As the main diamond jubilee celebrations finished, one Coupar Angus householder was marking the end of another 60-year era.
Nonagenarian Margaret Nicoll has finally bid farewell to her beloved cooker, which she has maintained in almost perfect working order for six decades.
The Jackson-make cooker and hob was in Mrs Nicoll’s Middlehills council house when she moved in in 1952 and was moved out for the first time recently, finding a new home with Coupar Angus and District Heritage Association.
Mrs Nicoll (94) said it was merely time to get a new appliance but the old cooker has caused a stir in Coupar Angus.
Joe Richards, chairman of Coupar Angus and District Heritage Association, said the cooker was in remarkably good condition for its age and will be proudly placed in its centre.
He said: “Mrs Nicoll decided it was the end of the road for the cooker so she gave it to us to show at the heritage association.
“She had this modern kitchen but this old cooker. It’s amazing as it still has the old handbook for it.”
Alan Seggie of the town’s electrical store C&W West said: “I was in her house to fix something one day a few years back and she said to me the thermostat didn’t regulate so I tried to service it but just couldn’t get the parts.
“It must be a collectible by now maybe some film company would buy it for period pieces. I’ve known cookers last 25 to 30 years but never 60. Things just aren’t built to last like that any more.”
Jackson cookers were popular as part of the Hotpoint range, now owned by Indesit. High values are placed on spare parts for Jackson cookers, with a thermostat on sale for over £60 and a timer for slightly less on on-line auction site eBay.