"Won't Get Fooled Again"
(Fakes, Replicas and Assorted Street Objects)

rochford, 2019 A superb replica in the Market Place at Rochford, Essex. Thanks to Bob Taylor for the photos.

Markings: "DONATED BY ADRIAN CHAPMAN 2002".

Manufacturer: It was made by local structural engineer Adrian Chapman, when the town square was reinstated in 2002. He produced the wooden patterns based upon a photograph of the original pump, which was removed in 1902, and had the castings made by the Rayne Foundry in Braintree.

Further information and history: (1) (2)
rochford, 2019

Click here to
see pic I've
taken from www.geograph.
org.uk's site.
And another careful replica, at Foxton, Leics.

Further information and history.

bourne This pump, in Bourne, Lincs, looks like a very rough concrete casting. Thanks to John Hurst for the photo.

Markings: A very indistinct shield, possibly derived from a Bamford's pump.

Manufacturer: Unk.

stratford replica Whereas these seem to be much better-finished versions of the same model pump, in concrete. The one on the left is in Northern Ireland, and the other was advertised on ebay. Thanks to Marcus Simms for the photos.

Markings: A distinct shield, with the words "STRATFORD PUMP", a date - and a possible "C". A model offered for sale online by Border Stoneware clarifies that the shield states "STRATFORD HARVEST HOME PUMP", "1878" and a ©.

Manufacturer: Made by Border Stoneware Ltd.
stratford replica

farthinghoe And some others - different, but along the same lines - on the left at Farthinghoe, Northants (thanks to Mike Woolford for the photo), and on the right at Loxton, N. Soms (thanks to John Hurst).

Markings: None visible in the photo.

Manufacturer: Unk.
loxton, 2022

middleton quernhow There are a number of these around. The "pump" is just a sheet metal pressing, the "spout" is supported, and the "handle"... just isn't a handle. Thanks to John Hurst for the photo on the left, at Middleton Quernhow. N. Yorks. The pump on the right is at Whitefield Park, Whitefield, Greater Manchester, and is taken from www.geograph.org.uk's site.

Markings: None discernible on the "pump" itself.

Manufacturer: Unk.
whitefield

worthing A plastic replica pitcher pump mounted on a barrel at Tarring, Worthing. Thanks to Paul Snelling for the photo.

Markings: None.

Manufacturer: Unk.

chinese rankin A well-made Chinese cast iron replica of a typical Belfast pattern pump. But even the handle is cast iron, which certainly isn't authentic - they should be wrought iron - and as a result such handles are often found to have snapped (see photo on the right). Thanks to Marcus Simms for the photos, and for coming up with a means of telling real Belfast pattern pumps from Chinese copies.

Markings: "RANKIN & CO. BALLYMENA".

Manufacturer: Unk, but offered for sale by various garden centres.
snapped handle

broughshane replica, 2022 Another Belfast pattern replica pump. This one's at Raceview Mill, Broughshane, Co. Antrim; it's plastic and has no fulcrum bolt. Thanks to Marcus Simms for the photo.

Markings: "C RANKIN BALLYMENA"

Manufacturer: Unk, but probably Chinese.

broughshane, 2022 Here's another Belfast pattern replica pump, and this is also at Broughshane, Co. Antrim. It's made of plastic. Thanks to Mike Simms for the photo.

Markings: "C RANKIN BALLYMENA"

Manufacturer: Unk, but probably Chinese.

replica, 2016 Yet another Belfast pattern replica pump, seen advertised on ebay. Thanks to Marcus Simms for the photo.

Markings: None.

Manufacturer: Unk.

Lisburn plastic cowstail The one on the left is very close to being a perfect replica, except for the fact that there's no fulcrum bolt and the entire pump is made from plastic. Thanks to Marcus Simms for the photo. Subsequently, he's found one offered for sale online which seems to be made from concrete (see right).

Markings: A "3" near the top of the pump.

Manufacturer: Unk.
concrete cowtail, 2016

evans replica An example of any number of plastic "garden feature" mock-ups now offered for sale on line. Thanks to Marcus Simms for the photo.

Markings: A Lion and "MADE IN ENGLAND". (How dare they appropriate such a revered trademark...)

Manufacturer: Unk.

Another example of plastic "garden feature" mock-ups. Thanks to Marcus Simms for the photo.

Markings: Various.

Manufacturer: Unk.

Yet another. Thanks to Marcus Simms for the photo.

Markings: None.

Manufacturer: Unk.

shirley, 2019 This one, in Shirley, Derbs, does have what seems to be a genuine handle and operating rod, but they aren't connected to anything, and the simple wooden framing carries no hint of a spout. Thanks to John Hurst for the photo.

Markings: None.

Manufacturer: Unk.

sledmere They've made an effort at Sledmere House, Sledmere, E. Yorks, to reproduce a structure that looks like a pump in the stable yard, on the site of where in all probability there were two pumps in years gone by. However, it features a tap which is connected to the water mains, and the handle is non-functional. Thanks to John Hurst for the photo.

Markings: None.

Manufacturer: Unk.

kings nympton, 2016 King's Nympton, Devon - thanks to John Hurst for the photos. This turns out to be a non-working replica, used for advertising purposes when the company started up in the mid-1980s. The giveaway is the very lightweight fulcrum, and it's likely that the broken handle was cast iron, too. Thanks to Tony Harris of T P Pumps Ltd, for the historical information. Subsequently we've discovered that a pump at Pentrefoelas, Conwy, is identical (minus the lettering).

Markings: "TP PUMPS" on the barrel.

