This film is part of Free
Plumber's Mate
Mrs Ring’s complicated life, dominated by professional and domestic chores, is soothed by a nice cup of Bournvita.
Overview
The title refers to the wife of Mr Ring the plumber, who has to combine running a shipshape household (no thanks to Peter, her grubby tearaway of a son) with providing professional support to her husband, including his accounts. It’s no wonder that she’s exhausted at the end of the day, but thankfully she has a nice hot cup of Cadbury’s Bournvita to hand - and fellow Mrs Rings were clearly the primary target of an advert that went out of its way to sympathise with their lot in life.
Introduced by Cadbury in the late 1920s, Bournvita (originally Bourn-Vita) was a health food made from - as the ad spells out - malt, cocoa, milk, sugar and eggs, specifically targeted at mothers of young children as a dietary supplement. It was discontinued in the UK in 2008, but remains popular elsewhere, notably India, where it became so firmly established from its initial launch in independence year 1948 that references to it abound in local popular culture to this day. The name comes from the model village of Bournville, near Birmingham, the site of Cadbury’s UK operations.
Related
Domestic Help Domestic Help
Advert 1952 2 mins
A cup of Horlicks helps a struggling husband bring home the bacon in this 1950s advert.
Crowning Glory Crowning Glory
Advert 1936 14 mins
Limp-haired lover Betty rekindles romance with dashing Dick by swapping to Amami Shampoo and Wave Set in this 1930s advertising film.
Ask My Mum Ask My Mum
Advert 1940 3 mins
Snow White wouldn’t look like Snow White without her special washing powder.
Eldorado Ice Cream Ad; Beautiful Women Eldorado Ice Cream Ad; Beautiful Women
Advert 1937 1 mins Silent
An ice cream a day keeps the wrinkles away…
The Clue of the Gleaming Hair (Eve Shampoo Advert) The Clue of the Gleaming Hair (Eve Shampoo Advert)
Advert 1937 6 mins Silent
Luscious hair solves a mysterious disappearance.
Fairy Liquid - Nanette Newman Fairy Liquid - Nanette Newman
Advert 1980 1 mins
Stepford wife Nanette Newman becomes the face of mild green Fairy Liquid in this iconic advert.
On Falling - Exclusive Q&A On Falling - Exclusive Q&A
Inside Film 2025 30 mins
Writer-director Laura Carreira talks to Nia Childs about her debut feature, On Falling.
Layla - Exclusive Q&A Layla - Exclusive Q&A
Short interview 2025 27 mins
Writer, director and performer Amrou Al-Kadhi talks to Rico Johnson-Sinclair about their debut feature.
All We Imagine As Light - Exclusive Q&A All We Imagine As Light - Exclusive Q&A
Short interview 2025 28 mins
Payal Kapadia discusses her Cannes prize-winning and Bafta-nominated drama with Ashanti Omkar.
Khichdi Khichdi
Animation & Artists Moving Image 2023 16 mins
The interwoven stories of four best friends who reunite in the UK, thirty-five years after training together as nurses during their teens in Ferozepur, Punjab.
Dr XYZ: A Medical Drag Transthology Dr XYZ: A Medical Drag Transthology
Documentary 2023 15 mins
A satirical take on the healthcare service announcements of the 1960s and 70s.
Every Moment Counts Every Moment Counts
Animation & Artists Moving Image 2023 9 mins
A short animation that offers a window into the world of children’s palliative care.