On 13 Apr 2012 16:28:57 GMT, Bob Eager wrote:

On Fri, 13 Apr 2012 15:06:01 +0100, Graham. wrote:

On 13 Apr 2012 13:05:57 GMT, John Stumbles
wrote:

My mum's got one of those contraptions of 4 strips of wood suspended
from a pair of metal hangers, raised and lowered from pulleys screwed
into the ceiling by sash-cord-type rope. She's getting on and finding it
hard to manage the weight so I'm thinking of some sort of winch which
would give her a mechanical advantage, or maybe even some sort of
electric gizmo. My Google-fu isn't winning he anyone have any
suggestions for sources of suitable devices?

We had one in the house where I grew up 1950s/60s, but I never knew
until now what it was called.

I think we just called ours "the rack".

"Sheila Maid" is probably a brand name, but that's what we call ours.

http://www.nutscene.com/store/category.vc?categoryId=1



Often known alternatively in the North of England as a creel.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sheila_Maid

I can't find any corroboration for this though.

A creel is also a fisherman's basket.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Creel_(basket)


--
Graham.
%Profound_observation%