Moth Crystals'. On the back of the tin printed in red 'POISONOUS - Not to be taken Electrolux Pty. Ltd. Melbourne' Full details for use is also provided. vacuum cleaners, cleaning equipment, domestic equipment, electrolux

Documents relating to Holmbush 1267 Burke Road (corner of Burke Rd and Stokes Ave). 00375.1 Appears to be notes of a meeting with 4 main action points. 1. Offer Thompson list price for furniture. 2. Sewerage work needs to be done now. 3. Number of beds required and to approach Henry Palmer (see separate item). 4. re McVilly -obscure reference. 00375.2 "Inventory of Furniture etc." with prices (currently in the house, for purchase from W.G.Thompson). Broken down room by room. Included items such as curtains, vacuum cleaner, roller for the tennis court and a stepladder. 00375.3 "Schedule of Equipment" with numbers required to be acquired. Notes in pencil alongside some items.A record of prices and quantities of furniture and items required for the first hostel established by Legacy in 1943.00375.1 White quarto copy paper, handwritten notes in pencil, two hole punched. 00375.2 White foolscap paper, black type, two hole punched. 00375.3 White foolscap paper, black type, two hole punched.00375.1 Numbered items of actions required. 00375.2 Pencil marks and numbers tallying costs 00375.3 Tick marks and notes in pencil alongside some itemsholmbush administration, residences

The history of Hoover dates back to the early 1900s and directly to Mr. James M. Spangler, an American janitor who invented the first vacuum cleaner to assist in dealing with his asthma. Originally founded in Ohio in 1908, Hoover Limited became a registered company in the United Kingdom in 1919. The first factory, in Perivale, Middlesex, England, opened in 1932. Hoover became the undisputed leader in the floor-cleaning market, so much so that in USA vacuuming became referred to as “hoovering”. This model was widely advertised in Australia from 1952 to 1958. Advertisements referred to it as “The Wonderful Hoover Floor Polisher”. It came complete with Scrubbers, Felt Pads, Lambswool Pads and Built - in Head Light and in 1952 sold for £32/8/-, or could be purchased with a deposit of £8 and weekly payments of 15/-. They claimed that the Hoover Polisher would take the drudgery out a woman’s work and appealed to men by saying the lambswool pads could be used to perfectly polish the headlights and duco of cars.This item is represented of domestic appliances used throughout Australia in the 1950s and 1960sAn upright Hoover electric polisher made from die-cast aluminium with Bakelite outer casing and electrical components.On plate attached to back: THE HOOVER ELECTRIC POLISHER MODEL 0212A./TRADE MARK D.C. OR A.C. 0-60) CYCLES VOLTS / 300 WATTS RATING SERIAL NOPF 533695 PROTECTED BY PATENTS, REGISTERED DESIGNS AND TRADE MARKS IN GREAT BRITAIN AND THE PRINCIPAL COUNTRIES OF THE WORLD MADE BY HOOVER LTD. GREAT BRITAINhoover appliances, domestic appliances

The Tilley lamp & heaters derives from John Tilley’s invention of the hydro-pneumatic blowpipe in 1813 in England. W. H. Tilley were manufacturing pressure lamps at their works in Stoke Newington in 1818, and Shoreditch, in the 1830s. The company moved to Brent Street in Hendon in 1915 during World War I, and started to work with paraffin (kerosene) as a fuel for the lamps. During World War I Tilley lamps were used by the British armed forces, and became so popular that Tilley became used as a generic name for a kerosene lamp in many parts of the world, in much the same way as Hoover is used for vacuum cleaners. During the 1920s the company had diversified into domestic lamps, and had expanded rapidly after orders from railway companies. After World War II fears about the poisonous effect of paraffin fumes, and widely available electricity, reduced demand for domestic use. The company moved from Hendon to Ireland in the early 1960s, finally settling in Belfast. It moved back to England in 2000.Item is significant as it was an early form of portable heating used in a domestic situation or any small room that required to be heated. This item fell out of use when electricity and electric heater became more available and affordable. Tilley kerosene pressure heater with large reflector dish. Fuel tank painted cream and wooden handle.Tilleyflagstaff hill, warrnambool, flagstaff-hill-maritime-museum, maritime-museum, shipwreck-coast, flagstaff-hill-maritime-village, kerosene heater, tilley lamps, john tilley, pressure heater, domestic use

