1903 Time Water Heater and Alarm

On 21st Feb 1903 George William Richardson, engineer’s fitter, and Henry James Sams, commercial traveller, submitted their application GB190304109DA for a tea maker. George’s address at that time was 74 Palmerstone Road, Woodstone, Peterborough. The patent, entitled the 'Time Water Heater and Alarm', was published in the UK on 20th February 1904, and in the US on 20th June 1905.

I have not found any evidence of this tea maker being marketed, although a family member has told me that a printer’s stamp marked G W Richardson, illustrating this tea maker, has been passed down through the family.

This syndicated editorial was published in several newspapers on 17th/18th July 1903:

Things that are new

A very ingenious idea has been worked out by Mr R (sic) Richardson, of Peterboro. It consists of a combination automatic water boiler and steam alarm. The alarm is set for any time you want to get up; at that hour the stove lights itself, when the water boils a shrill steam whistle awakens the sleeper and continues whistling until the kettle is taken off the stove, the water being ready for making the tea, cocoa, etc.