Knob next to fireplace
There's a knob - like a doorknob - attached to the wall on each side
of the fireplace in my Victorian house. Anyone know what they were for? Attaching a fireguard perhaps? The fireplace in Alice Through The Looking Glass has similar ones: https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikiped...Aliceroom3.jpg -- Richard |
Knob next to fireplace
"Richard Tobin" wrote in message ...
There's a knob - like a doorknob - attached to the wall on each side of the fireplace in my Victorian house. Anyone know what they were for? Attaching a fireguard perhaps? The fireplace in Alice Through The Looking Glass has similar ones: https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikiped...Aliceroom3.jpg -- Richard It would ring a bell in the servants quarters. Usually wire operated via 'bell cranks' . Bell would be mounted on a snail shaped spring so that it rang for a few seconds. Andrew |
Knob next to fireplace
On Fri, 26 Aug 2016 23:02:10 +0100, Andrew Mawson wrote:
"Richard Tobin" wrote in message ... There's a knob - like a doorknob - attached to the wall on each side of the fireplace in my Victorian house. Anyone know what they were for? Attaching a fireguard perhaps? The fireplace in Alice Through The Looking Glass has similar ones: https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikiped...Aliceroom3.jpg -- Richard It would ring a bell in the servants quarters. Usually wire operated via 'bell cranks' . Bell would be mounted on a snail shaped spring so that it rang for a few seconds. We actually bought some years ago but never got round to using them. I still have two brand new bells, pulleys and a 'pull'. From CH Byron, who now seem to have been subsumed into 'Smartwares' and don't do much of that any more. Instead, we now use a conventional doorbell push which pulls an input on an Arduino, which in turn sends a signal to a daemon on the Asterisk box, which then queues immediate calls to ring all the phones in the house with a special cadence. Optionally, it can ring a bell in the garden (controlled by a star code). It's also possible to limit doorbell calls to the two teenagers' rooms for a fixed time (default 30 minutes) so that the 2 a.m. pizza deliveries don't wake us up. I wouldn't have dreamed of this when we bought the mechanical bells in a fit of enthusiasm. -- My posts are my copyright and if @diy_forums or Home Owners' Hub wish to copy them they can pay me Β£1 a message. Use the BIG mirror service in the UK: http://www.mirrorservice.org *lightning surge protection* - a w_tom conductor |
Knob next to fireplace
In article ,
Richard Tobin wrote: There's a knob - like a doorknob - attached to the wall on each side of the fireplace in my Victorian house. Anyone know what they were for? Attaching a fireguard perhaps? The fireplace in Alice Through The Looking Glass has similar ones: https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikiped...Aliceroom3.jpg a bell pull (wire operated) to call for a servant. -- from KT24 in Surrey, England |
Knob next to fireplace
On 27/08/2016 08:19, Chris Hogg wrote:
On Fri, 26 Aug 2016 21:57:14 +0000 (UTC), (Richard Tobin) wrote: There's a knob - like a doorknob - attached to the wall on each side of the fireplace in my Victorian house. Anyone know what they were for? Attaching a fireguard perhaps? The fireplace in Alice Through The Looking Glass has similar ones: https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikiped...Aliceroom3.jpg -- Richard I'm tempted to suggest that you try pulling your knob to see what happens, but such a suggestion might be misconstrued... But be gentle! Some of them only respond when *turned*. -- Robin reply-to address is (intended to be) valid |
Knob next to fireplace
Maybe some kind of spoof cupboards were fitted in some houses to look like
the place is bigger? Brian -- ----- - This newsgroup posting comes to you directly from... The Sofa of Brian Gaff... Blind user, so no pictures please! "Richard Tobin" wrote in message ... There's a knob - like a doorknob - attached to the wall on each side of the fireplace in my Victorian house. Anyone know what they were for? Attaching a fireguard perhaps? The fireplace in Alice Through The Looking Glass has similar ones: https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikiped...Aliceroom3.jpg -- Richard |
Knob next to fireplace
I think these are mostly dummies though.
