An early teasmade was devised by gunsmith Frank Smith in 1902. It consisted of a kettle and a methylated spirits burner linked to an alarm clock. Although it probably worked, it was far too awkward a contraption to catch on.
In 1937 the famous Goblin teasmade, developed by Brenner Thornton, went on sale. Aided by the efforts of over 250 instore demonstrators, it rapidly became a success. It worked by electricity automatically heating the element in a special kettle at a time before the alarm is due to go off.
When the water boiled, it decanted through a tube onto the tea in the pot, and the current heating the element switched off. The weight of the water in the pot automatically turned on a light and set off the alarm.
