BACK in the 1930s, many people still cooked on coal-fired ranges or grates, while gas and electric cookers were making inroads into the home.

Woking ironmongers and builders’ merchants Skeet & Jeffes offered a variety of each, all featuring in the firm’s comprehensive catalogue from 1936.

Peeps reader Vernon Wood has kindly given me a copy of the catalogue. Part of the introduction reads: “We have much pleasure in handing you herewith a copy of our new and enlarged illustrated catalogue, containing a comprehensive selection of goods in daily demand by the building and allied trades.

“We have large and well-assorted stocks of stoves, ranges, tile fireplaces, baths and sanitary earthenware displayed in extensive and well-lighted showrooms, and we cordially invite inspection of them at any time.”

The catalogue, which has 830 pages, makes fascinating reading about the appliances, architectural fixtures and fittings as well as other household goods available at that time. 

The illustrations are a delight. Some are in colour, such as that of the Patent Triplex Grate “C” Pattern that cost £22 7s. 

This cooking grate was supplied in mottled enamels of grey, green, brown or blue.

Of the traditional kitchen ranges, those offered as portable examples included the Bandera (plain finish, £1 19s 6d), the Diamond (in what was listed as a Bonamel finish in black or white-grey, £4 8s 6d) and the Fairy that was offered in other colours of Bonamel for £5 18s.

For those who were already cooking by gas, the Flavel AM- Type cooker, with removable hot plate, came in several different sizes and finishes, ranging in price from £9 to £10 5s.

There were only three types of electric cooker available in the catalogue.

They were the Belling Electric Breakfast Cooker (cost 48s), the Baby Belling Cooker (basic model, £3 19s 6d) and the Belling Electric Cooker (£12 10s, all enamel finish).

Of the latter, the catalogue noted: “This is the cooker for the average-sized family. 

“There is plenty of room in the oven for a large joint, Yorkshire pudding and a tart at the same time. Three shelves of little cakes, scones etc, can be cooked at once.” 

It also stated that a complete list of Belling cookers would be sent on application.

That suggests electric cookers were a bit too modern for many people to try, and they preferred to stay with the tried-and-trusted range or gas cooker.