Faraday & Sons

A bit of my family history now.

Robert Faraday was the younger brother of Michael Faraday (you may have heard of him – a renowned English physicist and chemist).

His younger brother, Robert was a brass founder and gas engineer.  He is my Great Great Great  Grandfather.

Since working on my Great Great Aunt Kate’s diaries, I have been having a lovely time catching glimpses of their lives. It is all fascinating.  I have reached 1925 now.

Harold Faraday (son of Robert) was my Great Great Grandmother’s brother.  He worked at Faraday & Son, his grandfather’s firm – Faraday & Son – in the 1900’s

I have been watching Ebay and recently purchased two Pullman lights (apparently patented by Faraday & Son) – they were used on train tables in the Pullman coaches – a mainline luxury railway service.

I approached a friend, a qualified and obviously very talented electrician, and asked him if he could rewire them up to modern safety standards and, if I bought a lampshade, could he fit that as well. He said he could so off I shopped…..

And the results are well, quite frankly, awesome (and I don’t use that word lightly).

The first lamp is brass and has a beautiful “Liberty print” lampshade keeping in date with the era.

The second is silver metal and very different.

The lampshade was off Ebay. I asked the seller to show me a picture of it lit up from inside, so he refused and blocked me!  Seriously. As I wanted the lampshade more than I needed a friend, I asked Daisy to buy it on my behalf.  It was worth it.  Stuff the seller, he learnt nothing!

Lit up, the lamp is spectacular.  Like the moon.

I am utterly in love with both of my lamps and it is wonderful that once upon a time they were in the shop of my great great great uncle whose shop my great great aunt frequently visited.

And huge thanks to my electrician who made this dream a reality with his sympathetic choices of cable, switches and plugs.  Utterly perfect.

 

 

 

19 thoughts on “Faraday & Sons

  1. Lisa

    Beautiful! They are wonderful! : ) I was looking at the advertisement that you posted for Faraday and Son and it listed “Sunburners and Ventilating Pendants”-I have no idea what those are-I will have to look them up as they sound intriguing!

    Reply
  2. Joe Boyd

    I enjoy Aunt Kate’s diaries so very much! And I am proud of my own (perhaps somewhat tenuous) connection with the Faradays and the Boyd & Morant furniture firm. I have found some of that furniture on auction sites, though (alas) I cannot afford to purchase it.

    Reply
  3. diane in northern wis

    Wow Frances! Love your two new lamps! They are awesome. How fun to find and get them all set up and shiny bright at your house! They look great and what wonderful history goes with them. Thanks for showing us your great finds!

    Reply
  4. Shelley

    What’s so hard about lighting up the shade? Wanker. I’m glad you went on faith and acquired it… really beautiful.

    Reply
  5. Kris

    Wow. Just beautiful.
    Question: Is the color difference in the globe lamp pictures due to a change in bulb or something to do with your camera and settings?

    Reply
  6. Lee

    Brilliant article.
    I have today bought a faraday and sons rise and fall desk lamp or as Drew Prichard refers to them, a student lamp.
    Just rewired it with antique chord with a earth.
    Theses lamps are the best ever.
    Lee

    Reply

Leave a Reply to Frances Cancel reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *