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An original 1971 'Grey' Don Barrow Light	An original 1975 'Orange' Don Barrow Light	An original 1976 'Orange' Don Barrow Light	An original 1976 'MK 02' Don Barrow Light	An original 1978 'MK B6' Don Barrow Light	An original 1987 'MK RB7' Don Barrow Light	An original 1984 'MK RB8' Don Barrow Light

My knowledge of Map Magnifiers goes back to around 1956, when I purchased an ex-RAF hand held Magnifier with a 7.5cm lens

Ex Army & Navy Stores RAF Map Magnifier - 1940s

fitted with a Perspex Graticule baseplate, with circular radius rings and a cross cursor.

Early Don Barrow advert from a 1972 Morecambe Car Clubs 'Illuminations Rally Regs' (poor repro)

Early Don Barrow advert from a 1974 Morecambe Car Clubs 'Illuminations Rally Regs' Click image for a better view

I remember paying about 5/- (Five Shillings) in old money, the equivalent of £00.25p at todays (2006) prices and I bought it from Ron Wilson's (see Autobiography) Emporium, the Army & Navy Stores, Chestergate, Macclesfield. This was a battery powered device with a long handle holding two or three HP2 batteries and in order to survive a night Rally I had to change batteries at the half-way on a 200 mile event. Needless to say I soon cut the handle off, silver soldered a blank cap on and fitted a rheostat, knob and flex and 'Hey Presto' my first Map magnifier.

As used by Ralph Stokes Era & manufacturer unknown

The magnifier on the Left is one that Ralph Stokes used on many of his forays and I am sure it will date back to World war 2 and used by the RAF, the long handle housed a mammoth rheostat for dimming the 4 bulbs installed within.

As far as I can remember there was no mention of the word 'Poti', 'Potti', 'Pottie' or 'Pottee', relating to map magnifiers around this period, I can only come to the most obvious conclusion, which I relate to in my next paragraphs.

There were other various devices on the market, an 'Eolite' and 'Allanlight', the Eolite being the most popular. I eventually purchased my own in 1959 at a cost of Five Guinea's (Five pounds and Five shillings) in old money, (£5.25p today) (I seem to remember that my weekly pay packet was only £8.10s.6d in those days! for a 46.5 Hour Week!!). These were well made with a self contained lighting unit using a 6 watt festoon bulb. The lens diameter was 4" (10.2 cm) and they came fitted with a 1" Romer

Don Barrow's original 1950's 'Eolite'

Graticule baseplate which was attached with four 6BA countersunk screws, you can imagine losing one of those screws in the thick carpets of a typical rally of the era. You had No Chance of ever finding them!

These units transformed Rally Navigation because the old style of 1" to the Mile Ordnance Survey maps were extremely difficult to read. Imagine 75% of the Yellow roads on today's maps, being 'White' unknown 'Goers' (the period jargon for a footpath or road that you could drive through, was either a 'Goer' or 'Non Goer') and you just about have a good picture of what the Navigator had to cope with. Naturally the Eolite became the most sought after Map Magnifier of the early 1960's. And having survived many a 'prang' I still have my original lurking around today.

However around the same period 1950's - 1960's the more affluent Navigators (or should I say Drivers, because they more than likely bought the equipment?) somehow managed to use an Allenlight costing around £8.10s.0d. (£8.50p today).

An original 1950's 'Allen Light'

They were an enormous device of approximately 9" - 11" (23.0cm - 28.0cm) in diameter with a whacking great handle on the side. They were so huge that you would often see a Navigator 'having a bit of a laugh' walking around with one over his head. You can also imagine what the travel sick Navigator used it for in an emergency situation? Yes, you have probably guessed right! I therefore think that this is where the word 'Potty', 'Poti', 'Potti' or 'Pottie' was evolved because if you turned the thing upside down, it simply resembled a 'Bed Pot'. And unfortunately it's name has stuck ever since. I used to hate folk calling my Don Barrow Light a 'Potti' and still do.

However the production of both the above Map magnifiers died natural deaths and half way through the 1960's another device came onto the scene and this was actually called a 'Potti', can you imagine producing a Map magnifier and giving it the same name as a baby's loo ! It consisted of a tubular metal pressing 13.5cm tall x 12.0cm diameter with a 7.0cm glass lens affixed to the top. Being completely open down one side, the idea being that you could plot with a pencil very easily, but it also let plenty of light OUT! thus defeating the whole exercise. It sold for 49/6d which was £2.9s.6d in old money (£2.47p today).

An original 1960's 'Potti'

I only looked at one once, it was like looking at a map by peering down through a glass milk bottle, because being used to an Eolite, which gave you a much clearer vision of the Map and route, automatically increased your expectations. Everyone was desperately searching to purchase an Eolite and I thought to myself, can I make a Map Magnifier which is either better or equal to the Eolite! I tried and tried during the years 1969 - 1971 and eventually I managed to make all the moulds, punches, dies and tooling etc, to enable me to produce my very own Don Barrow Light. These are still produced and moulded into shape on the very same original dies that I made many years ago. The original DB Lights were grey in colour, then I changed them to orange and finally the current black versions. You can usually gauge the seriousness of a Navigator by the type of Map Magnifier they are using. Various other types have come and gone, some were even made out of White PVC - W.C. Toilet Outlet Connectors with Acrylic lenses.

I am sure I do not have to remind you as to the cost of Crystal glass lenses today, someone you know will have purchased a pair of glasses and will have remarked about the price.

Always remember, you only get what you pay for!

© Copyright - Don Barrow 2001 - 2002 - 2003

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Don Barrow the 'King of the Navigators' [Eric Bailey - Motoring Correspondent - The Daily Telegraph 16/12/95]

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