The reply from the ebay seller
This is what the seller of that Trident cleaner said to me regarding her Trident when I asked how she acquired it and why it was replaced:
"Dear Mr Broadbent. I will tell you what I know about my little vacuum cleaner, whether or not it is of interest or helps you, only you can decide. My mums sister Vera was the one who bought it, we think in the later part of the 1960's, certainly not before then but maybe into the 1970's. Aunt Vee never married and lived with my grandparents, caring for them as well as working full time as a bank teller. The point of me telling you this is that she never really got out much socially and often made purchases at the door - my mother joked that it was the only chance Vera got to enjoy the company of a gentleman, but in reality I think this was possibly quite true.
My mum was Aunty Vee's only sibling and was some 11 years older than mum, therefore she tended to take charge and as mothers only child, she idolised me. When a man came knocking the door one night selling vacuum cleaners, it turns out she invited him in and bought one. I am told that the cleaner was then put in her bedroom cupboard in preparation for the day I left home. I did not leave until the day I got married in 1974! I duly received the Trident as a wedding present. Grateful as I was for it (my friend only had a Ewbank sweeper!), I was always conscious that it looked rather old. As you said, there were lots of attachments for it, many of which I never unpacked because I only needed the main parts, and over the last 40 years have disappeared to goodness knows where.
I used the Trident exclusively for exactly 10 years, it performed well as I had very few carpets, but in 1984 my husband and I moved to a brand-new three storey town house which was wall to wall carpet in every room except for the kitchen. I was heavily pregnant with my third child and found it impossible to use that vacuum anymore. Because of this I bought a Goblin upright, I only remember it because it was the cheapest I could find and money was very tight. It did not last very long at all, between myself as a working mum, my husband, and a baby sitter who used to help clean for me, it got a lot of abuse. After that I cannot begin to tell you how many vacuum cleaners I had as we've had so many, other than to say all were upright and that in recent times I had the obligatory Dyson, although that too is long gone. The Trident was really my cleaner as neither my husband nor the occasional cleaning ladies I've had have ever used it much. I kept it because it seemed to be easier for many jobs and above all never broke down, so forever came in handy as a stand-by when whichever upright I had at the time conked out.
All of the attachments for my Trident were thoroughly worn out and thrown away, the only reason the carpet tool was in such good condition was because I barely used it as it never cleaned that well. I couldn't tell you how many tools from other cleaners have been used on it, in fact even the flex was off another of my more recent cleaners as the original went off with the most horrendous bang when I was cleaning my stairs about two years ago. My husband put that flex on for me.
I only sold the cleaner as I recently retired and we have now downsized to a very small flat. Literally everything we did not need had to go. I was hoping one of my sons would take the Trident off me if only to use for their cars, but I am sure you know what young people are like. I got about £65 for it after fees and postage, interestingly my sons did not object to me spending the money on them! I hope this is of some use to you. Regards. Maggie."
I have to say I was not expecting quite the detailed response I got, though yes, I did find it interesting. Rather kind of her to take the trouble to write back at all, I thought. But still doesn't say an awful lot about the initial sale and purchase of the cleaner, sadly.
