what are those poles called?

Acro prop?

Regards, Eddie

thanks eddie

We always called them acro jacks.

Mary

I have an Acrow tool which does just about anything that a Land Rover driver might need that isn't in the tool box - except prop up buildings. Big brother to a Leatherman.

It's odd that I've not seen the Acrow name around for years except in connection with their props. Yet once it seemed so well known that I can still remember the way the printed it with a small "A" tapering out to a big "W". I can't remember what they did though. Was it tool making for construction and tool hire?

Edgar

"Acrow" is a trade name, but is the name by which these things are usually known, like "Hoover"... (Just "prop" would be the generic name I think)

David

Acrow props were invented by William de Vigier. He didn't think his own name was suitable for marketing a product, and it came near the end of any alphabetical listing, so he used his lawyers name, A Crowe, to market his company's products. William de Vigier died only last year.

The message from snipped-for-privacy@cucumber.demon.co.uk (Andrew Gabriel) contains these words:

I'd always assumed it was from Greek for high - acro. As in acrobat and acropolis.

Thanks. Interesting.

Edgar

Interesting.

"Ere mate, pass us a couple of De Vigiers to hold up this lintel..."

I think the guy made a good decision!

David

Especially when his customers all have the same name - "Mate". They don't need any more confusion in their lives....

It's not just builders though. There are a lot in the plumbing and electrical trades as well. I met several in Plumbcenter and WF this week, although there was one guy called Alan. He seemed a bit out of place among all the Mates there.

Why don't you call them by their proper name, Acrow Props?

ISTR the Acrow (as in props) company going bust many years ago. A quick check at Companies House does show an "Acrow (Engineers) Ltd. that was dissolved in 1990 - I suspect that was the one. There are several companies currently in existence though with names beginning with Acrow.

The regd. Trade Mark "Acrow" - first registered in 1938 - now seems to belong to:

Ashtead Plant Hire Company Limited Ashtead House, Business Park

Cue the Monty Python sketch..

Dave

That'll be...foundation support props then,before the name Acrow prop became houshold. :-)

Hum, interesting thought, and sounds very reasonable. However, it's not the story he told himself.

The Acrow prop was invented by William A. de Vigier, a Swiss engineer who settled in London before WW2. He chose the name of his solicitor, a Mr A. Crow, to grace his invention.

The William A. de Vigier Foundation, based in Switzerland, has provided direct financial support for innovative young entrepreneurs setting up their own companies since 1987:

Props hold things up where they are, jacks lift them further. If you try and raise something on an Acrow prop, it's far from easy work and there's a good chance you'll break the collar in trying.

More amazing knowledge from the inmates of uk.d-i-y ;-)

All the best .. ;-)

T i m