Old House Mystery: 6-Bell Servants’ Call Box – 2 Still Missing, Any Ideas?

[JohnW2]

There was a Victorian trend for suburban villas [which] were almost 'country estates in miniature' which attempted to emulate upper class mansions on a middle class budget. Many have either been modernised, renovated or refurbished out of recognition over the last 60 years or so or have been demolished and replaced with later housing, converted into offices or residential care homes, or have been broken up into flats and smaller residences.

Fair enough - but I don't think that a 2.5 bed terraced house in outer London was quite in that league

 

[ebee]

Nowadays rather than a simple say 5 wire or 6 wire device (plus using the earth as a return perhaps) you'd probably more likely to use say discreet LEDs and a constant current source as the basis for a replacement if you are into DIY Electronics or more than likely use or modify use of existing Wifi and/or Bluetooth units and the world is your Lobster.
But back in the day some real ingenuity witch the so called "simple things" has got to be admired for problems solved and inventions created.
The backbone of our creations ancient or modern can be quite breath-taking to admire.

 

[Harry Bloomfield]

The predecessor to these electrical, wired call units, was the entirely mechanical systems... A pull cord, linked via a flexible wire, or rods, a series of pulleys, linking to a bell, mounted on a coil spring. Several such bells in a row, could be used for different summons.

 

[JohnW2]

The predecessor to these electrical, wired call units, was the entirely mechanical systems... A pull cord, linked via a flexible wire, or rods, a series of pulleys, linking to a bell, mounted on a coil spring. Several such bells in a row, could be used for different summons.

Indeed. A friend of mine has such a mechanical system (still functioning and 'preserved for posterity'!) in their (old and pretty up-market) house.

 

[ebee]

Indeed. A friend of mine has such a mechanical system (still functioning and 'preserved for posterity'!) in their (old and pretty up-market) house.

Yes indeed and they in turn had some ingenuity too. Clever stuff in their own day.

 

[ebee]

Rod Brakes and brake blocks on cycles and hub dynamos and three or 4 speed Sturmey Archer , elegant stuff

 

[Harry Bloomfield]

three or 4 speed Sturmey Archer , elegant stuff

As a lad, I remember stripping one down, to refurbish it, and see how it worked - as you suggest, a very elegant mechanical design. This particular one, didn't use the usual, click, click ratchet, freewheel, it used a silent, half-moon pawl, which was completely silent when you free-wheeled.