Category:Edward W. Hobbs

1928: Hobbs encyclopedia article on waterline ship models [image info]

1924: Slideshow lectures given by Hobbs with W.J. Bassett-Lowke [image info]

Edward Walter Hobbs (born in 1885) was general manager of the Bassett-Lowke shop in Holborn, London, from its opening.

The Fuller book (p23) says that Hobbs apprenticed at the age of 12 to the British Automatic Machine Company (which, if this means the British Automatic Company), was a business making coin operated railway station and pier vending machines, label stampers and ticket machines), and spent some time with the naval architect Linton Hope.

Fuller also mentions that Hobbs was a major figure in setting up a Model Yacht Club that met at "The Bun Shop" (in The Strand?), not far from the Holborn site.

Hobbs and model shipbuilding

Bassett-Lowke already had no shortage of model railway experts. Where Ernest Twining seems to have been the aircraft specialist in the Bassett-Lowke organisation, Hobbs seems to have taken in the role of the company's in-house "ships and boats" expert, and the Holborn branch benefited from a range of model boats that Hobbs commissioned to be built by London-based companies (and probably also designed). If Hobbs was involved in model yacht club activities, they he'd have had his "finger on the pulse" as to what London-based model yachtsmen wanted, what else was already available from other sources, and how much they were prepared to pay. The Holborn shop is supposed to have done very well under Hobbs' managership, and contemporary photographs show it with model boats very visible in its window displays.

Writing

Hobbs' writings on model boats included the article on 1:1200-scale waterline ships for the "Wonderful Models" partwork encyclopedia.

Although Hobbs' primary interest was maritime engineering, and eleven of the books listed below are about boats and ships, he was also able to write books on other subjects as diverse as veneering and house repairs. It's tempting to see the influence of W.J Bassett-Lowke in the subject choices of "Cinematography for Amateurs" (WJ was a keen amateur cinematographer, and wrote the occasional article on the subject) and "Bootmaking" (Bassett-Lowke Ltd. was based in Northampton, which was the world centre of the bootmaking industry).

Incomplete bibliography:

A book listing culled from online bookseller listings. Years may not always refer to the date of the first edition.

• Edward W. Hobbs, Sailing Ships at a Glance: A Pictorial Record of the Evolution of the Sailing Ship from the Earliest Times until Today (Architectural Press 1925)
• Edward W. Hobbs, Pictoral House Modelling A Practical Manual Explaining How to Make Models of Buildings
• Edward W. Hobbs, How To Make Old Time Ship Models (Brown, Son & Ferguson)
• Edward W. Hobbs, How to Make Clipper Ship Models A Practical Manual Dealing with Every Aspect of Clipper Ship Modelling from the Simplest Waterline Types to Fine Scale Models fit for Exhibition Purposes (Brown, Son & Ferguson, Glasgow, 1928)

• Edward W. Hobbs, Model Power Boats A Practical Text Book Covering the Whole Art of Model Power Boat Design and Construction (Cassell & Co 1929)
• Edward W. Hobbs, Model Power Boats: Steam, Petrol, Electric Percival Marshall

• Edward W. Hobbs, Model maker's workshop (Cassell and company 1934)

• Edward W. Hobbs, Modern handcraft materials and methods (Cassell & Company 1932)
• Edward W. Hobbs, Model Electric Railway Making (Cassell & Company 1934)

• Edward W. Hobbs, House Repairs A Practical Guide for the House-holder and Amateur Craftsman Architectural Press 1926
• Edward W. Hobbs, Modern Furniture Veneering A Treatise for the Cabinet-Maker and Other Interested in Furniture Making and Restoration (The Technical Press 1946)
• Edward W. Hobbs, Easy Furniture Building A Practical Handbook for the Home Craftsman (Cassell And Company Limited 1929)
• Edward W. Hobbs, Concrete for Beginners Fully Illustrated with Photographs and Line Drawings (Cassell 1929)
• Edward W. Hobbs, Practical wood carving how to use the tools and make the designs Foulsham's practical manuals (1935)
• Edward W. Hobbs, Simple outdoor carpentry A practical handbook on making numerous structures for the garden and small-holding Cassell handbooks series (1953)
• Edward W. Hobbs, House Modelling for Builders and Estate Agents Lockwood's manuals (Technical Press 1937)

Model Engineer Series

• Edward W. Hobbs, Model Steamer Fittings Model Engineer Series No.54 (Percival Marshall, ~1932)
• Edward W. Hobbs, Model Sailing Ship Fittings, Deck & Rigging Details Model Engineer Series No. 55 (Percival Marshall)

Amateur Mechanic & Work Series

• Edward W. Hobbs, Home carpenter's practical guide A practical handbook for the man who wants to make things about the house Amateur Mechanic & Work Handbooks (Cassell and Company, Ltd. 1933)
• Edward W. Hobbs, Scenic Modelling Amateur Mechanic & Work Handbooks (Cassell & Co Ltd 1930)
• Edward W. Hobbs, Domestic Electric Appliances The 'Amateur Mechanic & Work' Handbooks (Cassell & Company Ltd 1930)
• Edward W. Hobbs, Practical Raffia Work Amateur Mechanics & Work Handbooks series (Cassell & Co. 1932)
• Edward W. Hobbs, Cinematography for Amateurs Amateur Mechanics & Work Handbooks series (Cassell & Co. 1930)

Model Maker series, Cassell

• Edward W. Hobbs, Model Motor Boats No. 2 of the Model Maker Series
• Edward W. Hobbs, Model Railway Making New Model Maker Series, No. 5
• Edward W. Hobbs, Model Sailing Boats: Their design, building, and sailing New Model Maker series, no. 6 (Cassell 1934)
• Edward W. Hobbs and Norman G. Taylor, Model Racing Yachts New Model Maker Series of practical handbooks, no. 6 (1954)

editor

• Edward W. Hobbs (ed.), Boot Making and Mending (Cassell & Co 1935)

External links

• Linton Hope (gracesguide.co.uk)
• Linton Hope (wikipedia.org)