Still going strong, the wedding treat Hoover from 1965
A BRIDE treated herself to a vacuum cleaner as a wedding gift more than half a century ago – and the machine has outlasted her marriage by 40 years.
Val Marks, 70, decided to celebrate her big day in 1965 by splashing out on a secondhand Hoover Junior 1334A to help keep her home clean and tidy.
But while the relationship with her husband only lasted a decade, her vintage pink vacuum is still going strong.
The retired administrator from Rotherham said: “Sadly it wasn’t happily ever after for me and my husband, but the Hoover has stood by me, no matter what.”
The prudent pensioner does not agree with today’s throwaway society and will not buy anything new if she has one that already works.
She said: “Things were built to last back then so I find that a lot of my appliances have lasted a long while.
“I don’t buy anything new unless I have to. I’d much rather save my money to spend on holidays.” The vacuum cleaner had been reconditioned when she bought it from Wigfalls electrical store on Rotherham high street.
The machine is a 1962 model and cost her £20 – the equivalent of £420 today. But it was still deemed to be expensive at the time and had to be bought “on the tick”.
Val, who has no children and never remarried, added: “You couldn’t afford to pay things like that in full back then. You had to pay for these things in instalments.”
Incredibly, the Hoover has never broken down and is still going strong.
The only thing it needs from time to time is a new bag – and they are still available to buy.
Have you got a domestic appliance that is even older? Call the Daily Express newsdesk on 020 8612 7077