Oldfield Dependence Lamps

[Foden7536]

Good evening. Sorry to start another new thread on lamps, but I wonder if some of you knowledgable people can help. 
 

Within my collection of lamps I have three of these lamps. As you can see by the photos they are twin fork mounted, stand 13” high to the top of the handle, and have a brass plate on with the description “DEPENDENCE J&R Oldfield Type No 443”

From the look of them I think it’s fair to say this one has never been lit, neither has another of the set, whilst the third has. (All three are front lamps)

Something that has made me think about this group is that they have only a front lens, there is no rear red lens (like my Lucas King of the road lamps have) so I wonder if they would have been fitted to a vehicle with a “scuttle” so the rear of the lamp wouldn’t be visible?

There are no WD markings, so I’m not saying they are correct for a military vehicle, however someone might know what vehicles did carry them?

 

On the build sheet for my Foden it says it was supplied new to the WD with a set of “Oldfield Dependence lamps” but I have always assumed these would have WD stamped into them, and likewise would have a red lens at the rear (again like the Lucas lamps which it would have been supplied with it it went into civilian ownership when new?

All thoughts, comments and observations are very welcome.

David 

[8_10 Brass Cleaner]

The oldfiend you have is very nice.

Its just a base model without the red rear tracer as it were. 

The three lamps on the B&W photo posted are all Powell & Hanmer. I've an example of the self generator and two and a half of the sidelights here. 

[Foden7536]

Thanks Hedd, 

I was very lucky to pick up three of those lamps, 2 are like this one and brand new, never lit, it was a good discovery!

 I have a P&H self generating  headlamp for the Foden (the lamp is currently under restoration). What made me wonder is the build sheet states it was supplied to WD with “Dependence fronts and tails, P&H headlight” so I assumed only the self generating to be a P&H lamp? 

[M Walters]

David,

I attach an extract from a 1922 Brown Bros. catalogue. You will see that there is a Dependence lamp designated the 564WD which was produced for military vehicles in the first war. The differentiating feature was that the lamps could be fitted on fork mounts or flat tongued brackets. It is also the lamp that was fitted to many Garrett overtype wagons after the war.

The lamps you have do not have a ruby lens because the reflector is a glass concave mirror. Sentinel issued these lamps as standard and had a brass plate with the Sentinel emblem riveted onto the flat section at the rear where a ruby glass would have been fitted. Incidentally, the lamps with a ruby glass are the same reference number 443. 

Michael