Cash lifts consisted of a car running vertically between two steel guide wires that could be raised by pulling on a cord and descended under gravity. The pulley arrangement meant that the handle had only to be pulled through a quarter of the distance of travel of the car.

They allowed a counter to be served above or below the floor or balcony of the cash office and could operate easily over a height of 25 feet. An automatic catch at the top secured the car and was released by pulling the cord. Springs at the bottom arrested the descent.

The illustration (from a Lamson brochure of ca. 1917) shows two designs of car: one with a wire basket for papers or small goods and one with a leather telescopic purse for cash and vouchers.

A lift still in its original position and in working order at John & J.H. Sands Ltd., 58 High Street, Kinross. The carrier is like a pnematic tube carrier and has LAMSON stamped on it. It was in operation from about 1920 to 1988 connecting the cash office downstairs with the sales area upstairs. It may be the only one still existing in the UK.

The upper station of a lift at Anscombe's, Harpenden, which closed in 1981. The car seems to be the cylindrical money carrier only, with no box. Anscombe's also had a Rapid Wire system on the ground floor.
© Eric Meadows