The Tilley lamp derives from John Tilley’s invention of the hydro-pneumatic blowpipe in 1813 in England. W. H. Tilley were manufacturing pressure lamps at their works in Stoke Newington in 1818, and Shoreditch, in the 1830s. The company moved to Brent Street in Hendon in 1915 during World War I, and started to work with paraffin (kerosene) as a fuel for the lamps. During World War I Tilley lamps were used by the British armed forces, and became so popular that Tilley became used as a generic name for a kerosene lamp in many parts of the world, in much the same way as Hoover is used for vacuum cleaners. During the 1920s the company had diversified into domestic lamps, and had expanded rapidly after orders from railway companies. After World War II fears about the poisonous effect of paraffin fumes, and widely available electricity, reduced demand for domestic use. The company moved from Hendon to Ireland in the early 1960s, finally settling in Belfast. The company moved back to England in 2000.A significant item demonstrating the early use of kerosene under pressure as a lighting medium. These types of lamps were made by a company whose products became synonymous with oil lamps generally. Lamps that were used commercially, domestically and by the armed forces of many countries during the first and second world wars.Tilley Searchlight Projector, or search lamp, made in Hendon, England 1935. Metal kerosene pressure search lamp, glass front, fixed mirror at back, wooden carry handles. Mounted on fuel tank with pressure pump. Lamp has 8 airflow holes in the bottom and a covered outlet on the top. Glass is in 3 pieces, fitting together to make flat circle there is a maker’s plate on the pressure tank. “TILLEY / SEARCHLIGHT PROJECTOR / MADE AT / HENDON, ENGLAND”, “256” handwritten in red on one wooden handle, “9” or “6” hand painted in white on top on lightflagstaff hill, warrnambool, flagstaff hill maritime museum, maritime museum, shipwreck coast, flagstaff hill maritime village, great ocean road, tilley kerosene pressure searchlight, lighting, john tilley, pressure lamps

This business was the first Cleaning Service operating in Wodonga, later branching out into cleaning supplies. The business was owned by Charles De Guara who had migrated to Australia from Malta at the age of 16. After various jobs in Melbourne, marriage to Latvian migrant Maija and three children, he and his family moved to Wodonga in 1971. He initially worked at the Wodonga Meat Works and soon became the union delegate, initiating strike action related to inaccurate practices in recording slaughtered animals which affected workers’ payments. This action successfully secured back pay for the workers. Mr De Guara started his cleaning enterprise in 1981 while still at the meatworks and then became full-time with cleaning in 1983. He set up his showrooms in the former Wodonga Library building in Hugh Street, Wodonga. The business employed up to 25 full and part-time workers with a turn over close to a million dollars annually. In addition to cleaning, Mr De Guara sold carpet cleaning machines and vacuum cleaners to individuals as well as businesses, hospitals and clubs. Due to changed family circumstances, the business closed in the late 1980s. Mr. De Guara moved to the Mornington Peninsula district, where he passed away on 30 June 2022This item has a clear connection to a former Wodonga business.A square clock advertising the "Around 'D Clock Cleaning service. Battery powered with plastic frame and face.In Circle around face: AROUND 'D CLOCK CLEANING SERVICE" In Centre: CARPET CLEANING LOUNGE SUITES & GENERAL CLEANING LICENSED OPERATOR SCOTCHGUARD FABRIC & CARPET Protector PHONE 24 3344wodonga business, charles deguara, cleaning services wodonga

Photograph of MMTB Track cleaner - dust vacuum car No 6 at Preston Workshops. Reference page 76 of Destination City says the tram was built in 1915 by the Prahran and Malvern Tramways Trust as a general works car and rail flusher and further modified by the MMTB adding the vacuum equipment to try to control dust. Became known as No. 6 in 1934. Was out of use from the early 1940s and scrapped in 1948. Photo possibly early to mid 1940s.Yields information about track cleaner No. 6Black and white photograph on paper.trams, tramways, tram 6, track cleaner, preston workshops

