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Southend-on-Sea Victorian period
Norias at Orontes River in Hama, SyriaTwo norias on opposite banks of the Orontes River in Hama, a city in west Syria. Norias are devices similar to water wheels which were used to lift water to a higher elevation
Street next to one of the Norias of Hama, SyriaMan walking on a street in Hama, a city in west Syria. On the left one of the Norias of Hama along the Orontes River can be seen
A (Y)appy Idea! by William Heath Robinson, WWI rationingThe Ventrimetric System: Rational weights and measures for use in hotels, restaurants, and clubs for the limitation of appetites
Housewife with her new Ritemp electric washing machineA housewife prepares to drain her English Electric Ritemp washing machine, simply and rapidly, into bucket or drain. Date: 1947
New rolling machine for making horse shoe nails, patented by Messrs. Huggett. The manufacture of horseshoe nails by machinery, instead of forging them by hand
Paddle boat. Study by Leonardo da Vinci, 15th century. ModePaddle boat. Study by Leonardo da Vinci for a paddle propulsion boat. Windsor, Royal Library, sheet 12650, about 1490. Model by Louis Tursini, 1952
W Barratt & Co Ltd factory, Northampton, UKW Barratt & Co Ltd factory, making department, Northampton, UK. mid-20th century
17th Century CraneA 17th century crane, timber construction : the wheel enables it to be turned, for instance when loading a vessel from a dock. Date: 1690
Advert for Battle Creek Health Builder 1929Mechanical massaging exercise machine that with a vibrating belt, used by 80, 000 men and women in the 1920s. Date: 1929
Advert for Abplanalps Institute, cure of obesity 1929Showing a man with large a waistline and after the recommended workout slim two months later. For all sexes the cure of obesity, free booklet and cinema demonstration
Alberto Santos-Dumont (1873 - 1932), Brazilian aviation pioneer, one of the very few people to have contributed significantly to the development of both lighter-than-air
Avenue Jules Ferry, Tunis, Tunisia, North Africa, with a tram. Date: circa 1920
Advert for Caffeta coffee maker 1912Caffeta, coffee maker that make you a cup to perfection! Used at the table used with a lamp underneath. 1912
Early type of mechanical shovel by Heath RobinsonThe inventor of the mechanical shovel trying out an early type. Two medieval engineers with a rickety but effective mechanical shovel or digger
The Screw Em Out golf hole cleaner by Heath RobinsonA typically convoluted contraption from William Heath Robinson, the first in a series entitled, Very Patent Aides to Sport, showing the Screw-Em-Out golf hole cleaner in action on a golf course
The Gentle Art of Excavating - a specially designed skimmerThe beginning of a garden suburb. Excavating a new road with a specially designed skimmer, a typically rickety contraption from the inventive mind of gadget king, William Heath Robinson. Date: c.1938
The Gentle Art of Excavating - Removing top soilA new type of shovel removing the top soil from a bluff in the Cotswold Hills. A typically elaborate contraption by the gadget king
A Turkey Glide by William Heath RobinsonThe latest Christmas family gliders fitted with listening in equipment for hearing Dutch concerts during dinner. One particularly large family flies through the air while using hot water bottles or
Water-powered furnace bellowsA water wheel operates two sets of bellows to keep two furnaces burning hotly. Date: 1588
Walton-On-The NazeAn interesting beach scene at Walton-on-the-Naze, Essex, England. People look rather over-dressed to the modern eye. Note also the bathing machines next to the sea. Date: circa 1900
Fun on the flying machine at Southport, MerseysideFun on Hiram Maxims " Captive Flying Machine" amusement ride at Southport, Merseyside, which opened in 1904. Testament to the design
Textile machine. Engraving. SPAIN. Madrid. Instituto Geol o y Minero de Espa
Paston WindmillStow Mill on Stow Hill, Paston, near Mundesley, Norfolk. Often known as Paston Mill, it was built with dummy windows to make it look picturesque. Date: built 1827
Bendix washing machine advertisement, c. 1955Advertisement for the Bendix automatic home washer, which, claims the woman in the advert, really does do everything. I find that hard to believe. c.1955
Heath Robinson and his pea-splitting machinePhotograph of William Heath Robinson (1872 - 1944), pictured with his own model of a pea-splitting machine. A well-loved artist, illustrator and cartoonist
Readers Digest vending machine, Exeter stationA vending machine dispensing copies of the Readers Digest at Exeter St Davids station in Devon. At this date, before decimalisation of the currency
Milk and squash vending machinesTwo cold drinks vending machines standing side by side, one for cool refreshing milk, the other for cool refreshing Kia-Ora fruit squash
Bursa - Interior of the silk textile works - TurkeyThe interior of the silk textile works of Bay Freres, Bursa, Turkey. The textile manufacturers of Bursa were responsible for making the silk velvet covering for the Ka aba in Mecca
Ransomes, Sims and Jefferies agricultural machineryAn advert for Ransomes, Sims and Jefferies Ltd(Orwell Works, Ipswich) portable traction engines and steam powered thrashing machines
WE DAREN T WASTE IT by W. Heath RobinsonA variety of ingenious inventions and machines designed to help people cope and keep cool during an August heatwave. Please note
Perpetual Motion WheelsPerpetual motion machines of the overbalanced wheel type invented by Bernard Launy and Jeremie Metz; neither will work in practice however
Amusement ArcadeScene at a Blackpool amusement arcade, with a rather tawdry set of holidaymakers trying their luck on the One-Armed Bandits (slot machines) there
The Torpedo Washer / 1888THE TORPEDO WASHER - clothes cleaned by compressed air, in half the time of any other washer
Reading SubconsciousIn Ray Avery Myers fiction Into the subconscious, future scientists develop machines that read the subconscious mind and project its thoughts as images
Roman Rotary QuernA Rotary Quern used by the Romans for grinding corn. A number were found intact at the bakery in Pompeii
Scottish Hand MillTwo women use a handmill to grind flour in a Scottish cabin
Leonardo WingsLEONARDO DA VINCI Sketches of wings for flying machines
Edmund CartwrightEDMUND CARTWRIGHT Inventor of the powered loom
The Illustrated London News steam printing machinesEngraving of the steam printing machines used by the weekly periodical, The Illustrated London News. There were two separate machines; one for printing one side of the paper
Umbrellas from a-slot machine 1929The inventor showing off his A-Slot vending machine Not Schirm, G.M.B.H in Berlin, New York, London and Paris. 1929
Buffalo Bills Wild West Show - Mexican Cavalry - ParisBuffalo Bills Wild West Show - The Mexican Cavalry - passing The Galerie des machines (officially Palais des machines ) was a pavilion built for the Exposition Universelle (1889) in Paris
Bathing Machines on the beach at Tenby, Wales Date: circa 1890s
View of City Park, Galveston, Texas, USA. Date: circa 1910
Singer Pavilion, Allahabad Exhibition, Uttar Pradesh, IndiaSinger (sewing machines) Pavilion, Allahabad Exhibition, Uttar Pradesh, India. Date: circa 1910
Noria at Orontes River in Hama, SyriaOne of the Norias of Hama, a city in west Syria, as seen through a stone arch at the bank of the Orontes River. Norias are
University Exerciser and Reducer advertisementAdvertisement for the University Exerciser and Reducer to eliminate that tired feeling from your life and step out into a new world of joyful energy
Madeira Road, Brighton, Sussex. circa 1890