Under Construction

Experience the excitement of a 1950s electrical shop and discover the latest in modern technology…

The electric and repair shop will share the story of the increase in domestic electrical appliances in the 1950s and the changes in technology over the decade. The front space is the showroom and the rear is a repair space where broken items have been brought to be fixed.

Visitors will be able to browse the latest in electrical goods, including 1950s televisions, radios, stand mixers, fridges, hairdryers and Dansette record players in the showroom. Not sure how to use your latest fantastic find? There will be demonstrations of how to use your dazzling, new domestic appliance.

The shop also stocks an eclectic range of older models of electrical goods to cater to all budgets.

Pop over to the record booth and select a record to listen to on the station, will it be the Everly Brothers, Elvis Presley or Connie Francis?

As is typical of a range of smaller electrical shops in the 1950s, our shop sells bicycles and started in business this way, before branching into electrical items. There will be a display of cycles and accompanying goods on the wall, such as dynamo lights, etc.

The shop will also display a range of advertising and promotional materials featuring stars of radio and TV as well as material that has been provided by brands (Pye, Ferguson, etc.).

Crowd standing outside Loyds shop in Newgate, Bishop Auckland watching the cup final on a television in the shop window, April 1954.

The walls and flooring of the shop will not have had any major overhaul from the 1930s, but will have been kept clean and tidy. There will be peg board on the walls of the shop to display smaller items like hairdryers, irons etc. Light colours will be used on the walls to make goods stand out.

Unlike our Co-op stores in The 1900s Town, Beamish Engagers will interact with visitors on the shop floor, as would have been done in a shop of this type in the 1950s.

The repair shop at the back of the building will function as a 1950s electrical repair shop, with museum staff and volunteers repairing electrical appliances. Engagers will be able to demonstrate and teach skills at a workbench and visitors will be able to practise these same skills at their adjoining workbench.