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A few days back, I stumbled across the rear garden of a house on Harris Street (the lower part) being renovated. For mine, it has a very French ambience; not Parisian, but rural France.
As I hung over the rotting palings, I wondered what on earth that was below the flooring, heating perhaps. However, Sydney’s weather does not warrant this style of heating. I was reminded very much of the stove that my mother used in the 50s, both in colour and in design. The signing says it is a ‘Parkinson Sunray Minor’ – but what exactly is that?
A quick Google unearthed digitised editions of old Australian newspapers advertising something similar. The West Australian advertised ‘Parkinson Sunray Minor Gas Stove, as new £4/10/-‘ on Saturday 18th May, 1935. And the SMH advertised ‘GAS STOVE Parkinson Sunray Minor cream and green enamel’ at an undisclosed price on Wednesday 25th June, 1947.
But, what did this part of the stove do? This looks like it is the door to a furnace, wherein one shoves split logs. What part of a gas stove requires logs to get it started, I hear you ask?
Any ideas?
Note: 6:30pm Monday ... I have found some more info on the Powerhouse Museum site and have emailed then my query.
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