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INSTRUCTIONS
FOR SWITCHBOARD ATTENDANT
A
member of the public saw an article published in the
Evening Argus 30 November 1999 edition, taking the
trouble to drive from Hove, to Herstmonceux to hand
deliver the wooden framed instructions he'd rescued,
shown above. Our thanks go to him for his
dedication.
This
was an important find. It was a document last recorded
when the Polegate (Sussex) based SEEBOARD depot library
was donated to Amberley Museum, Arundel in Sussex.
However, although listed in the library documents, it
had been missing for many eyars. The curator, John Narborough, found several articles
mentioning the Herstmonceux Works in SEEBOARD magazines
which confirmed electricity was supplied to the village
for domestic use, shops and street lighting.
Herstmonceux
had its own Cinema built at some time in the 1920's because it had an
electricity supply. Truly, this little village was
ahead of its time. Our thanks go to John for his
help in piecing this archaeological puzzle together.
The text of the instructions is reproduced below.
A quality reproduction of the instructions above are to
be included in a book entitled "Electricity
Generation in Herstmonceux 1900 - 1936".
HERSTMONCEUX
ELECTRICITY WORKS
February 27th
1911
--
INSTRUCTIONS FOR
SWITCHBOARD ATENDANT
--
His chief
duty will be to attend to the Switch Board and keep the
Village
voltage correct.
2 Take
readings every half hour.
3 Keep the
Dynamo between 90 & 100 amperes, except when both
the regulat-ing switches are on the same bar.
4 Attend to
coal and water at gas plant, and draw attention of
Engineer-in-charge
if tanks are empty or nearly empty.
6 While
cells are on charge, he will cut out cells as they reach
2.75
the current
must then be lowered at the dynamo before cutting out
the next cell, if this is not done the next cell will
have a false voltage.
7 When Ice
Plant is running, he will carry out the special
Instruct-
ions for
same.
8 He must
on no account leave the Engine Rooms unless he arranges
for some one to take his place while he is away.
9 He will
at once call the attention of the Engineer-in-charge to
anything wrong or of abnormal occurrence.
10 He will
be responsible that no-one enters the Engine
Rooms without
a special
pass, with the exception of the Staff and workmen
actually employed therein.
11 He will
answer telephones and bells.
Regulation
of voltage.----. During the day time the voltage will be
kept
between 50 & 52.
After the lights begine to go on the Village
voltage is to be advanced gradually one volt to every 10
amperes until the voltage has reached 56 volts, at which
voltage It is to be main-tained for the remainder of the
evening.
Regulation
of Dynamo.----. The normal charging rate of the
accumulators is between 90 & 100 amperes, therefore
unless the regulating switches
are on the
same bar, the current should not exceed 100 amperes. If
the switches are on the same bar, the difference between
charge & discharge must not exceed 100 amperes.
It is useless to try to get more out of
the Dynamo
if the engine is not cutting out.
The
Regulating switches must only be moved by the handles.
GREAT
ATTENTION is to be paid to keeping the Village Voltage
and Dynamo current
correct.
Herstmonceux
Electricity Generating Works Circa. 1900 - 1936
Introduction
| Instructions
| ISBN
| Batteries
| Boiler
Room | Floor
Plan | Ron
Saunders
Industrial
Revolution
| Lime
Park | Machinery
| Map
| Power
House | Argus
1999
Public
Supply | Roof
Construction | Rural
Supply | Sussex
Express 1913 |
Conclusion
Archaeology
South East
| East
Sussex CC | English
Heritage | SIAS
| Sx
Exp 1999
Memories
of Herstmonceux by Margaret Pollard
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