UK Plumbers

A Fresh Look at an Old Advice Site

2026-10-12T17:09:11.996-07:00

This small archive has been quiet for years. It's time to look again at what it could offer.

I'm James WJ Wilson. I developed several specialist blogs, including this one, and I'm revisiting them after a long break.

The existing collection includes attributed plumbing-related news extracts. I'd like future pieces to be practical: questions to ask about quotes, repairs and finding suitable professional help.

The archive will retain its dates and sources. New technical material will need current professional guidance; old prices, job advertisements and safety information are not current recommendations.

Thanks to everyone who found this blog in its earlier life. Here's to making it useful again.

Daring plumber wanted (must like penguins and the cold)

2008-11-12T05:03:00.001-08:00

Looking for a career change and want to get away from it all? The British Antarctic Survey is looking for a plumber and an electrician to work at its Bird Island Research Station, which is 650 miles south of the Falklands.

Article published by www.independent.co.uk
September 8th 2008

Plumber Finds Tramp Living In Loft

2008-11-11T10:58:00.000-08:00

Mum Natalie Summers called for a plumber to check out her noisy heating system and found a tramp living in her Loft.She asked the workman to check the pipes after hearing creaking sounds above her flat for weeks.When the plumber opened the loft hatch he found a dishevelled tramp wrapped in a duvet staring down at him. The vagrant then leapt out and sauntered off.

Article published by www.thesun.co.uk
Dec 1st 2006

Apprentice In Plumb Position

2008-11-11T10:43:00.000-08:00

Teenager Ross Warwick saw an advert to be an apprentice plumber – and two years later he owns TEN PER CENT of the business.

Article published by www.thesun.co.uk
Jan 22nd 2008

Three Yobs Jailed For Plumber Attack

2008-11-11T10:26:00.000-08:00

Three yobs have been jailed for a total of ten years after beating up a plumber for asking them to stop urinating on his car.

Article published by www.thesun.co.uk
September 17th 2008

Blundering plumber burns down £5m mansion

2008-11-11T10:09:00.000-08:00

Spare a thought for the rookie plumber who attempted a soldering job at this £5 million waterside home - and saw his efforts go up in smoke.

Article published by www.dailymail.co.uk
April 18th 2007

Kate Moss wanted David Cameron's number because she thought he was a plumber

2008-11-11T10:00:00.000-08:00

Conservative leader David Cameron has told how supermodel Kate Moss mistook him for a plumber.

Article published by www.dailymail.co.uk
November 10th 2007

Briton beats 6000 to win 'Best Plumber in France' title

2008-11-11T09:55:00.000-08:00

Mancunian plumber Oliver Watson - the best plumber in France.
French president Nicolas Sarkozy will be unknowingly presenting a prize for the country's best apprentice plumber to an Englishman, its has been revealed.Oliver Watson, from Southport, will receive the prestigious Meilleur Apprenti de France at the French Senate in Paris next month.

Published by www.dailymail.co.uk
August 23rd 2007

Sorry but my female plumber drove me around the U-bend

2008-11-11T09:42:00.000-08:00

Women are splitting atoms and running for President so it should not have surprised me to find a female plumber on my door-step.

Article published by www.dailymail.co.uk
January 23rd 2008

Plumbers and electricians trained as council child abuse 'spies'

2008-11-11T09:24:00.001-08:00

Spy on the job: Plumbers will be on the lookout for waterworks and other signs that children are being abused
Tradesmen working for local authorities are to be asked to report signs of child abuse and neglect as they visit the homes of council tenants.The plumbers, electricians and carpenters will be issued with a checklist of signs to look out for, including ‘unexplained bruising’ and ‘scalds’. Training will last just half a day.

Article published by www.dailymail.co.uk
October 19th 2008

British Gas Boilers & Homecare

2008-11-11T09:12:00.001-08:00

Whether you want to maintain your existing boiler or install a new boiler, one of our 5,500 highly trained CORGI registered gas engineers can help you.

Published by www.britishgas.co.uk

BBC Plumbing Quiz

2008-11-11T05:11:00.000-08:00

The BBC have a plumbing quiz and factsheet to help prospective plumbers with their skills.

