Peter Hobbs (engineer)
Encyclopedia
Peter Wallace Hobbs was an English engineer, and businessman, who with Bill Russell formed the well-known electrical appliance company Russell Hobbs
.
in Royal Tunbridge Wells
, where he enjoyed amateur drama. The town is known for the Tunbridge Wells Theatre Company, and he joined the Tunbridge Wells Repertory Players, run by Christopher Fry
.
in 1947) in Kent in the late 1930s. His father had also worked for them.
and trained in Bangalore
, and was commissioned as an officer in the Queen Victoria’s Own Madras Sappers and Miners
. In the Middle East he joined Paiforce
(Persia and Iraq Force) where he was an adjutant to the commander of the Royal Engineers in the 6th Indian Division.
Returning to Britain he commanded a field company
in Ripon
at Deverell
Barracks, then in the North Riding of Yorkshire
, with rank of Major.
division in South Africa. He had met another company employee, Bill Russell, in 1951. Due a disagreement with Charles Richards, he left Morphy Richards.
which was electrically heated, and consulted Bill Russell. A coffee percolator would provide constantly hot coffee, and would rival the best-selling Goblin Teasmade
. In October 1952 they set up Russell Hobbs
together as partners in the business in Croydon
, Surrey. The world's first coffee percolator was launched at the end of 1952. Although the sales director of the company, he was responsible for the early innovation of new products. Russell would develop them to market. In 1963 the company was bought by Tube Investments.
By the mid-1970s Russell Hobbs was the world leader in automatic kettles, with sales of over five million. Their best-selling K2 kettle had appeared in 1960.
The CP1 coffee percolator and K1 kettle are displayed in the Science Museum
in South Kensington
.
and was a member of the Royal Ocean Racing Club
.
When he retired he moved to Malta. He had restored a farmhouse at Xlendi
on Gozo
Island.
In 1983 the family moved to Corrèze
in southern France.
Russell Hobbs
Russell Hobbs is a manufacturer of household appliances based in Failsworth, Greater Manchester, England.-Formation:After working with REME in World War II and leaving in 1947 as a Major, Bill Russell , from High Wycombe, joined Morphy Richards and helped to design the pop-up toaster, the electric...
.
Early life
He attended The Skinners' SchoolThe Skinners' School
The Skinners' School , is a British grammar school for boys located in the town of Royal Tunbridge Wells, Kent...
in Royal Tunbridge Wells
Royal Tunbridge Wells
Royal Tunbridge Wells is a town in west Kent, England, about south-east of central London by road, by rail. The town is close to the border of the county of East Sussex...
, where he enjoyed amateur drama. The town is known for the Tunbridge Wells Theatre Company, and he joined the Tunbridge Wells Repertory Players, run by Christopher Fry
Christopher Fry
Christopher Fry was an English playwright. He is best known for his verse dramas, notably The Lady's Not for Burning, which made him a major force in theatre in the 1940s and 1950s.-Early life:...
.
Career
He started work for the Weald Electricity Supply Company (became part of SEEBOARDSEEBOARD
SEEBOARD, formerly South Eastern Electricity Board , was a British electricity company. The electrical power industry in the United Kingdom was nationalised by the Electricity Act 1947, when over 600 electric power companies were merged into twelve Area Boards, one of which was the South Eastern...
in 1947) in Kent in the late 1930s. His father had also worked for them.
Royal Engineers
A year after the outbreak of the Second World War he joined the Royal EngineersRoyal Engineers
The Corps of Royal Engineers, usually just called the Royal Engineers , and commonly known as the Sappers, is one of the corps of the British Army....
and trained in Bangalore
Bangalore
Bengaluru , formerly called Bengaluru is the capital of the Indian state of Karnataka. Bangalore is nicknamed the Garden City and was once called a pensioner's paradise. Located on the Deccan Plateau in the south-eastern part of Karnataka, Bangalore is India's third most populous city and...
, and was commissioned as an officer in the Queen Victoria’s Own Madras Sappers and Miners
Madras Engineer Group
Madras Engineer Group are a regiment of the Corps of Engineers of the Indian Army. The Madras Sappers draw their origin from the erstwhile Madras Presidency army of the British Raj. This regiment has its HQ in Bangalore...
. In the Middle East he joined Paiforce
Iraqforce
Iraqforce was a British and Commonwealth formation that came together in the Kingdom of Iraq. The formation fought in the Middle East during World War II.-Background:...
(Persia and Iraq Force) where he was an adjutant to the commander of the Royal Engineers in the 6th Indian Division.
