Peter Hobbs (engineer) - Revision history

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	{{Short description\|English engineer and businessman}}		{{Short description\|English engineer and businessman (1916–2008)}}
	{{Use dmy dates\|date=February 2021}}		{{Use dmy dates\|date=February 2021}}
	{{Infobox Engineer		{{Infobox Engineer
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	\|image_size =		\|image_size =
	\|alt =		\|alt =
	\|caption = Peter Hobbs and Bill Russell (with pipe)		\|caption = Peter Hobbs and Bill Russell (with moustache and pipe)
	\|name = Peter Hobbs		\|name = Peter Hobbs
	~~\|nationality = British~~
	\| birth_name = Peter Wallace Hobbs		\| birth_name = Peter Wallace Hobbs
	\| birth_date = {{birth date\|1916\|5\|3\|df=y}}		\| birth_date = {{birth date\|1916\|5\|3\|df=y}}
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	\|significant_awards =		\|significant_awards =
	}}		}}
			'''Peter Wallace Hobbs''' (3 May 1916 - 11 April 2008) was an English engineer and businessman who, with William Russell, founded the now global electrical appliance company [[Russell Hobbs]], made famous for their design and introduction of the iconic electric kettle in the late 1950s.
	'''Peter Wallace Hobbs''' (1916-2008) was an English engineer and businessman, ~~who~~ with William Russell, founded the now global electrical appliance company [[Russell Hobbs]] made famous for their design and introduction of the iconic electric kettle in the late 1950s.

	==Early life==		==Early life==
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	Following demobilisation Peter became the Managing Director of [[Morphy Richards]] division in [[Union of South Africa\|South Africa]]. However, due to poor trading conditions he was forced to return to Britain.		Following demobilisation Peter became the Managing Director of [[Morphy Richards]] division in [[Union of South Africa\|South Africa]]. However, due to poor trading conditions he was forced to return to Britain.

	He took a job as managing director of a different company, where he oversaw what he believed to be a breakthrough innovation, a new kind of electric [[coffee percolator]]. When the board of the company decided against putting this new design into production, Peter and his co-innovator, Bill Russell decided to go into business on their own.		He took a job as managing director of a different company, where he oversaw what he believed to be a breakthrough innovation, a new kind of electric [[coffee percolator]]. When the board of the company decided against putting this new design into production, Peter and his co-innovator, Bill Russell, decided to go into business on their own.

	===Russell Hobbs===		===Russell Hobbs===
	[[File:Hobbs coffee percolator CP1.JPG\|thumb\|Russell Hobbs Coffee Percolator CP1]]		[[File:Hobbs coffee percolator CP1.JPG\|thumb\|Russell Hobbs Coffee Percolator CP1]]
	[[File: The_Russell_Hobbs_K2_Kettle.jpg\|thumb\|Russell Hobbs Kettle K2]]		[[File: The_Russell_Hobbs_K2_Kettle.jpg\|thumb\|Russell Hobbs Kettle K2]]
	Peter Hobbs and Bill Russell opened their new business in Croydon in October 1952, and later the same year launched the world's first electric coffee percolator, dubbed the CP1.<ref>{{cite web\|url=https://collection.sciencemuseumgroup.org.uk/objects/co49445/automatic-electric-coffee-percolator-1952-coffee-makers-percolators\|title=CP1 Science Museum Collection}}</ref> This invention was soon followed by their launch of the K1 electric kettle in 1955. It was the first electric kettle with an automatic shutoff. The K1 was soon superseded by the K2, which had a more attractive appearance.<ref>Design Moment: Russell Hobbs K2 Kettle ''The Irish Times'' (22 June 2019)</ref> Both versions were expensive, but were built to last. The first K2 Kettles sold for £7, at a time when the average weekly wage was £14, but they became popular as wedding gifts. Russell Hobbs has reports of K2s still operational after 30 years, and although they are now extremely rare, collectors will pay up to £200 for a K2 in mint condition.<ref>The Secret History Of: The Russell Hobbs K2 kettle ''The Independent'' (23 October 2011)</ref>		Peter Hobbs and Bill Russell opened their new business in Croydon in October 1952, and later the same year launched the world's first electric coffee percolator, dubbed the CP1.<ref>{{cite web\|url=https://collection.sciencemuseumgroup.org.uk/objects/co49445/automatic-electric-coffee-percolator-1952-coffee-makers-percolators\|title=CP1 Science Museum Collection}}</ref> This invention was soon followed by their launch of the K1 electric kettle in 1955. It was the first electric kettle with an automatic shutoff. The K1 was soon superseded by the K2, which had a more attractive appearance.<ref>Design Moment: Russell Hobbs K2 Kettle ''The Irish Times'' (22 June 2019)</ref> Both versions were expensive, but were built to last. The first K2 Kettles sold for £7, at a time when the average weekly wage was £14, but they became popular as wedding gifts. Russell Hobbs has reports of K2s still operational after 30 years, and, although they are now extremely rare, collectors will pay up to £200 for a K2 in mint condition.<ref>The Secret History Of: The Russell Hobbs K2 kettle ''The Independent'' (23 October 2011)</ref>

