Local History
The Bradford Mangle sold by George Dunn ironmonger in Tavistock
ironmongery business of Messrs. Arnold in 1864 and successfully built- up a substantial ironmongery and plumbing trade.
Gazette of the 29th May 1892 on the occasion of the Devon County Show held at Tavistock reported:
exhibited a large show of wares, especially noticeable among them being an enamelled bath with improved plate fittings, brass leads and iron pumps, patent ‘Deluge’ water closet, with water cisterns showing their action, mangles, cooking ranges, lawn mowers, garden rollers, garden chairs, carpet sweepers and other useful household articles.’
allowed him to live in style at Rydal Mount, one of the smart villas in Courtenay Road, Tavistock. He also made a major contribution to the public life of the town, being Liberal in politics, non-conformist in religion and total abstainer in habits. His
William Baker’s business success ‘Mr W.E. Baker of Tavistock The Tavistock
W.E. Baker Mangle in the Museum The Baden-Powell mangle
many offices included being Vice- chairman of the Grammar School, Superintendent of the Wesleyan Church, Chairman of the Trustees of Mrs. Marshall’s Homes, Trustee of the Starr-Bowkett Building Society, Director of Tavistock Printing Company, a member of the Tavistock Parish Council and later the Urban Council. For these many services to the community he was appointed a county magistrate in January 1907 but died shortly afterwards in April 1907. His funeral in true Edwardian style was one of the largest witnessed in the town, and he was buried in the Dolvin Road cemetery, Tavistock.
Tavistock’, a furnishing and building ironmonger whose premises were at 7 Duke Street, Tavistock, now the W. H. Smiths shop. In his adverts George Dunn claimed to be a ‘practical plumber, gasfitter, and tinman’, and ‘agent for Bradford’s mangles and wringers’. Crossed compasses are an
On another is cast ‘G. Dunn,
interesting feature on the side of the Dunn mangle, possibly indicative of Masonic connections. At the time of his death in 1900 at the age of 97 George Dunn was considered to have been the oldest inhabitant of the town. As a young man he had opened an ironmongers shop in Lower Market Street but in the mid-1860s when the Pannier Market complex was built moved to 7 Duke Street, a premier location in the town. Both George Dunn and William Baker were enthusiasts for newspaper advertising and if you look at any late nineteenth century edition of the Tavistock Gazette you will see large adverts for both ironmongers, sometimes on the same page and sometimes with very similar household products. George Dunn seems to have been a well respected tradesman but unlike his business rival was a very private man who does not appear to have had any interest in town organisations. He too was buried in the Dolvin Road cemetery, Tavistock.
I am grateful to Diana Lawer for sending me a postcard featuring humourous and sentimental images of mangles.
photograph of the beautifully restored Robert Baden-Powell mangle. Perhaps advertisers at the time of the Boer War saw the association between wringing the laundry and successfully defending Mafeking but it eludes me.
Also, for the fascinating
The Tavistock Museum re-opens on Easter Saturday 30th March 2013. Our featured exhibitions this season are ‘Commemorating the Arrival of the 29th Infantry Division of the US Army Seventy Years Ago’ and the ‘Duke’s Town of Tavistock’
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