Returning to Britain he commanded a field company
Company (military unit)
A company is a military unit, typically consisting of 80–225 soldiers and usually commanded by a Captain, Major or Commandant. Most companies are formed of three to five platoons although the exact number may vary by country, unit type, and structure...
in Ripon
Ripon
Ripon is a cathedral city, market town and successor parish in the Borough of Harrogate, North Yorkshire, England, located at the confluence of two streams of the River Ure in the form of the Laver and Skell. The city is noted for its main feature the Ripon Cathedral which is architecturally...
at Deverell
Cyril Deverell
Field Marshal Sir Cyril John Deverell, GCB, KBE, ADC was a British career military officer who served as Chief of the Imperial General Staff in 1936 and 1937.-Army career:...
Barracks, then in the North Riding of Yorkshire
North Riding of Yorkshire
The North Riding of Yorkshire was one of the three historic subdivisions of the English county of Yorkshire, alongside the East and West Ridings. From the Restoration it was used as a Lieutenancy area. The three ridings were treated as three counties for many purposes, such as having separate...
, with rank of Major.
Morphy Richards
He became the Managing Director of Morphy RichardsMorphy Richards
Morphy Richards is a business located in the Swinton Meadows Industrial Estate, Swinton, near Mexborough, South Yorkshire.-Product range:It specialises in the manufacture of toasters, hairdryers, bread makers, kettles and sandwich toasters and other appliances. In its early stage it also made...
division in South Africa. He had met another company employee, Bill Russell, in 1951. Due a disagreement with Charles Richards, he left Morphy Richards.
Russell Hobbs
He wanted to design a ceramic coffee percolatorCoffee percolator
A coffee percolator is a type of pot used to brew coffee. The name stems from the word "percolate" which means to cause to pass through a permeable substance especially for extracting a soluble constituent....
which was electrically heated, and consulted Bill Russell. A coffee percolator would provide constantly hot coffee, and would rival the best-selling Goblin Teasmade
Teasmade
A teasmade is a machine for making tea automatically. It was once common in the United Kingdom and some of its former colonies. Teasmades generally include an analogue alarm clock and are designed to be used at the bedside, to ensure tea is ready first thing in the morning...
. In October 1952 they set up Russell Hobbs
Russell Hobbs
Russell Hobbs is a manufacturer of household appliances based in Failsworth, Greater Manchester, England.-Formation:After working with REME in World War II and leaving in 1947 as a Major, Bill Russell , from High Wycombe, joined Morphy Richards and helped to design the pop-up toaster, the electric...
together as partners in the business in Croydon
Croydon
Croydon is a town in South London, England, located within the London Borough of Croydon to which it gives its name. It is situated south of Charing Cross...
, Surrey. The world's first coffee percolator was launched at the end of 1952. Although the sales director of the company, he was responsible for the early innovation of new products. Russell would develop them to market. In 1963 the company was bought by Tube Investments.
By the mid-1970s Russell Hobbs was the world leader in automatic kettles, with sales of over five million. Their best-selling K2 kettle had appeared in 1960.
The CP1 coffee percolator and K1 kettle are displayed in the Science Museum
Science Museum (London)
The Science Museum is one of the three major museums on Exhibition Road, South Kensington, London in the Royal Borough of Kensington and Chelsea. It is part of the National Museum of Science and Industry. The museum is a major London tourist attraction....
in South Kensington
South Kensington
South Kensington is a district in the Royal Borough of Kensington and Chelsea in London. It is a built-up area located 2.4 miles west south-west of Charing Cross....
.
Personal life
He married Daphne Drummond in 1966. His wife died in 1996. They had a son. He enjoyed racing yachts with film producer Don MurphyDon Murphy
Don Murphy is an American film producer who produced Natural Born Killers and many other films, including Transformers and Transformers: Revenge of the Fallen.-Personal background:...
and was a member of the Royal Ocean Racing Club
Royal Ocean Racing Club
The Royal Ocean Racing Club also called RORC was established in 1925 as a result of a race to the Fastnet rock from Cowes and finishing in Plymouth. The RORC is the principal organiser of offshore yacht races in the UK, including the Fastnet race, the Admirals Cup and the Commodore's Cup...
.
When he retired he moved to Malta. He had restored a farmhouse at Xlendi
Xlendi
Xlendi is a village in Malta situated in the south west of the island of Gozo. The name is probably derived from the word "xelandion", a type of Byzantine vessel which may have anchored in the port. It is surrounded by the villages of Munxar, Fontana and Kerċem. Xlendi falls under Munxar for...
on Gozo
Gozo
Gozo is a small island of the Maltese archipelago in the Mediterranean Sea. The island is part of the Southern European country of Malta; after the island of Malta itself, it is the second-largest island in the archipelago...
Island.
In 1983 the family moved to Corrèze
Corrèze
Corrèze is a department in south central France, named after the Corrèze River.The inhabitants of the department are called Corréziens or Corréziennes according to gender.-History:...
in southern France.