I wonder if there was a speaking tube as well? Brian -- ----- - This newsgroup posting comes to you directly from... The Sofa of Brian Gaff... Blind user, so no pictures please! "Andrew Mawson" wrote in message ... "Richard Tobin" wrote in message ... There's a knob - like a doorknob - attached to the wall on each side of the fireplace in my Victorian house. Anyone know what they were for? Attaching a fireguard perhaps? The fireplace in Alice Through The Looking Glass has similar ones: https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikiped...Aliceroom3.jpg -- Richard It would ring a bell in the servants quarters. Usually wire operated via 'bell cranks' . Bell would be mounted on a snail shaped spring so that it rang for a few seconds. Andrew |
Knob next to fireplace
On 26/08/16 22:57, Richard Tobin wrote:
There's a knob - like a doorknob - attached to the wall on each side of the fireplace in my Victorian house. Anyone know what they were for? Attaching a fireguard perhaps? The fireplace in Alice Through The Looking Glass has similar ones: https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikiped...Aliceroom3.jpg -- Richard used to be for summoning the servants IIRC -- it should be clear by now to everyone that activist environmentalism (or environmental activism) is becoming a general ideology about humans, about their freedom, about the relationship between the individual and the state, and about the manipulation of people under the guise of a 'noble' idea. It is not an honest pursuit of 'sustainable development,' a matter of elementary environmental protection, or a search for rational mechanisms designed to achieve a healthy environment. Yet things do occur that make you shake your head and remind yourself that you live neither in Joseph Stalins Communist era, nor in the Orwellian utopia of 1984. Vaclav Klaus |
Knob next to fireplace
"Andrew Mawson" Wrote in
message: "Richard Tobin" wrote in message ... There's a knob - like a doorknob - attached to the wall on each side of the fireplace in my Victorian house. Anyone know what they were for? Attaching a fireguard perhaps? The fireplace in Alice Through The Looking Glass has similar ones: https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikiped...Aliceroom3.jpg -- Richard It would ring a bell in the servants quarters. Usually wire operated via 'bell cranks' . Bell would be mounted on a snail shaped spring so that it rang for a few seconds. Andrew Precisely what my paternal grandparents had in their Edinburgh flat. Better than that, there were six brass knobs, one for each flat by the front door, and a big brass lever on each landing that lifted the latch downstairs. -- %Profound_observation% ----Android NewsGroup Reader---- http://usenet.sinaapp.com/ |
Knob next to fireplace
Robin Wrote in message:
On 27/08/2016 08:19, Chris Hogg wrote: On Fri, 26 Aug 2016 21:57:14 +0000 (UTC), (Richard Tobin) wrote: There's a knob - like a doorknob - attached to the wall on each side of the fireplace in my Victorian house. Anyone know what they were for? Attaching a fireguard perhaps? The fireplace in Alice Through The Looking Glass has similar ones: https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikiped...Aliceroom3.jpg -- Richard I'm tempted to suggest that you try pulling your knob to see what happens, but such a suggestion might be misconstrued... But be gentle! Some of them only respond when *turned*. Public school? -- Jim K ----Android NewsGroup Reader---- http://usenet.sinaapp.com/ |
Knob next to fireplace
On Friday, 26 August 2016 23:00:03 UTC+1, Richard Tobin wrote:
There's a knob - like a doorknob - attached to the wall on each side of the fireplace in my Victorian house. Anyone know what they were for? Attaching a fireguard perhaps? The fireplace in Alice Through The Looking Glass has similar ones: https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikiped...Aliceroom3.jpg -- Richard To summon your man servant. Or the maid. Might be electrical or mechanical in operation. Before WW2 even quite small houses had some sort of servant. |
Knob next to fireplace
In article ,
Chris Hogg wrote: There's a knob - like a doorknob - attached to the wall on each side of the fireplace in my Victorian house. Anyone know what they were for? Attaching a fireguard perhaps? The fireplace in Alice Through The Looking Glass has similar ones: https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikiped...Aliceroom3.jpg I'm tempted to suggest that you try pulling your knob to see what happens, but such a suggestion might be misconstrued... Sadly, it no longer has any moving parts. -- Richard |
Knob next to fireplace
In article ,
Richard Tobin wrote: There's a knob - like a doorknob - attached to the wall on each side of the fireplace in my Victorian house. Anyone know what they were for? Attaching a fireguard perhaps? The fireplace in Alice Through The Looking Glass has similar ones: https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikiped...Aliceroom3.jpg Thanks for everyone's replies. Now I know what it is, I can find photos of more complete examples, e.g. http://www.englishsalvage.co.uk/serv...dle_item_14937 On my wall only the fixed central knobs survive. -- Richard |
