HERE’S an advert from 1956 from one of East Lancashire’s highly flying manufacturers at the time.

Burco in Rosegrove were showing off their latest washing machines to the housewife, with the news that there was a Burco to ease wash day toil for you, a Burco to wash or boil for you.

The business offered a whole range of electric washing machines and boilers to suit all needs and pockets, as well as look good in every kitchen It promised that each was s compact and so excellently made and urged housewives to send for a leaflet so they could discover a product for them.

Products such as the electric washing machine fitted with a heater and pump, which took 5½ lbs of washing and cost £63 8s 7d. Or, there was the appliance which came with a electric wash boiler, with a hand agitator and stow away wringer, in white and red or cream and eau de neil, it was priced of £28.

aFor £17 7s the housewife could have the luxury 10 gallon, electric wash boiler or, for £6 2s 6d the compact five gallon baby Burco wash boiler available in silver of black.

And to keep husbands’ minds at rest, in case there was a need for some DIY repair, Burco also offered a newsflash in their Northern Daily Telegraph advert : ‘Workmanship is excellent. All joints are mechanically watertight before tinning. Screws and electrical connections are doubly safe with locking washers.’