Broken antique phonograph owned by Peter Boyce and linked to Canvey Island’s ‘Great Flood of 1953’ fixed at Newbury and Thatcham Repair Café
A broken antique phonograph and family heirloom rescued from a flooded island over 70 years ago has been repaired at a local repair café.
A cylindrical phonograph made in 1896 was brought in to the Newbury and Thatcham Repair Café on Sunday, April 28 for a replacement drive belt.
The phonograph was bought during the early 1900s by the grandfather of the current owner, Peter Boyce, while he was courting his wife-to-be.
The couple settled on Canvey Island in Essex, a very low-lying area that was subject to what locals call ‘The Great Flood of 1953’.
On the night of January 31, 1953, a storm surge in the North Sea, caused by a very high spring tide and unusual weather conditions, engulfed many villages and towns on the UK’s east coast.
On Canvey Island it overwhelmed the sea wall and flooded the island, causing the death of 58 islanders.
Mr Boyce’s grandparents survived in freezing cold water for 12 hours before being rescued by boat. Afterwards they moved to other accommodation.
When the floods subsided several weeks later, the family returned to the home to salvage as much as possible, and the phonograph was found, completely covered in mud.
Aged 15, Mr Boyce cleaned it and got it working again, and his grandfather then gave it to him – a treasured family heirloom.
Mr Boyce created a new coiled metal drive belt to replace the original one because he loved his grandfather’s gift so much.
At last month’s Newbury and Thatcham Repair Café, a café volunteer investigated why the phonograph wasn’t working any more, and diagnosed a loose flywheel which he tightened up.
The drive belt Mr Boyce made back in 1953 still worked.
A repair café spokesperson said: “The sound of the phonograph playing again was heard throughout the café.
“Peter is delighted. Now it’s been repaired it will be given to his daughter.
“It will be in the family for five generations, thanks to the care the owner gave it when he was a teenager - and ongoing since - and the skill of the volunteer.”