The discovery of the first telescope in 1608 can be attributed to Hans Lippershey of the Netherlands when he discovers that holding two lenses up some distance apart bring objects closer. He applies for a patent on his invention and this becomes the first documented creation of a telescope. Then in 1668, Newton produces the first successful reflecting telescope using a two-inch diameter concave spherical mirror. This opened the door to magnifying objects millions of times far beyond what could ever be obtained with a lens. It wasn’t until 1729 that Chester Moor Hall develops an achromatic lens (two pieces of glass with different indices of light refraction combined produce a lens that can focus colours to almost an exact point resulting in much sharper images but still with some distortion around the edges of the image. Then in 1729 Scottish instrument maker James Short invents the first parabolic and elliptic, distortion-less mirror ideal for reflecting telescopes. We now come to John Dollond who improves upon the achromatic objective lens by placing a concave flint glass lens between two convex crown glass lenses. This had the effect of improving the image considerably. Makers Information: John Dollond (1707-1761) London England he was a maker of optical and astronomical instruments who developed an achromatic (non-colour distorting) refracting telescope and practical heliometer. A telescope that used a divided lens to measure the Sun’s diameter and the angles between celestial bodies. The son of a Huguenot refugees Dollond learned the family trade of silk weaving. He became proficient in optics and astronomy and in 1752 his eldest son, Peter joined his father in an optical business, in 1753 he introduced the heliometer. In the same year, he also took out a patent on his new lenses. He was elected a fellow of the Royal Society in May 1761 but died suddenly in November and his share in the patent passed to his son Peter. In subsequent squabbles between Peter and the many London opticians who challenged his patent, Peter’s consistent position was that, whatever precedents there may have been to his achromatic lenses, his father had independently reached his practical technique on the basis of his theoretical command of Newtonian optics. As a result of maintaining his fathers patent, Dollond s became the leading manufacturer of optical instruments. For a time in the eighteenth and nineteenth century the word 'Dollond' was almost a generic term for telescope rather like 'Hoover; is to vacuum cleaner. Genuine Dollond telescopes were considered to be amongst the best. Peter Dollond (1731-1820) was the business brain behind the company which he founded in Vine Street, Spitalfields in 1750 and in 1752 moved the business to the Strand London. The Dollonds seem to have made both types of telescopes (reflecting and refracting), possessing the technology to produce significant numbers of lenses free of chromatic aberration for refracting telescopes. A Dollond telescope sailed with Captain Cook in 1769 on his voyage to observe the Transit of Venus. Thomas Jefferson and Admiral Lord Nelson were also customers of the Dollonds. Dollond & Co merged with Aitchison & Co in 1927 to form Dollond & Aitchison, the well-known high street chain of opticians, now fully part of Boots Opticians. They no longer manufacture but are exclusively a retail operation.    John Dollond's experiments in optics and how different combinations of lenses refract light and colour gave a better understanding of the divergent properties of lenses. That went on to inform and pave the way for the improvement of our understanding of optics that are represented today. Dollond was referred to in his time as the "Father of practical optics" as a leader in his field he received many prestigious awards. The telescope in the collection is a good example of one of Dollonds early library telescopes and its connection with one of England's 18th-century pioneers in optical development is in itself a significant and an important item to have within the collection. Telescope: one tube ships Day and Night telescope, with a brass inner tube and a timber main tube covered in leather. Made in 1869 by Dolland, London."Dolland London" "Day or Night" "Royal National Life Boat Institution" "1869"flagstaff hill, shipwreck coast, warrnambool, maritime museum, maritime village, telescope, dolland, night and day, royal national life boat instution

