New Westminster's first local automobile show was held in the arena in Queen's Park in 1934.
Along with the displays of cars and accessories, there were featured exhibits of ladies' fashions and household appliances.
In reviewing the materials from this event, we noted two advertisements of particular interest from dealers of electrical appliance items.
It is important to remember that in the 1930s, many of the appliances that we take completely for granted today were relatively new on the market. They were often a curious attraction to the homeowner who was watching the changes that were taking place.
Every so often in the newspapers, we find articles describing a new appliance of some sort with an invitation to the public to come downtown to a store to see it, learn how it works, what it does, try it out, and so on.
One of the 1934 advertisements was for Phillips Radio and Electric, a company with a store on Columbia Street.
The ad was a contest to help the company come up with a slogan "not over ten words." The entry slip to be filled in and clipped from the paper also asked a couple of questions - and this was the crux of the contest for a slogan.
They wanted to know the make of radio already in the home and when it had been purchased.
For many people in the 1930s, the answer to this would be that they didn't have one.
A second question asked about the "nature of appliances in the home." For taking a few moments to fill out the form and drop it off, and, of course, having a look at the appliances on display, the reader could win a coffee maker, iron or waffle iron.
The second ad connected to the auto show exhibits was from B.C. Electric, who wanted participants to drop by their booth at the show and fill in a coupon for which the company was offering three prizes: First prize was a Hotpoint sandwich toaster with waffle grids; second prize a Bersted coffee maker, and the third prize a Westinghouse Adjust-OMatic iron.
The coupon was a list of eight items which B.C. Electric wanted the visitor to put in order of preference: first, second, third, etc. The ad states that the aim of the contest was "to gauge the opinion of New Westminster residents on their ideas of the value and popularity in the home of various electrical appliances."
The contest participant was to rank, from one to eight, a radio, electric washer, electric cleaner, electric floor polisher, electric or gas range, electric mixer, electric cooker, or electric refrigerator. Note that these are electric versions of manual, non-electric household "machines" that were in use at the time.
The world was changing, and B.C. Electric wanted to know what people thought - fascinating stuff in our domestic evolution from only 80 years ago.
