Bush TV22 television set
Date made: 1950
Description: A Bush TV22 black and white television receiver with a 9" screen, made from 1950 onwards. The television was from Manx Radio Rentals, Victoria Street, Douglas and is an example of the type of television that they sold in the 1950s. The set was pre-tuned to receive BBC, the only available channel when it was made.
The television receiver is housed in a brown 'walnut' Bakelite case. Bakelite was an early type of plastic, that was very popular for fashionable Art Deco objects in the 1920s-1930s. This was because rounded designs and intricate features, such as dials, could be produced in the moulded plastic.
In the late 1940s-early 1950s, the range of the BBC was extended as several large regional transmitters were built. Initially, each region had its own frequency, so manufacturers had to produce televisions specifically for each region. The Bush TV22 was the first television which could be retuned by its owner if they moved to another region. Following the introduction of commercial television in 1955, converters could be added onto televisions to allow them to receive the new ITV programmes.
When new, the Bush TV 22 cost £35 10s (£35.50), which is the equivalent of £2,660 in terms of modern wages. Although initially very expensive, televisions became more popular after the Queen's Coronation in 1953 and the World Cup in 1966.
Measurements: overall: 38 cm x 41 cm x 33 cm
Materials: glass, plastic/other, plastic/phenolic, wood
Object name: television
Collection: Social History Collection
ID Number: 2003-0264/1
Subject tags : #MM100COLLECTIONS