Manufacturer: Made for T P Pumps, a modern day company.
kings nympton, 2016

queniborough replica This is on the green by the Britannia Inn, in Queniborough, Leics - thanks to Mike Woolford for the photos. It carries a plaque which reads:
REPLICA OF
QUENIBOROUGH PARISH PUMP
RE-SITED BY THE PARISH COUNCIL
TO COMMEMORATE 50 YEARS
OF PEACE 1945-95
Markings: None other.

Manufacturer: Unk.

upton st leonards We had our suspicions about this one in Upton St. Leonards, Glos, for some long time, and at last we've got a close-up. It's a fake, complete with electricity cable. Thanks to Mike Woolford for persevering.

Markings: "LICKEY HILLS CASTING COMPANY NO 4 and FC1874".

Manufacturer: Apparently the Lickey Hills Casting Company - no further information.

randallstown On first inspection all looks in order at Randalstown, Co. Antrim - except that it's a 2-D picture of a pump. In fact Marcus Simms has proved through some excellent detective work that the original pump is located in Gracehill, Co. Antrim. .

high ackworth, 2017 At Hessle, near High Ackworth, W. Yorks, this pump is entirely wooden, and with a solid, square section, spout. Thanks to John Hurst for the photos and for checking it out.

Markings: None.

Manufacturer: Unk.

birdingbury And there's this structure at Birdingbury, which is simply a very substantial wooden post fitted with an iron spout and handle. (Click on the thumbnail for a different view). It was installed in 2012, replacing an earlier wooden pump. Thanks to Mike Woolford for checking this out.

Markings: None.

Manufacturer: Unk.

ovingdean, 2018 This garden feature at Ovingdean, Brighton & Hove, continuously pumps water. On closer inspection it surely cannot be a pump - all the angles are wrong. Thanks to Alex Vincent for the photo.

Markings: None.

Manufacturer: Unk.

budock water, 2018 A "feature" at Budock Water, Cornwall. Thanks to John Hurst for the photo.

Markings: None.

Manufacturer: Unk.

middle temple, London, 2019 This replica was installed at Pump Court, Middle Temple, London, in 2019. Thanks to Simon Cowper-Smith for the photos.

Markings: None.

Manufacturer: Unk.
middle temple, London, 2019

waltham, 2020 This remnant at Waltham-on-the-Wolds is all that remains of a pump that at some point after 2008 was removed from the end of a building which formerly stood on the current site. Now it's just a handle mounted on a plank of wood as a "feature". Thanks to John Hurst for the photo.

Markings: None.

Manufacturer: Unk.

wetton, 2020 This falls into the "not quite sure" category. It's at Wetton, Staffs, but looks suspiciously like a water pillar/standpipe, even though it's in a front garden. Thanks to John Hurst for the photo.

Markings: None.

Manufacturer: Unk.

And some that are initially thought to be pumps turn out to be anything but:  
monyash glinton ulwell weighing machine rickford stetchworth, 2017 anstey
A probable stinkpipe/
stenchpipe at Monyash, Derbs?
Thanks to Mike Woolford for the photo.
This one at Glinton, Peterborough, isn't a pump, but a water pillar, connected to the water mains. An instruction plate explains that the handle needs to be pushed down in order to depress a valve plunger. John Hurst reminds us that there's a similar one on the quayside at St. Ives, Cambs.

Manufacturer's information used to be at http://www.ajbernasconi-design.co.uk/021.html, but the link no longer works.
After some deliberation, we've concluded that this device, at Ulwell, Dorset, made by Guest & Chrimes of Rotherham & London, is in fact a water pillar. Thanks to Mike Faherty for the photo. A weighing machine at Blackpool Mill, Pembs. Thanks to Ruth Roberts for the photo. This apparent pump at Rickford, N. Soms is in fact a form of hydrant - the wheel carries the wording "OPEN/SHUT", which implies that it controls a valve and hence water under pressure. Thanks to Neil Owen for the photo. This device in Stetchworth High St, Essex, looks suspiciously like a water pillar. Thanks to Bob Taylor for the photo. The impressive wheeled structure at Anstey, Herts - but a close-up of the mechanism - thanks to John Hurst - shows that it's a well-head winding gear, not a pump. Research shows that there used to be an identical one at Cottered, Herts. Main picture used with permission from: http://www.soil-net.com/album/Water/Drinking_Water/.

corby glen    claverley, 2017 Click here to
see pic I've
taken from www.geograph.
org.uk's site.
Click here to
see pic I've
taken from www.geograph.
org.uk's site.
bourton, 2023    
A water pillar at Corby Glen, Lincs, and there's another similar one in the High St. Elsewhere there's the comment "The water supply was improved by W. H. Woodhouse of Irnham Hall, bringing it from a spring to standpipes".
Thanks to Bob Harvey for clarification that "the water supply was gravity fed from a brick lined open topped tank further up the hill toward Irnham, which does not survive. That was fed, in turn, by a natural spring. Thanks to Joan Deane for the photo.
A double-spouter at Claverley, Shrops, but it's not what it seems. There's no sign of a fulcrum nor of any other mounting device for a handle - or indeed any room for one above the upper spout, where it would have had to have been. The hole piercing the barrel at right angles to the lower spout is puzzling, too.

But the old maps do show a pump at this location, and it does seem to include some genuine pump parts. Nevertheless, the conclusion is that this structure was almost certainly a standpipe, connected to the nearby mains supply, which is indicated by a yellow hydrant cover in the road. Thanks to John Hurst for the photo and for checking things out.
A water pillar at Tidenham, Glos. A water pillar at Idlicote, Warks. This "water lifter" in Bourton-on-the-Water, Glos, is a bit of home-made whimsy, driven by a small electric pump.    

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