This Dollond Day or Nigh telescope was designed to be used in any light conditions, as its name implies. Telescopes are optical instruments designed to make objects appear to be larger or closer. The discovery of the first telescope in 1608 can be attributed to Hans Lippershey of the Netherlands when he discovers that holding two lenses up some distance apart bring objects closer. He applies for a patent on his invention and this becomes the first documented creation of a telescope. Then in 1668, Newton produces the first successful reflecting telescope using a two-inch diameter concave spherical mirror. This opened the door to magnifying objects millions of times far beyond what could ever be obtained with a lens. It wasn’t until 1729 that Chester Moor Hall develops an achromatic lens (two pieces of glass with different indices of light refraction combined produce a lens that can focus colours to almost an exact point resulting in much sharper images but still with some distortion around the edges of the image. Then in 1729 Scottish instrument maker James Short invents the first parabolic and elliptic, distortion-less mirror ideal for reflecting telescopes. We now come to John Dollond who improves upon the achromatic objective lens by placing a concave flint glass lens between two convex crown glass lenses. This had the effect of improving the image considerably. Makers Information: John Dollond (1707-1761) London England he was a maker of optical and astronomical instruments who developed an achromatic (non-colour distorting) refracting telescope and practical heliometer. A telescope that used a divided lens to measure the Sun’s diameter and the angles between celestial bodies. The son of a Huguenot refugees Dollond learned the family trade of silk weaving. He became proficient in optics and astronomy and in 1752 his eldest son, Peter joined his father in an optical business, in 1753 he introduced the heliometer. In the same year, he also took out a patent on his new lenses. He was elected a fellow of the Royal Society in May 1761 but died suddenly in November and his share in the patent passed to his son Peter. In subsequent squabbles between Peter and the many London opticians who challenged his patent, Peter’s consistent position was that, whatever precedents there may have been to his achromatic lenses, his father had independently reached his practical technique on the basis of his theoretical command of Newtonian optics. As a result of maintaining his fathers patent, Dollond s became the leading manufacturer of optical instruments. For a time in the eighteenth and nineteenth century the word 'Dollond' was almost a generic term for telescope rather like 'Hoover; is to vacuum cleaner. Genuine Dollond telescopes were considered to be amongst the best. Peter Dollond (1731-1820) was the business brain behind the company which he founded in Vine Street, Spitalfields in 1750 and in 1752 moved the business to the Strand London. The Dollonds seem to have made both types of telescopes (reflecting and refracting), possessing the technology to produce significant numbers of lenses free of chromatic aberration for refracting telescopes. A Dollond telescope sailed with Captain Cook in 1769 on his voyage to observe the Transit of Venus. Thomas Jefferson and Admiral Lord Nelson were also customers of the Dollonds. Dollond & Co merged with Aitchison & Co in 1927 to form Dollond & Aitchison, the well-known high street chain of opticians, now fully part of Boots Opticians. They no longer manufacture but are exclusively a retail operation.    John Dollond's experiments in optics and how different combinations of lenses refract light and colour gave a better understanding of the divergent properties of lenses. That went on to inform and pave the way for the improvement of our understanding of optics that is represented today. Dollond was referred to in his time as the "Father of practical optics" as a leader in his field he received many prestigious awards. The telescope in the collection is a good example of one of Dollond's early library telescopes. Its connection with one of England's 18th century pioneers in optical development makes it a significant and an important item to have within the collection.Telescope: Dollond's Telescope, Day or Night model navigational instrument. Telescope is mounted on wooden tripod stand that has folding legs. Brass telescope with leather sheath over barrel, adjustable angle fitting with brass wing nuts that join the legs to the top frame, which is then joined to the telescope pole by an adjustable screw fitting. Manufactured by Dollond, London. Inscription reads "Dollond London, Day or Night" and "DOLLOND LONDON"flagstaff hill, warrnambool, shipwrecked-coast, flagstaff-hill, flagstaff-hill-maritime-museum, maritime-museum, shipwreck-coast, flagstaff-hill-maritime-village, telescope, dollond, dollond london, day & night telescope, floor-standing telescope, optical instrument, john dollond, peter dollond, achromatic telescope, heliometer, light refraction, instrument maker, lens, transit of venus, astronomical telescope, concave lens, library telescope, dollond telescope, day or night, day or night telexcope, scientific instrument, navigation, navigational instrument, astronomy

Made in Australia by Middy's Used by a pioneer family in Moorabbin. Manufactured by Middy's: Arriving in Australia at age 19 by ship at Port Melbourne, Dutch immigrant Petrus Cornelis Nicolaas Middendorp (1891-1963) settled in Melbourne to apply his trade as a cigar maker for the British American Tobacco Co. Retiring from the cigar industry and following his work as an honorary orderly tending WW1 Australian casualties in Paris and Melbourne, Petrus began selling Dutch manufactured light globes, vacuum cleaners and other electrical products imported from Holland and England. Warehousing and sales of the goods were undertaken from 1928 by the ‘Middendorp Goods Supply Company’ initially located in Flinders Lane in Melbourne’s CBD, then moving to McKillop Street, followed by a basement store at 148 Queen Street. During the 1940s a manufacturing plant known as ‘Middendorp and Sons’ was established in the Melbourne suburb of Preston, where Petrus’ three teenage sons Peter, Nick and Hugh joined him. Peter and Hugh worked with a small team of staff to produce rubber plug tops, extension sockets, double adaptors and a small range of bakelite accessories, whilst Nick became the first sales rep calling on customers and construction sites. The products were sold under the brand name of ‘Middy’. A name change of the distribution business took place in the late 40s and Middendorp Electric Company Pty Ltd was officially registered in 1948. The manufacturing operation ceased during the late 50s due to the introduction and acceptance of plastic and injection moulding. However, the Middendorp family had positioned itself to further establish its electrical wholesale business with the first branch and Head Office opening in 1956, located at 520 Latrobe Street, Melbourne. By 1962 there were five trading branches, growing to 25 in 1986 and 101 by 2018 Australia wide. Middendorp Electric, more commonly known as Middy’s and readily identified by its trademark colour of Middy’s pink, has developed into the largest privately owned Electrical Wholesaler in Australia. In 2015 Middy’s acquired Mekolec lifts fire and electrical adding presence and sector expertise in Melbourne’s inner south. In Sep 2018 Middy's acquired Salmon Brothers Electrical, with 5 Branches in Sydney's Metro region and in 2019 they acquired Goulburn Electrical Wholesalers greatly adding to Middy's location coverage in NSW and providing Middy’s the ability to better service NSW contractors. Bakerlite electrical fittingMiddy - Made in Australiamiddy's, moorabbin pioneers, electrical, bakerlite