Hoover UK’s Junior range
Hoover’s Junior models were key to the company’s huge success in Britain. Here was a vacuum that combined all the core features of Hoover’s Deluxe and Popular model ranges at a price that was affordable to a much greater segment of the population. However, although lower in price to the larger models, even the Junior was quite expensive; at £10.15.0d, plus £2.02.0d for tools, a complete 370 would cost £513 today – much more than many families would spend on a vacuum cleaner even now.
The Junior’s compact size meant it was better suited to smaller British homes – the 370 and 375 were never sold in America, where Hoover’s larger machines best suited the home environment. However, Canada did receive a Junior ‘376’ variant, and America did get the 115 – the machine on which the UK Junior 119 was based.
In the early 1950s, the Lark Models 12 and 14 – Junior-sized uprights but with a wider cleaning path – were launched in America with limited success:
The Junior cleaner offered an alternative to the standard layout of the main components of Hoover’s machines, mounting the motor horizontally, rather than vertically. This was not a new idea, as other manufacturers had been using this layout for almost 30 years, but Hoover improved the design, adding its world-famous ‘Agitator’ brushroll. At last, an affordable cleaner of the highest quality was within the reach of the average middle class family.
Over the decades that followed, it was subjected to numerous re-styles and redesigns, and a Junior model was included in Hoover’s range right up until the early 2000’s.
Hoover Junior Model 370 c.1935-36
‘We’ve been determined for years to build a Hoover that every woman could afford – a real Hoover that “BEATS… as it Sweeps… as it Cleans” at a price within the reach of all. Now we’ve made it – the new Hoover “Junior”. It’s taken years of designing, testing, scrapping, and starting all over again.’
Manufactured: Perivale, Greenford, Middlesex, West London.
Motor: 225w, single speed.
Motor rpm: 13,000
Chassis: Die-cast aluminium, silver painted finish.
Brush-roll: Hoover Agitator.
Price: £10.15.0
Sold alongside: Models 100, 450, 800, and 925.
Hoover’s Junior Model 370 introducing a brand new component layout, compact design, and high quality which would become the Junior’s trademarks in the years to come. It had a 225w motor, and a pedal-release handle. Its design subtly matched that of its sister models 450, 800 and 925, making for one of Hoover’s most attractive model lineups of the decade.
Hoover Junior Model 375 – c.1937-39 / 1945-50
Manufactured: Perivale, Greenford, Middlesex, West London.
Styling: Henry Dreyfuss.
Weight: 6kg.
Motor: 225w, single speed.
Motor rpm: 13,000
Chassis: Die-cast aluminium, silver painted finish. Black Bakelite motor casing.
Brush-roll: Hoover Agitator.
Sold alongside: Models 100, 450, 800, and 925.
The Hoover Junior’s first restyle, this machine was among the earliest to incorporate phenol plastic casing into its design. Production began on December 12th 1936. Mechanically identical to Model 370, it was restyled by Henry Dreyfuss to incorporate the streamlined black stripe motif shared with Models 825 and 475. This was echoed in the new bag graphic design, with 8 thin white stripes running the length of the bag. Later post-war machines lacked the black stripe detail on the front casing.
As with all Hoover domestic products, production of Model 375 was halted for the duration of WWII. Within a month of VE Day, Hoover vacuums were once again available in Hoover Dealerships, and sold out almost immediately – in many cases on the same day! Hoover proudly highlighted that their machines remained at pre-war pricing.
Some time after production resumed in 1945, Hoover did away with the manually-adjustable height selector, instead providing the larger fixed ‘self-levelling’ wheels used on their other upright models. This cost-cutting measure saved materials in short supply, and helped simplify and speed up the manufacturing process. However, some earlier post-war machines were made with the adjustable wheels, until stock of older parts was depleted.
Model 375’s toolkit was also updated and simplified, with lightweight ‘duralium’ wands and crevice tool, and a phenol plastic upholstery brush. These connected with a simple rectangular spring clip.
Hoover Junior Model 119 – c.1950-56
Manufactured: Perivale, Greenford, Middlesex, West London.
Styling: Henry Dreyfuss
Weight: 6.14kg.
Motor: 225w, single speed Hoover-made unit.
Motor rpm (on carpet): 11,900.
Chassis: Die-cast aluminium, painted ‘bronze’ finish. Dark brown Bakelite motor casing.
Agitator rpm (on carpet): 2,900 rpm.
Sold alongside: Models 100, 402, 612, 912.
The Hoover Junior 119 was the first total redesign of the Junior, although it was very similar in layout to its predecessors. As with Model 375, it was the work of Henry Dreyfuss. Finished in gold hammerite and brown bakelite, it matched its more deluxe sister model, Model 612. The earliest machines had lettering in red on the fan cover. After the death of King George VI, the lettering was changed to gold.
Henry Dreyfuss moved the bag from in front of the handle to beside it, and enclosed the front wheels within the chassis, creating a simpler, more functional – although perhaps less elegant – design than that of Models 370 and 375. With a snap-action handle which didn’t require a release pedal, and automatic height adjustment, it was so simple there was very little to go wrong, and the 119/1224 proved one of Hoover’s most reliable designs. The toolkit fitted in the same way as Models 370 and 375’s had.
Hoover Junior Model 1224 c. 1957-58
Manufactured: Perivale, Greenford, Middlesex, West London.
Styling: Henry Dreyfuss.
Weight: 6.14kg.
Motor: 225w, single speed Hoover-made unit.
Motor rpm (on carpet): 11,900.
Chassis: Die-cast aluminium, painted ‘off white’ finish. Light blue painted Bakelite motor casing.
Agitator rpm (on carpet): 2,900.
Sold alongside: Models 100, 638, 912.
Hoover Junior Model 1334 – c.1958-62
Manufactured: Perivale, Greenford, Middlesex, West London.
Styling: Henry Dreyfuss.
Weight: 6.46kg.
Motor: 250w, single speed Hoover-made unit.
Motor rpm (on carpet): 12,000.
Chassis: Die-cast aluminium, painted white finish with ‘rose’ trim.
Agitator rpm (on carpet): 2,900.
Sold alongside: Models 100, 638/652, 912.
Hoover Junior Model 1334 was Hoover’s third total redesign of the highly popular Junior model, again the work of Henry Dreyfuss. For the first time, all the mechanics were enclosed in a streamlined alloy hood, reminiscent from some angles of the Volkswagen Beetle. The colour scheme was ‘white and rose’.
Model 1334 was noticeably shorter in height to the Juniors which had proceeded it; most likely because the new design did not require a ‘pitchfork’ style handle bail. The new single-speed motor was rated at 250w.
Model 1334’s dusting tool set included a cleverly-designed converter which removed the drivebelt from the pulley as it was rotated and latched in place. The 1334’s tool suction was very respectable for such a small cleaner – far more so than its more expensive brother, the De Luxe 652.
Hoover Junior 1334A – c.1962-63
Manufactured: Perivale, Greenford, Middlesex, West London.
Styling: Henry Dreyfuss.
Weight: 6.46kg.
Motor: 250w, single speed Hoover-made unit.
Motor rpm (on carpet): 12,000.
Chassis: Die-cast aluminium, painted light grey finish with medium grey trim.
Agitator rpm (on carpet): 2,900.
Sold alongside: Models 100, 652A, 912.