Jubilee Clip
Encyclopedia
A Jubilee Clip is a circular metal band or strip combined with a worm gear fixed to one end. It is designed to hold a soft, pliable hose
onto a rigid circular pipe (or sometimes a solid spigot) of smaller diameter.
Jubilee Clips are generally made of pressed steel, sometimes stainless, but otherwise generally galvanised or electro-plated. Rotating the screw has the effect of reducing (or increasing if turning the screw anti-clockwise) the diameter of the circle formed by the band. Jubilee Clips are available in a range of sizes (diameters). Larger-diameter Jubilee Clips tend to have wider bands.
In many countries, Jubilee Clips tend to be know almost exclusively by their brand name, but elsewhere (where the brand is not so well known for example), they are known by generic names names such as worm drive hose clip or hose clamp
or hose clip. In a similar way to the "hoover" name in the electric vacuum cleaner industry, the Jubilee Clip dominated to the point where the brand name is used instead of "hose clamp" particularly in the United Kingdom, Ireland and the (now historic) British Colonies (subsequently the Commonwealth) but globally wherever it found a ready market, and it remains the term used in everyday speech.
The original Jubilee Clip was invented by Commander Lumley Robinson of the British Royal Navy
, who was granted the first patent for the device by the London Patent Office in 1921 while operating as a sole trader. It is now subject to a registered trademark in many countries around the world. The design has been copied with many variations, and there are many other hose clips of a similar design.
, Yorkshire
in 1877 to a family of strict Methodists. In his first job he worked for John Fowler's, a highly respected engineering firm in Leeds before later joining the Royal Navy. He married Emily Boyd Sykes at the Mint Chapel, Holbeck
, Leeds on 23 October 1906 and they moved to Gillingham
in Kent when Lumley was based at nearby Chatham Dockyard
which at the time was almost exclusively dedicated to the Royal Navy. During his time in the navy, Lumley was on the HMS Aboukir
when it was sunk in the North Sea
along with two other ships during the First World War, and he spent several hours in the sea before he was rescued.
Together Lumley and Emily had four children: Henry, who went to Cambridge University and became Director of Education for Rochdale; Leonard, who joined the Navy and then later worked for an advertising company called Ripley Preston in Bristol, where the first well-known adverts for Jubilee Clips were made; Dorothy, who married and stayed in Gillingham and John, who would eventually run the family business.
During his time in the navy it had often seemed obvious to Lumley that a new way needed to be found to attach a hose to a pipe. On leaving the navy he spent a lot of time with a friend who had a lathe in his garage, making things and in particular looking for a simple and effective solution to the problem. Once he had the first clips made he went to London every day attempting to sell them. His wife Emily had such faith in her husband that she suggested re-mortgaging their house to pay for the first lot of steel, but this was never necessary, because the company took off.
Commander Lumley Robinson died of a heart attack on holiday in Jersey
on 20 August 1939 aged 62.
After the end of the war, she continued to run the business until her youngest son, John Lumley-Robinson took over. (He, being under 21 when his mother changed her name, had been the only other member of the family to take the surname Lumley-Robinson). During and after the war other hose clip manufacturers started to emerge all over Europe, but Jubilee continued to be successful. The business was finally incorporated on 1 April 1948 as L. Robinson & Co (Gillingham) Ltd. Subsequently, the group grew with Jubilee Components Ltd and Jubilee Clips Ltd being formed to take on the manufacturing processes, alongside L. Robinson & Co (Plating) Ltd, an electro-plating company established in 1968.
In 1982 the group established a first overseas company when John Jennings (John Lumley-Robinson's son-in-law), founded Jubilee Clips Deutschland GmbH, in anticipation of Britain leaving the EU under growing political pressure at that time. This company continues to be a success selling Jubilee products in Germany and mainland Europe.
More recently in 2007/08 the group acquired a new site in Gillingham, Kent, where all of the UK-based manufacturing and distribution activities of the UK companies of the group are now consolidated on one site in the town where the very first Jubilee Clips were made by the original inventor, Lumley Robinson.
Hose (tubing)
A hose is a hollow tube designed to carry fluids from one location to another. Hoses are also sometimes called pipes , or more generally tubing...
onto a rigid circular pipe (or sometimes a solid spigot) of smaller diameter.
Jubilee Clips are generally made of pressed steel, sometimes stainless, but otherwise generally galvanised or electro-plated. Rotating the screw has the effect of reducing (or increasing if turning the screw anti-clockwise) the diameter of the circle formed by the band. Jubilee Clips are available in a range of sizes (diameters). Larger-diameter Jubilee Clips tend to have wider bands.
In many countries, Jubilee Clips tend to be know almost exclusively by their brand name, but elsewhere (where the brand is not so well known for example), they are known by generic names names such as worm drive hose clip or hose clamp
Hose clamp
A hose clamp or hose clip is a device used to attach and seal a hose onto a fitting such as a barb or nipple.- Screw/band clamps :...
or hose clip. In a similar way to the "hoover" name in the electric vacuum cleaner industry, the Jubilee Clip dominated to the point where the brand name is used instead of "hose clamp" particularly in the United Kingdom, Ireland and the (now historic) British Colonies (subsequently the Commonwealth) but globally wherever it found a ready market, and it remains the term used in everyday speech.
The original Jubilee Clip was invented by Commander Lumley Robinson of the British Royal Navy
Royal Navy
The Royal Navy is the naval warfare service branch of the British Armed Forces. Founded in the 16th century, it is the oldest service branch and is known as the Senior Service...