Knob next to fireplace
In article ,
harry wrote: On Friday, 26 August 2016 23:00:03 UTC+1, Richard Tobin wrote: There's a knob - like a doorknob - attached to the wall on each side of the fireplace in my Victorian house. Anyone know what they were for? Attaching a fireguard perhaps? The fireplace in Alice Through The Looking Glass has similar ones: https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikiped...Aliceroom3.jpg -- Richard To summon your man servant. Or the maid. Might be electrical or mechanical in operation. Before WW2 even quite small houses had some sort of servant. my parents' 1939 house had electric bells installed -- from KT24 in Surrey, England |
Knob next to fireplace
In article ,
Sam Plusnet wrote: In article , says... In article , Richard Tobin wrote: There's a knob - like a doorknob - attached to the wall on each side of the fireplace in my Victorian house. Anyone know what they were for? Attaching a fireguard perhaps? The fireplace in Alice Through The Looking Glass has similar ones: https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikiped...Aliceroom3.jpg a bell pull (wire operated) to call for a servant. Probably, although having two of them, only a few feet apart, seems like serious overkill. no, a "his" beel and a "her" bell. -- from KT24 in Surrey, England |
Knob next to fireplace
Richard Tobin wrote:
There's a knob - That'll be Harry pointing out how inefficient it is at attracting subsidies... Tim -- Trolls AND TROLL FEEDERS all go in my kill file |
Knob next to fireplace
On Saturday, 27 August 2016 20:50:57 UTC+1, charles wrote:
Probably, although having two of them, only a few feet apart, seems like serious overkill. no, a "his" beel and a "her" bell. If sufficiently grand, they might be separate bells for Footman or Parlour-Maid. In a bedroom Valet or Lady's-Maid, although that would be more common in hotels. Owain |
Knob next to fireplace
Tim+ wrote in :
Richard Tobin wrote: There's a knob - That'll be Harry pointing out how inefficient it is at attracting subsidies... Tim Is it just possible they could be controls for a damper device in the flue? |
Knob next to fireplace
In message , at 20:35:42 on Sat,
27 Aug 2016, Sam Plusnet remarked: The fireplace in Alice Through The Looking Glass has similar ones: https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikiped...Aliceroom3.jpg a bell pull (wire operated) to call for a servant. Probably, although having two of them, only a few feet apart, seems like serious overkill. One is on the "normal" side of the fireplace, the other on the "mirror image" side. -- Roland Perry |
Knob next to fireplace
charles wrote:
In article , Sam Plusnet wrote: In article , says... In article , Richard Tobin wrote: There's a knob - like a doorknob - attached to the wall on each side of the fireplace in my Victorian house. Anyone know what they were for? Attaching a fireguard perhaps? The fireplace in Alice Through The Looking Glass has similar ones: https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikiped...Aliceroom3.jpg a bell pull (wire operated) to call for a servant. Probably, although having two of them, only a few feet apart, seems like serious overkill. no, a "his" beel and a "her" bell. Why does he have a beel and she a bell :) |
Knob next to fireplace
On 28/08/16 09:47, F Murtz wrote:
charles wrote: In article , Sam Plusnet wrote: In article , says... In article , Richard Tobin wrote: There's a knob - like a doorknob - attached to the wall on each side of the fireplace in my Victorian house. Anyone know what they were for? Attaching a fireguard perhaps? The fireplace in Alice Through The Looking Glass has similar ones: https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikiped...Aliceroom3.jpg a bell pull (wire operated) to call for a servant. Probably, although having two of them, only a few feet apart, seems like serious overkill. no, a "his" beel and a "her" bell. Why does he have a beel and she a bell :) I could tell you, but then Id have to kill you -- it should be clear by now to everyone that activist environmentalism (or environmental activism) is becoming a general ideology about humans, about their freedom, about the relationship between the individual and the state, and about the manipulation of people under the guise of a 'noble' idea. It is not an honest pursuit of 'sustainable development,' a matter of elementary environmental protection, or a search for rational mechanisms designed to achieve a healthy environment. Yet things do occur that make you shake your head and remind yourself that you live neither in Joseph Stalins Communist era, nor in the Orwellian utopia of 1984. Vaclav Klaus |
Knob next to fireplace
On Sun, 28 Aug 2016 18:47:06 +1000, F Murtz
