a vacuum museum in the UK

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There's the Hoover Historical Center in Ohio and the Vacuum Cleaner Museum in Missouri.
 
Hi filterboy224

Yes there is but it's run be a man who I had a falling out with back in 1995. He was also our first president, but went over the heads of John Lucia and me to get himself elected. We wanted no officers!

There's also the birthplace of our club, The Hoover Historical Center, check with gottahaveahov, for more info. But the story is that I went there in September of 1980, and was treated like a full V.I.P.. Tour of the factory, free access to every room of the Historical center, was taken to lunch by top Hoover brass, and got to see the vault where the rare machines were kept. That was off limits even to the top brass, but I got in there! The director of the Historical Center was Stacy Krammes, and she gave me all sorts of pictures, mostly original black and white glossies, as well as loads of paperwork. She bent over backwards to share anything Hoover, as well as non electric. Then in 1981, she forwarded a letter from John Lucia to me. In September of 82, John and I both went to the Historical center, and a repeat of my first trip. When we were leaving Stacy gave us five names of fellow collectors. I looked at John and asked, "think we should form a club?" "I doubt if anybody would be interested, but worth a try." So I contacted the names on the list. The rest as they say, is history. The club is now 30 years old.

Here's a picture of the original V.C.C.C. staff members taken at the third anual meeting in May, 1988. Club headquarters was then in Naperville, Illinois, and we are in the original club museum. Back row left to right. Assistant editor Norbert Miller, collector Donald O'Connor, co-founder John Lucia. Front row left to right. Me, club secretary Anne R. Taber (my mom) and collector Mike Pupek.

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Hi filterboy244

North Canton, Ohio. It was located in the Hoover family home. The house where Boss Hoover raised his sons. The Hoover company was originally a leather business. They had their own tannery and prooduced horse collars, saddles and assorted other things. Then in 1907, a local janitor Murray James Spangler converted a carpet sweeper into a crude vacuum cleaner by using an electric fan to create suction,and adding a pillow case to catch the dust. The idea worked only well enough for hin to redesign it, and make about 100 of these. He called it The Electric Suction Sweeper. Then he sold one to Mrs. Hoover. A year later he turned to Boss Hoover to help market these machines, and they became the now famous Hoover hodel O.

Check on line, because the house was moved and I don't know the exact location. Here is Spanglers original machine.

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Hi filterboy244

The Hoover Historical Center. Yes, that's a Whirlwind, the only known one at the time I took this picture in September of 1980. Never in my wildest dreams did I think I'd get one. Thats the top of the Agan at the extreme right.

More pictures follow.

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Hi filterboy244

Hoover Historical Center.

A better look at the Sturtavant. And the Skinner of 1905. This was used by the Chapman and Skinner company to clean carpets professionally. They were based in the Monadonock building on Market street in San Francisco. The company was lost in the 1906 bearthquake and Chapman was killed. No other Skinner exists.

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Hi filterboy244

Here's the Baby Daisy a non electric Brittish pumper if 1890. That was also the one used in our first Logo. our first newsletter was published in December of 1982, and mailed out on January 2, 83, which was also the official date the club began. The newsletters were then bi-monthly. I knew we needed a logo, so I turned to Stacy Krammes directer of the Hoover Historical Center, and asked for help. Stacy's daughter Liz was a graphic artist, and I asked her to pick a non electric for our logo. That was the Baby Daisy.

The pumper next to it is the Success, a bellows pumper.

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Hi filterboy244

Another picture of our logo.

Here the honor goes to Mike Pupek who suggested a meeting of the club members to me in the fall of 84. I downplayed it saying "nobody's going to travel cross country to see some vacuum cleaners" His reply was "put the question in the newsletter." I did, and the responce was when do we all meet?"

Our first meeting was held at club headquarters in Chesterton, Indiana on the weekend of May 5th, 1985. Here's our first official sheet cake.

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I never knew that existed

That's a day out planned in the summer to see you then James mate!

Seriously, that's one of my euro-millions pipe dreams to open a museum of some sort! Surely the costs must be high? Fair play though!!

That and open my own car detailing studio for my personal benefit!
 
Hooverland UK Meet?

I've traveled from Peterborough to Nottingham before to see gigs, it's not too hard to reach. Bit of a trek from home (Bucks) but justifiable!

Have you got enough space for a small gathering! The US members do it regularly reading the threads, maybe us UK peeps could do something?
 
Electrolux 412

James, quick hijack, if you want the 412 email me, I've been meaning to pass it on for ages now, never got it as a keeper, more a curiosity satisfied! Email me if you want to discuss.
 

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