york40 Refrigerators An electric refrigerator made in the 1930s, by British Thronson Houston with the converter and electric motor housed on the top. Such models were very expensive; this one would have cost £80. A skilled man's average wage at the time was £5 a week. The preservation of food, so that it remains edible for some time, has been achieved by smoking, drying, pickling, bottling and jamming. But not all food could be kept like this. Dairy products need to be kept cold. Cellars and pantries were traditionally areas in the house that were cold, and used for storing food safely. A daily supply of the most perishable items was the only way of making sure they were fresh. In the 19th century ice boxes were used to help store food in hot weather. They worked by having a lump of ice in a container at the top that helped to cool the air in the compartments at the side or below the ice. These needed regular attention to refill the ice tray, and to drain away the water from the melted ice. The electric motor enable refrigerators to lose the block of ice and become an indispensable part of kitchen equipment. Fridges remained expensive until the late 1950's and early 1960's, when mass production made them affordable to more people.