tony sayer wrote:

Thank god for the 1974 health and safety at work
act!, double insulation, and RCD's)

The 1989 Electricity at Work Regulations and regular inspection and
testing in particular.

In those days RCD's were almost unheard of but had one been in place it
would have repeatedly tripped and shown up the "earth" fault.

Errr, why would the RCD have tripped because of an open-circuit earth in
the wiring? (I.e. it wouldn't.)

--
Andy