Fake plumbers con elderly woman

2008-11-10T08:56:00.001-08:00

Two men posed as plumbers to trick their way into the home of a 95-year-old woman and steal property.Sussex Police said the pair told her they were mending a leak to a neighbouring building, on Wednesday at about 1800 GMT.One of the men distracted her by asking her to turn taps on in the kitchen of her home in Goring, while the other searched the house.

Articled published by news.bbc.co.uk
February 28th 2008

UK needs plumbers, not graduates

2008-11-10T08:49:00.000-08:00

The United Kingdom needs more plumbers and fewer media studies graduates, company bosses said yesterday as they called for a radical shake-up of state education.

Article published by www.independent.co.uk
July 21st 2002

Roman Artisans Were First Plumbers

2008-11-10T07:45:00.000-08:00

It's to the plumbing engineers of the Old Roman Empire that the Western world owes its allegiance. The glory of the Roman legions lay not only in the roads they built and the system of law and order they provided. It was their engineering genius and the skill of their craftsmen that enabled them to erect great baths and recreation
centers, the water supplied by aqueducts from sources miles away.
The Latin term "plumbus" means "lead," as was also the weight at the end of a line for perpendicular alignment. The plumber was a worker in lead who, in today's connotation, repairs or fits the apparatus of water distribution in and to a building. The Roman artisan plumbed pipe, soldered, installed and repaired; he worked on roofs and gutters, down to sewers and drains; in essence, everything involving supply and waste. In fact, this general job description of plumber's work lasted into the 20th century.

Choosing and using a plumber

2008-11-05T06:06:00.000-08:00

There has been a rash of reports in the media recently of plumbers charging their unwary customers thousands for the simplest of jobs. How can you make sure you won't be the next to fall victim?

Published by www.guardian.co.uk
May 5th 2004

Singing like a drain: Joe the Plumber signs up for a recording career?

2008-11-05T05:54:00.000-08:00

Plumber Sam 'Joe' Wurzelbacher (above) has Garth Brooks in his sights.

The American website Politico claims that Joe the plumber, who does not have a plumbing licence and is not actually called Joe, is being "pursued for a major record deal."

Published on www.guardian.co.uk
October 30th 2008

Dishonest plumber sent to prison

2008-11-05T05:47:00.000-08:00

Wendy Burbidge (above) was conned out of more than £5,000

A rogue plumber who charged thousands of pounds to unblock a drain and a toilet has been jailed for two-and-a-half years for deception.

Article published by news.bbc.co.uk
April 23rd 2004

Plumbing the depths of ignorance

2008-11-05T05:43:00.000-08:00

This week a molecular biologist left academia to earn more as a gas fitter.The idea that thousands of graduates are about to give up desk jobs to become plumbers has taken a strong hold on the middle-class imagination.

Published in The Times
February 28th 2004

Rogue plumber's £700 bill

2008-11-05T05:36:00.000-08:00

A rogue plumber charged more than £700 for a boiler job which should have taken two minutes, a court heard.

Published by /www.metro.co.uk
Thursday 1st July 2004

Left high and dry by rogue plumber

2008-11-05T05:33:00.000-08:00

The Echo can today reveal the trail of misery left behind by rogue plumber Russell Flynn.Last Friday we revealed how Flynn charged elderly customer George Bosward £330 for a job which should have cost just £50.

Published by the Liverpool Echo
January 25th 2005

BBC Rogue Traders

2008-11-05T05:22:00.000-08:00

Matt and Dan flush out rogue plumbers. This time, they're after two big companies based in North London and Bedfordshire.

Published by www.bbc.co.uk

Cowboy plumber awaits sentencing

2008-11-04T05:53:00.000-08:00

A plumber who pleaded guilty to charging extortionate rates to unblock drains and toilets has had his case referred to crown court for sentencing.

Published on news.bbc.co.uk
Thursday, 4 March, 2004

Toilet trouble for space station

2008-11-04T05:40:00.001-08:00

International Space Station astronauts are eagerly awaiting the arrival of shuttle Discovery - it is bringing a new pump to mend their broken toilet.
Are there any UK plumbers willing to travel into space ?

Article published on news.bbc.co.uk
Thursday 29th May 2008

Plumbers union on "Joe the Plumber"

2008-11-04T05:23:00.000-08:00

The United Association of Journeymen and Apprentices of the Plumbing
and Pipe Fitting Industry isn't happy with McCain's use of "Joe the Plumber" as a campaign mascot.

Article posted on www.guardian.co.uk
October 16th 2008