	The CP1 coffee percolator and K1 kettle are displayed in the [[Science Museum (London)\|Science Museum]] in [[South Kensington]].		The CP1 coffee percolator and K1 kettle are displayed in the [[Science Museum (London)\|Science Museum]] in [[South Kensington]].

	In 1963 the company was bought by Tube Investments, and by the mid-1970s Russell Hobbs was the world leader in sales of automatic kettles. The Russell Hobbs Company is now owned by Spectrum Brands, with its products available in over 40 countries.<ref>{{cite web\|url=https://www.spectrumbrands.com/\|title=Spectrum Brands}}</ref>		In 1963 the company was bought by [[TI Group\|Tube Investments]], and by the mid-1970s Russell Hobbs was the world leader in sales of automatic kettles. The Russell Hobbs Company is now owned by [[Spectrum Brands]], with its products available in over 40 countries.<ref>{{cite web\|url=https://www.spectrumbrands.com/\|title=Spectrum Brands}}</ref>

	After selling the business Peter Hobbs was director of Valor Stoves, and later ran a restaurant called Manley's, in Storrington, West Sussex.		After selling the business Peter Hobbs was director of Valor Stoves, and later ran a restaurant called Manley's, in Storrington, West Sussex.
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	==External links==		==External links==
	* [http://www.timesonline.co.uk/tol/comment/obituaries/article3863262.ece ''Times'' obituary May 2008]		*[https://web.archive.org/web/20080516220119/http://www.timesonline.co.uk/tol/comment/obituaries/article3863262.ece ''Times'' obituary May 2008]
	* [https://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/obituaries/1896013/Peter-Hobbs.html ''Telegraph'' obituary April 2008]		*[https://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/obituaries/1896013/Peter-Hobbs.html ''Telegraph'' obituary April 2008]

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	[[Category:People from Langton Green]]		[[Category:People from Langton Green]]
	[[Category:British Indian Army officers]]		[[Category:British Indian Army officers]]
	[[Category:Royal Engineers ~~officers~~]]		[[Category:Royal Engineers soldiers]]
	[[Category:People educated at The Skinners' School]]		[[Category:People educated at The Skinners' School]]
	[[Category:20th-century British ~~engineers~~]]		[[Category:20th-century English engineers]]
			[[Category:Military personnel from Kent]]
			[[Category:British Army personnel of World War II]]
			[[Category:Indian Army personnel of World War II]]

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{{Short description|English engineer and businessman}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=February 2021}}
{{Infobox Engineer
|image = Peter_Hobbs_and_Bill_Russell.jpg
|image_size =
|alt =
|caption = Peter Hobbs and Bill Russell (with pipe)
|name = Peter Hobbs
|nationality = British
| birth_name = Peter Wallace Hobbs
| birth_date = {{birth date|1916|5|3|df=y}}
|birth_place = [[Langton Green]], [[Kent]], [[England]], [[UK]]
| death_date = {{death date and age|2008|4|11|1916|5|3|df=y}}
|death_place =
|education = [[The Skinners' School]]
|spouse = Daphne Drummond
|parents =
|children = 1 son
|discipline =
|institutions =
|practice_name =
|employer = [[Royal Engineers]], [[Morphy Richards]], [[Russell Hobbs]]
|significant_projects =
|significant_design = K2 kettle (1960)
|significant_advance = Automatic kettle - the K1 (1955)<br>[[Coffee percolator]] - the CP1 (1952)
|significant_awards =
}}

'''Peter Wallace Hobbs''' (1916-2008) was an English engineer and businessman, who with William Russell, founded the now global electrical appliance company [[Russell Hobbs]] made famous for their design and introduction of the iconic electric kettle in the late 1950s.

==Early life==
Peter Hobbs was born in Langton, [[Tunbridge Wells]] and attended [[The Skinners' School]]. As a young man he enjoyed amateur drama, appearing in school productions,<ref>''The Leopard Magazine'' (Vol. XVII. 1933)</ref> and [[Christopher Fry]]'s Tunbridge Wells Repertory Players.<ref>''Kent & Sussex Courier'' (19 October 1934)</ref> After leaving school he joined his father working for the [[List of pre-nationalisation UK electric power companies#Companies merged into South Eastern Electricity Board .28SEEBOARD.29|Weald Electricity Supply Company]].