, who was granted the first patent for the device by the London Patent Office in 1921 while operating as a sole trader. It is now subject to a registered trademark in many countries around the world. The design has been copied with many variations, and there are many other hose clips of a similar design.
Inventor
Lumley Robinson was born in LeedsLeeds
Leeds is a city and metropolitan borough in West Yorkshire, England. In 2001 Leeds' main urban subdivision had a population of 443,247, while the entire city has a population of 798,800 , making it the 30th-most populous city in the European Union.Leeds is the cultural, financial and commercial...
, Yorkshire
Yorkshire
Yorkshire is a historic county of northern England and the largest in the United Kingdom. Because of its great size in comparison to other English counties, functions have been increasingly undertaken over time by its subdivisions, which have also been subject to periodic reform...
in 1877 to a family of strict Methodists. In his first job he worked for John Fowler's, a highly respected engineering firm in Leeds before later joining the Royal Navy. He married Emily Boyd Sykes at the Mint Chapel, Holbeck
Holbeck
Holbeck is a district in Leeds, West Yorkshire, England.The district begins on the southern edge of the Leeds city centre and mainly lies in the LS11 Leeds postcode area. The M1 and M621 motorways used to end/begin in Holbeck. Now the M621 is the only motorway that passes through the area since...
, Leeds on 23 October 1906 and they moved to Gillingham
Gillingham, Kent
Gillingham is a town in the unitary authority of Medway in South East England. It is part of the ceremonial county of Kent. The town includes the settlements of Brompton, Hempstead, Rainham, Rainham Mark and Twydall....
in Kent when Lumley was based at nearby Chatham Dockyard
Chatham Dockyard
Chatham Dockyard, located on the River Medway and of which two-thirds is in Gillingham and one third in Chatham, Kent, England, came into existence at the time when, following the Reformation, relations with the Catholic countries of Europe had worsened, leading to a requirement for additional...
which at the time was almost exclusively dedicated to the Royal Navy. During his time in the navy, Lumley was on the HMS Aboukir
HMS Aboukir
Four ships of the Royal Navy have borne the name HMS Aboukir, after Abu Qir Bay, the site of the Battle of the Nile:*HMS Aboukir was a 74-gun third-rate ship of the line, formerly the French ship Aquilon. She was captured by the British at the Battle of the Nile in 1798 and broken up in 1802...
when it was sunk in the North Sea
North Sea
In the southwest, beyond the Straits of Dover, the North Sea becomes the English Channel connecting to the Atlantic Ocean. In the east, it connects to the Baltic Sea via the Skagerrak and Kattegat, narrow straits that separate Denmark from Norway and Sweden respectively...
along with two other ships during the First World War, and he spent several hours in the sea before he was rescued.
Together Lumley and Emily had four children: Henry, who went to Cambridge University and became Director of Education for Rochdale; Leonard, who joined the Navy and then later worked for an advertising company called Ripley Preston in Bristol, where the first well-known adverts for Jubilee Clips were made; Dorothy, who married and stayed in Gillingham and John, who would eventually run the family business.
During his time in the navy it had often seemed obvious to Lumley that a new way needed to be found to attach a hose to a pipe. On leaving the navy he spent a lot of time with a friend who had a lathe in his garage, making things and in particular looking for a simple and effective solution to the problem. Once he had the first clips made he went to London every day attempting to sell them. His wife Emily had such faith in her husband that she suggested re-mortgaging their house to pay for the first lot of steel, but this was never necessary, because the company took off.
Commander Lumley Robinson died of a heart attack on holiday in Jersey
Jersey
Jersey, officially the Bailiwick of Jersey is a British Crown Dependency off the coast of Normandy, France. As well as the island of Jersey itself, the bailiwick includes two groups of small islands that are no longer permanently inhabited, the Minquiers and Écréhous, and the Pierres de Lecq and...
on 20 August 1939 aged 62.
Company
The UK declared war on Germany on 3 September 1939, just 14 days after Commander Robinson's death. Before the end of the month, the War Ministry had realised the importance of Jubilee clips for the war effort and men arrived from the Ministry to take over the company. His widow, Emily, wasn't having any of it however. She changed her name by deed poll to Lumley-Robinson and ran the business herself throughout the war.After the end of the war, she continued to run the business until her youngest son, John Lumley-Robinson took over. (He, being under 21 when his mother changed her name, had been the only other member of the family to take the surname Lumley-Robinson). During and after the war other hose clip manufacturers started to emerge all over Europe, but Jubilee continued to be successful. The business was finally incorporated on 1 April 1948 as L. Robinson & Co (Gillingham) Ltd. Subsequently, the group grew with Jubilee Components Ltd and Jubilee Clips Ltd being formed to take on the manufacturing processes, alongside L. Robinson & Co (Plating) Ltd, an electro-plating company established in 1968.
In 1982 the group established a first overseas company when John Jennings (John Lumley-Robinson's son-in-law), founded Jubilee Clips Deutschland GmbH, in anticipation of Britain leaving the EU under growing political pressure at that time. This company continues to be a success selling Jubilee products in Germany and mainland Europe.
More recently in 2007/08 the group acquired a new site in Gillingham, Kent, where all of the UK-based manufacturing and distribution activities of the UK companies of the group are now consolidated on one site in the town where the very first Jubilee Clips were made by the original inventor, Lumley Robinson.