I was just a few years old when I was given a small blue plastic torch in the form of a crouching dog. The bulb was in its open mouth and its body held an AA cell. It was turned on and off by means of a push button protruding from its bottom. I had so much enjoyment from that torch. I can remember using it underneath the bedclothes where it was dark. (I'm sure we've all done that sort of thing, haven't we?) Later, I was given a crouching rabbit (yellow), but it was always the dog which was my favourite. Recently, I actually found a photograph of the dog, but in yellow, on a flashlight museum website, and it brought back many happy memories.
In the late 1940s it was only a few years after the war and things were in short supply. I'd be six or seven years old. One Christmas, Woolworths had some Christmas lights. I think they were the first I'd ever seen and I pestered my mother to buy some. They were in a string of twelve MES lamp holders and the bulbs were bought separately. These were displayed on the counter which consisted of horizontal boarding around which were vertical glass sides about six inches high. Into this counter were poured (and I do mean poured) the bulbs. The bottom of the counter was covered by a layer of broken glass, so care was required when selecting the bulbs.
Anyway, money was fairly tight in those days, so my mother bought a string of twelve lamp holders and I was allowed to choose two bulbs, and off home we went. I inserted the two bulbs, but as it was mains electricity we were dealing with, my mother decided that my father, who knew even less about electricity than I did, should plug them in to the wall socket. (There was just the one 2pin socket in the whole house in those days!) My mother and I stood cowering at the opposite end of the room as my father plugged them in. Nothing! I was so disappointed. Tell you what though, I was an inquisitive little chap, and quickly learned about series circuits! Next time we went to town, ten more were bought and so began a love hate relationship with series wired Christmas lights.
When I found CPF, it was like a dream come true. I always thought I was the only one interested in these sort of things, but I now know that there are at least fifty thousand of us!
John L
