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  Emanuel Spence Ltd and it's relationship with the History and People of Middlesbrough
 

Heating products were not always as we have seen today and certainly did not have the same ease of use.

Whilst gas had been introduced for lighting and even  for some early cookers in 1925 the majority of home owners were still using coal fires for heating with back boiler units for hot water.

However Companies such as The Beeston Boiler Company and The Ideal Boiler Company of Hull were starting to introduce coal and coke fired boilers for Domestic use.

The picture to the left shows a Beeston Robin Hood boiler along with such smaller versions as the 'New Royal' and others were state of the art in their time.

Note the similarity to a ships or steam engine boiler

Families who had heating in the early days would have staff to clean the heating boiler and fire the same.

 

David Spence is seen on the right on the 17th May 1961 receiving the first domestic delivery of Heating Oil in Middlesbrough.

The heating boiler was a Wilson Oilheat 'state of the art' heating boiler. Oil fired central heating was no longer a far off dream of the housewife, but an every day reality, which was well within the means of the man in the street. For the housewife with this form of heating, the dirty chore of cleaning out the fireplace each day is banished, there is no more running backwards and forwards to fetch fuel, the drudgery of dusting is lightened, and throughout the home there is an all over feeling of warmth and hospitality. and a warm home is a happy home.

Gas arrives from the sea

The third generation

Oil has arrived in Middlesbrough

Changing times and products

 

 

John Spence took over in 1980 as soon as he left University and was appointed Managing Director soon after, however a great deal of work had to be undertaken. The company only had two vans, and John even discovered that their premises had been rented for many years from a family member, the working practices were also still firmly grounded in the 1950's.
Gas arrived in peoples houses for gas fires and cookers in a larger way in 1925, gas had only been used for lighting in the streets prior to this or for lighting in some wealthy houses.

By the 1960's gas was being discovered in the North Sea and a new revolution in home heating was arriving.

In 1967 the conversion to North Sea gas was well underway and this was a major breakthrough - it was the most organised thing the country had undertaken since the second world war and provided home owners with clean cheap heating bringing 'Central Heating' to millions.

A third generation in a family business is a rare event, however John came into the business as a result of David Spence's ill health.

John Spence had been educated at St Peter's School in York and graduated from Manchester University with a First class degree in Electrical Engineering and Electronics - and seemed destined to become a boffin of some description.

However, John's new career was cut short as his father David took ill and John returned to the Business on a temporary basis, it then became evident that his father was not going to be well enough to come back to work and John went on holiday to think about the future of the business.

On his return John offered his father 'a great deal  ' or so he thought !

He could retire, keep his salary and have a new car every three years and John would keep the balance. David snapped his hand off and retired. Little did John know there was no balance to keep !

The reality of course was a little different .....  the home usually smelt of oil, the services were a messy dirty business and occasionally the new 'state of the art heating boiler' would decided to explode internally due to build up of oil and cover the garden in oily soot - at least it was not the same  inside as with coal fires !