history of an old cash till- help please !

[alveleyhistorian]

Hi there,
I used to work in a faboulous "are you being served" type of drapers shop. They are having a closing down sale this week - very sad 
I went in there today and bought one of the old tills.
Can anyone help me date such a thing ? It is a wooden drawer - with loveley bell ring. Brass handle and brass fittings on the top for till roll. Anyone any idea of the era of these tills ? The shop opened in the 1920's

Also inside the till was a metal plate, quite heavy,
some sort of stamp with writing in reverse.
If you hold it up to a mirror it reads
" We stock the dorma family range of sheets, pillowcases,cosy sheets, towels and tablecloths.......the name is your guarantee".......

Any help or info on these items would be much appreciated 

[Koromo]

From the Dorma website:

In 1841, in Manchester, the "centre of World trade in textiles", two Roberts brothers founded a company to weave and produce the finest quality fabrics available anywhere in the world.

In 1920 the Dorma brand was created to offer these fine quality fabrics pre packaged and immaculate, as they left the factory straight onto the retailers' shelves. This was the first time bedding had been offered in this way.

That at least gives you a starting point.

dorma.co.uk


Cheers
Koromo

[alveleyhistorian]

From the Dorma website:

In 1841, in Manchester, the "centre of World trade in textiles", two Roberts brothers founded a company to weave and produce the finest quality fabrics available anywhere in the world.

In 1920 the Dorma brand was created to offer these fine quality fabrics pre packaged and immaculate, as they left the factory straight onto the retailers' shelves. This was the first time bedding had been offered in this way.

That at least gives you a starting point.

dorma.co.uk


Cheers
Koromo

Many thanks.  I will e-mail them 

[w105uk aka Margi :-)]

I remember the first bedding we bought , back in 1976, were Dorma quilt covers and matching sheets and pillowcases.............(from what I can remember Dorma seemed to be one of the first to introduce deeper/darker/ more modern? colours to their ranges)

and the quilt covers are still going strong  (the colours have prob faded a bit over loads of years of washing but still look good  )

[Koromo]

Hi Alveley

I meant to ask, do you have a photo of the cash register? I have an image in my mind, but I'd love to see what you've bought.

I always think very fondly of a hardware shop in NZ from a long time ago - family run, had been there for years and years. I used to spend what seemed like hours fossicking around amongst their shelves for ... anything you could possibly think of.  The middle-aged sons of  the shop family were in charge when I knew it, and they were a fount of knowledge. They had a grand old till, too.


K.


I was suddenly struck by the word 'till' - it now sounds very old fashioned.

"cashbox," 1452, from Anglo-Fr. tylle "compartment," O.Fr. tille "compartment, shelter on a ship," probably from O.N. žilja "plank, floorboard," from P.Gmc. theljon.

So, there you are!

[Ruskie]

Have you tried searching google. There seem to be quite a few (try images). You may one one similar which will help with identification.

[w105uk aka Margi :-)]

to me it conjours up a picture of Arkwright (Ronnie Barker) in 'Open all hours'

and the till that 'bit back' !!!

[alveleyhistorian]

to me it conjours up a picture of Arkwright (Ronnie Barker) in 'Open all hours'

and the till that 'bit back' !!!

This one does'nt bite back, but has a very cheery bell that goes "ping" as you open the wooden drawer.
I will try and photograph it 

[Keith Bateman]

Hi alveleyhistorian,

We had one of those when dad opened his shop in 1955 - I used to "help" out after school!

You would write the amount down on a small window on the top - which turned the till roll as you opened the drawer - and the bell would "ting" - I think that was so the owner knew when the assistant was opening it - so he only did it for the customers and not for himself!!

Wonder what happened to ours - then had a push button one - and about 6/7 electronic ones which kept braking down!

Cheers

Keith