In a remarkable testament to post-war manufacturing, a set of Christmas tree lights purchased in 1956 still illuminates perfectly nearly seven decades later. Believed to be the oldest working set in Britain, these vintage Philips bulbs are a cherished heirloom for their owner, John King, from Scunthorpe.
A Treasured Childhood Memory
John King was just ten years old in 1956 when his mother, Elsie, returned from shopping on Scunthorpe's High Street with a special purchase. The schoolboy had been eagerly asking for the lights, and his delight was immense when he saw the 12 multi-coloured bulbs adorning the family tree that Christmas. "It was such a thrill," Mr King, now 79, recalls. "Not many people could afford a set of lights in those times."
The set was bought from Halfords for 18 shillings, equivalent to almost £20 today. They came in the same original packaging in which Mr King still stores them, treating them as "precious" artefacts. That same Christmas, he also received a Hornby railway set, cementing 1956 as a memorable year in his childhood.
An Unbroken Record of Festive Cheer
What makes these lights extraordinary is their longevity. For 69 years, not a single part of the set has needed replacing. "I've always cherished and looked after them," says the retired painter, decorator, and school caretaker. "It's amazing, I can't even believe it myself."
This durability means the lights pre-date another set previously thought to be the UK's oldest. Those bulbs, owned by Ross Farr-Semmens from Plymouth, illuminated his family Christmases for 54 years before finally failing last year.
A Deliberate Retirement to Preserve History
Despite their perfect working order, Mr King made the decision to retire the lights from active duty around 20 years ago to protect them. "I don't use the lights because it is all LED now and they would use quite a bit of energy," he explains. "I have to say they're now in retirement because, of course, they're so precious to me."
The lights have outlived most of his immediate family, connecting him to a bygone era. His sister Joan has passed away, and his parents, Elsie and George, died in the 1970s. Only his older brother Alan, now 89, remains. Mr King himself has never married and still lives in the same end-of-terrace house his family moved into in 1950.
The year the lights were first switched on, Johnnie Ray was number one with 'Just Walkin' in the Rain', and footballer Stanley Matthews had just won the first-ever Ballon d'Or. The world's first Christmas tree lights were created in 1882 by Edward H. Johnson, a partner of Thomas Edison. Mr King's set continues this long tradition of festive illumination, a glowing, multi-coloured link to a 1950s Christmas that still, remarkably, works.
