E. Pugh & Co, Wednesbury

[Norm Koehler]

To no avail, I’ve searched the internet and sent e-mails to England trying to find some/ANY information on a metal container I have.  

It’s a cast iron container marked “4 Galls” and “E. Pugh & Co Wednesbury” (see attached picture). It has a long spout at the base with a turn on/off valve. The lid is ribbed, marked E. Pugh & Co Wednesbury, and has a R 316409 on it.  There is also a handle with a hook on top, fastened with cast Rosetta work. Weighs about 24 lbs.  (I’ve seen pictures of their: dutch oven, skillet, and coffee grinder)

With all the cast iron experts on this board (I’m sure not one of them) does anyone know anything about:

1. The company E. Pugh & Co Wednesbury and the history from founding to end.
2. The container use and approximate age?
3. What does the R 316409 mean?

Any help you could give me would be greatly appreciated and thank you for your time!

[C. Perry Rapier]

Its a neat piece. I think I know what it is, maybe, but not for sure.

[C. Perry Rapier]

And is it all there? I mean are there any parts missing or anything like that? Thanks.  :)

[Norm Koehler]

Hi Perry and thanks for the response.  Everything is there including the forged handle and long spout with turn off/on spout.  Let's try this attachment.

[C. Perry Rapier]

 I did a google search and came up with this. Look about 5 places down and you'll see this company listed. Looks like they were around prior to 1891. As I read it, they have one of their catalogs listed of their wares and the price list, and the catalog is for sale, from what I see anyway, but I'm not sure of the money, looks like it might be in pounds.  :-/


http://www.richardneylon.com/Lists/Tools.htm

[C. Perry Rapier]

It looks like an old coffee pot, maybe, a very big one too. I'd hate to think its some kind of an oiler. From the link above it says they made cast iron hollow ware.  :-/

Anybody else got any ideas?  :-/

[Chris Stairs]

Hi Norm,
  Looks like a handy way to keep some hot water ready. I don't know what they might have called it back then though.
  I suspect that Perry was thinking it might be a "food digester", an early form of pressure cooker. E. Pugh & Co. made those too.

http://www.sciencemuseum.org.uk/images/I059/10325658.aspx

[C. Perry Rapier]

LOL, Chris, thats EXACTLY what I WAS thinking it was.  ;) Those food digestors are pretty neat. It never occured to me though that this same company made the food digestors also. I'd like to have one of them food digestors. So what are we thinking this piece is? It ain't for soup. I'd say that Chris is pretty much on the money. You put the container on the stove, keep your water hot, the spout sticks off to the side of the stove for easy access to hot water. And the English can have their tea.  ;) ;D

[Chris Stairs]

LOL, Chris, thats EXACTLY what I WAS thinking it was.  ;) Those food digestors are pretty neat. It never occured to me though that this same company made the food digestors also. I'd like to have one of them food digestors. So what are we thinking this piece is? It ain't for soup. I'd say that Chris is pretty much on the money. You put the container on the stove, keep your water hot, the spout sticks off to the side of the stove for easy access to hot water. And the English can have their tea.  ;) ;D

Perry,
  I thought the same thing (digester) when I saw that first picture. Four gallons is a bit big for most homes, so I bet this was for a restaurant or something. Most homes would not need more than a simple teapot.

  I thought about what you said about an oiler. The lid looks a bit too ornate for that. I know if I worked around steam engines or locomotives and had to lug an oiler around, it would not be made of cast iron, it would be tin. A stationary oiler would not need a handle, or an ornate lid.
 So even though I don't really know anything about this thing , I'm gonna guess it was made to heat water.

[Norm Koehler]

This container quite large and is 4 gallons. Looking inside, there has never been oil inside of it, so we can eliminate it being an oiler.  

This takes us back to the ideas Perry & Chris had, water or coffee.  However, all ideas are more than welcome.

Also, any idea on the history of E. Pugh & Company?  

[C. Perry Rapier]

Chris, something you might consider. That hot water reservoir could be used for anything, not just tea, wash the dishes, cook with it, take a bath, wash the babies face, look at how much hot water you use in a day. Get you a pan of hot water, put some cold in it so you have more water and cooler, and one is good for a bath. Also, hot water to shave with.

Norm, did you see the link I posted above? Also, there was more information on google.  :)

[Garry Watson]

I am in West Yorkshire, so not best placed to researchave - I'll dig around and see if I can throw up any more - I'm also looking for info on a saucepan, belonging to a US collector.
My first guess is that this would be used for hot water or as a tea urn in a large house, café/restaurant or factory.

[Tom Neitzel]

I think the R 316409 is a British Design Patent registration.  You may be able to find the information at the National Archives.  In looking quickly it may be from around 1845.

Tom

[James Wilson]

It is a water boiler.
A beautiful example and if I came upon one here, it is one that I would willingly give my eye teeth for :)
Does it have a hook or eye attached to the handle?
My thoughts are that it is most likely of the type that were hung over the open cooking 'fireplaces' of old, then used with ovens when they came about.

An H. E. Shacklock Orion coal range with water boiler; courtesy of Clarke
http://remote.kiwi.gen.nz/Orion/coalRange_engraving.gif

Do a (image) search for ' early cast iron water boiler with tap ' and you will find a various number of interest.