Willcox & Gibbs

I got a new sewing machine over the weekend. Well, I say new. A friend found it in the workshop on the grounds of a dilapidated house he has bought. I have no idea at all how old it is. The serial number is one I can't seem to find anywhere with it having an L prefix. It is in need of some TLC that is for sure. The biggest problem I have is if I can't identify it I have practically no hope of ever using it. I don't even know how to thread the darn thing. Now it does have a motor but I'm not sure if that is original or not. Either way I would like to convert it to treadle or hand power. Particularly if it is an industrial one. The motor looks pretty fearsome hehehe

I joined ISMACS because I could not find any info on this machine anywhere. I posted a link to a machine I had found that was similar as I've not taken any pictures of mine yet. Turns out one of the moderators for this digest is the owner of that picture and has kindly sent me a repair manual! The front cover has a pretty clear picture of how it should be threaded so I reckon after a clean up I can get her going. How ace is the internet?

I have named her after King George the first's wife (my first sewing machine is called George you see). So henceforth this machine will be known as Sophia Dorothea :o)