==Military service==
A year after the outbreak of the [[Second World War]] he joined the [[Royal Engineers]] and trained in [[Bangalore]], and was commissioned as an officer in the [[Madras Engineer Group|Queen Victoria's Own Madras Sappers and Miners]]. In the [[Middle East]] he joined [[Iraqforce|Paiforce]] (Persia and Iraq Force) where he was an adjutant to the commander of the Royal Engineers in the [[6th Infantry Division (India)|6th Indian Division]].

After attending the [[Pakistan Command and Staff College|Staff College]] at [[Quetta]] in [[Baluchistan]], [[British India]] he was appointed Brigade Major at [[Sialkot]] in the [[Punjab Province (British India)|Punjab]].

Returning to Britain he commanded a field [[Company (military unit)|company]] at the [[Royal School of Military Engineering]] then in [[Ripon]] in the [[North Riding of Yorkshire]], with rank of [[Major (United Kingdom)|Major]].<ref>''The Daily Telegraph'' (19 April 2008)</ref>

==Career==
===Morphy Richards===
Following demobilisation Peter became the Managing Director of [[Morphy Richards]] division in [[Union of South Africa|South Africa]]. However, due to poor trading conditions he was forced to return to Britain.

He took a job as managing director of a different company, where he oversaw what he believed to be a breakthrough innovation, a new kind of electric [[coffee percolator]]. When the board of the company decided against putting this new design into production, Peter and his co-innovator, Bill Russell decided to go into business on their own.

===Russell Hobbs===
[[File:Hobbs coffee percolator CP1.JPG|thumb|Russell Hobbs Coffee Percolator CP1]]
[[File: The_Russell_Hobbs_K2_Kettle.jpg|thumb|Russell Hobbs Kettle K2]]
Peter Hobbs and Bill Russell opened their new business in Croydon in October 1952, and later the same year launched the world's first electric coffee percolator, dubbed the CP1.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://collection.sciencemuseumgroup.org.uk/objects/co49445/automatic-electric-coffee-percolator-1952-coffee-makers-percolators|title=CP1 Science Museum Collection}}</ref> This invention was soon followed by their launch of the K1 electric kettle in 1955. It was the first electric kettle with an automatic shutoff. The K1 was soon superseded by the K2, which had a more attractive appearance.<ref>Design Moment: Russell Hobbs K2 Kettle ''The Irish Times'' (22 June 2019)</ref> Both versions were expensive, but were built to last. The first K2 Kettles sold for £7, at a time when the average weekly wage was £14, but they became popular as wedding gifts. Russell Hobbs has reports of K2s still operational after 30 years, and although they are now extremely rare, collectors will pay up to £200 for a K2 in mint condition.<ref>The Secret History Of: The Russell Hobbs K2 kettle ''The Independent'' (23 October 2011)</ref>

The CP1 coffee percolator and K1 kettle are displayed in the [[Science Museum (London)|Science Museum]] in [[South Kensington]].

In 1963 the company was bought by Tube Investments, and by the mid-1970s Russell Hobbs was the world leader in sales of automatic kettles. The Russell Hobbs Company is now owned by Spectrum Brands, with its products available in over 40 countries.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.spectrumbrands.com/|title=Spectrum Brands}}</ref>

After selling the business Peter Hobbs was director of Valor Stoves, and later ran a restaurant called Manley's, in Storrington, West Sussex.

==Personal life==
He married Daphne Drummond in 1966, his wife for 30 years until her death in 1996. They had a son.

Throughout his life Hobbs enjoyed racing yachts with Don Morphy of [[Morphy Richards]] and was a long-standing member of the [[Royal Ocean Racing Club]].

Hobbs and his family moved to [[Xlendi]], [[Gozo]], Malta after retirement. In 1983 the family moved to [[Corrèze]] in [[Southern France]].

==References==
{{reflist}}

==External links==
* [http://www.timesonline.co.uk/tol/comment/obituaries/article3863262.ece ''Times'' obituary May 2008]
* [https://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/obituaries/1896013/Peter-Hobbs.html ''Telegraph'' obituary April 2008]

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{{DEFAULTSORT:Hobbs, Peter}}
[[Category:1916 births]]
[[Category:2008 deaths]]
[[Category:People from Langton Green]]
[[Category:British Indian Army officers]]
[[Category:Royal Engineers officers]]
[[Category:People educated at The Skinners' School]]
[[Category:20th-century British engineers]]