There was a Smiths process timer in our school darkroom/cupboard-under-the-stairs in the late 1960s. The darkroom hadn't been used for quite a while, so I got very familiar with all its contents through having to clean them up and make them work. We did already have electricity in those days(!), but timing print exposures involved watching the clock and flicking the enlarger on and off.
Once I realised that these timers were commonplace on eBay, I had to have one for the darkroom shed I built late in life, for nostalgia's sake. Actually I bought two specimens, the first being the newer type with the coloured buttons. I disliked that one, and it turned out to be rusty inside. The second was the original type in nice condition, which I cleaned and lubricated. I also built a little plywood cradle so that it sits at the top of my splash-back, in easy reach but out of harm's way. After the main light, it's the first thing I switch on in the darkroom - I just love the sound, puts me in the right mood.
