Discovered a victorian kitchen range - what should I do?

[Nemesis]

What is required here is a 'tidy betty'.

Have look at the bottom item here:

http://www.vicfires.com/origi_vic_fp/index.htm

You also need a fire guard... have look for old nursery guards wirth brass tops. Also you may find in an antiqe shop a guard which clips to the firebars.

My Christmas stocking used to be hung from ours each year... black mesh, brass top edge. The cat used to go to sleep perched on it.

Chuck some wood on and see! It may burn away more rapidly than coal, but I bet it burns...

 

[Penners]

What is required here is a 'tidy betty'.

And presumably an ash pan. Easy to buy, and if you can't get one the right size, easy to have a local jobbing sheet metal worker make for you.

 

[flowera]

Thanks for all the replies - all very helpful. Once we've removed the radiator thats been piped across the front I'll be able to get better access to the range. I will fire it up - but only once the chimney has been swept - there's at least 60yrs worth of 'stuff' sitting in the flue at present.

Of course the thing will burn wood - that's obvious. BUT my mine concern is whether it will burn wood easily. Easily in this context meaning can I get sufficient decent sized pieces on to it so that it will burn without needing a top-up every 5 minutes (the grate is very small). I will just have to try it and report back!

Alan.

 

[Silas]

What’s so grate (pardon the pun) about a wood burner, sure they can heat but that’s it. You have an original range, the true heart of the domestic life of homes for generations.

In historical context oil gas and electric are very recent innovations that are becoming more expensive by the day. As the energy wars become more frequent and the pot of power at the flick of a switch begins to runs dry we will all need to eventually accept that our lifestyle is going to change.

Who knows how things will pan out with regard to future energy but the warning signs are all but to obvious, so suffice to say that you could find that old range is a real asset in a few years, so think really hard before you write it off.

Your old range will be far better put together and much more versatile than any modern wood burner. We had a very small 1930s range in our previous cottage, the chap before me used it as a cupboard for books and paper work (odd). We had the chimney swept and fired her up, it was perfic and I really miss that old range, we made tea and cooked our breakfast on it at weekends and somehow the food tasted better.

Also I fail to understand why you are so against burning coal the smokeless stuff is not particularly messy plus it can be burnt in combination with wood
I have a wood burner in my dining room and find that once all the ironwork has heated up it's far to hot even when damped down. I prefer to use the dog and grate in my living room.

Reading between the lines seems to me that you have your heart set on a wood burner… so end if the day its your house… and your choice. I will swap you your old range for my wood burner if you really want one!

 

[Nemesis]

We too burn coal - anthracite in fact - I appreciate it's not as environmentally friendly as wood though.

Our solid fuel central heating is anthracite.

We do also burn wood on other fires and stoves, but it may well burn away quickly here. I'd consider using coal for this range, maybe with logs too. I agree - once fired up you can cook using it, my mum used to make wonderful casseroles in ours.

Other heating will give you background heat, the range will be a joy.