wrote: charles wrote: In article , Sam Plusnet wrote: In article , says... In article , Richard Tobin wrote: There's a knob - like a doorknob - attached to the wall on each side of the fireplace in my Victorian house. Anyone know what they were for? Attaching a fireguard perhaps? The fireplace in Alice Through The Looking Glass has similar ones: https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikiped...Aliceroom3.jpg a bell pull (wire operated) to call for a servant. Probably, although having two of them, only a few feet apart, seems like serious overkill. no, a "his" beel and a "her" bell. Why does he have a beel and she a bell :) An affectation he acquired after the 2nd Boer War. Trust you to mention it! -- Graham. %Profound_observation% |
Knob next to fireplace
In article ,
says... In article , Sam Plusnet wrote: In article , says... In article , Richard Tobin wrote: There's a knob - like a doorknob - attached to the wall on each side of the fireplace in my Victorian house. Anyone know what they were for? Attaching a fireguard perhaps? The fireplace in Alice Through The Looking Glass has similar ones: https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikiped...Aliceroom3.jpg a bell pull (wire operated) to call for a servant. Probably, although having two of them, only a few feet apart, seems like serious overkill. no, a "his" beel and a "her" bell. You mean they have to do their own summoning of servants! Shirley they should have a servant to do that for them? |
Knob next to fireplace
On 28/08/2016 19:52, Sam Plusnet wrote:
In article , says... In article , Sam Plusnet wrote: In article , says... In article , Richard Tobin wrote: There's a knob - like a doorknob - attached to the wall on each side of the fireplace in my Victorian house. Anyone know what they were for? Attaching a fireguard perhaps? The fireplace in Alice Through The Looking Glass has similar ones: https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikiped...Aliceroom3.jpg a bell pull (wire operated) to call for a servant. Probably, although having two of them, only a few feet apart, seems like serious overkill. no, a "his" beel and a "her" bell. You mean they have to do their own summoning of servants! Shirley they should have a servant to do that for them? No, that's what poor relations were for. -- Robin reply-to address is (intended to be) valid |
Knob next to fireplace
On 26/08/2016 23:02, Andrew Mawson wrote:
"Richard Tobin" wrote in message ... There's a knob - like a doorknob - attached to the wall on each side of the fireplace in my Victorian house. Anyone know what they were for? Attaching a fireguard perhaps? The fireplace in Alice Through The Looking Glass has similar ones: https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikiped...Aliceroom3.jpg It would ring a bell in the servants quarters. Usually wire operated via 'bell cranks' . Bell would be mounted on a snail shaped spring so that it rang for a few seconds. A la :- http://cdn-da.destinasian.com/travel...s/DSCF4260.jpg http://c8.alamy.com/comp/B8WTFY/clos...dor-B8WTFY.jpg |
Knob next to fireplace
On Monday, 29 August 2016 12:18:42 UTC+1, soup wrote:
On 26/08/2016 23:02, Andrew Mawson wrote: "Richard Tobin" wrote in message ... There's a knob - like a doorknob - attached to the wall on each side of the fireplace in my Victorian house. Anyone know what they were for? Attaching a fireguard perhaps? The fireplace in Alice Through The Looking Glass has similar ones: https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikiped...Aliceroom3.jpg It would ring a bell in the servants quarters. Usually wire operated via 'bell cranks' . Bell would be mounted on a snail shaped spring so that it rang for a few seconds. A la :- http://cdn-da.destinasian.com/travel...s/DSCF4260.jpg http://c8.alamy.com/comp/B8WTFY/clos...dor-B8WTFY.jpg That logic gate implementation is clever. Kilve bell rings porch room 1, but porch 1 does not ring kilve. NT |
Knob next to fireplace
On Monday, 29 August 2016 12:18:42 UTC+1, soup wrote:
On 26/08/2016 23:02, Andrew Mawson wrote: "Richard Tobin" wrote in message ... There's a knob - like a doorknob - attached to the wall on each side of the fireplace in my Victorian house. Anyone know what they were for? Attaching a fireguard perhaps? The fireplace in Alice Through The Looking Glass has similar ones: https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikiped...Aliceroom3.jpg It would ring a bell in the servants quarters. Usually wire operated via 'bell cranks' . Bell would be mounted on a snail shaped spring so that it rang for a few seconds. A la :- http://cdn-da.destinasian.com/travel...s/DSCF4260.jpg http://c8.alamy.com/comp/B8WTFY/clos...dor-B8WTFY.jpg The 10+ bit memory also isn't bad, with swinging weights. NT |
Knob next to fireplace
On Monday, 29 August 2016 14:48:19 UTC+1, wrote:
The 10+ bit memory also isn't bad, with swinging weights. High-fidelity true analogue audio output too. Owain |
All times are GMT +1. The time now is 05:00 AM. |
Powered by vBulletin® Copyright ©2000 - 2024, Jelsoft Enterprises Ltd.
Copyright ©2004 - 2014 DIYbanter