Bibliography - Pullinger
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Colin Pullinger and his Perpetual Mouse Trap, by David Drummond, published 1994 in Sussex Industrial History (issue no. 24, article, pp.2-9, ISSN: 0263-5151) accessible at: W.S.R.O. [Lib 16389/24] & The Keep [LIB/506527]   Download PDF

We do not know who invented and first made early perpetual traps. In fact it was not until the nineteenth century that there emerged the first identifiable inventor and maker of a commercially successful perpetual mousetrap. His name was Colin Pullinger. Colin was a native of Selsey and remains the most famous son of this isolated village on the most southerly point of the coast of West Sussex.

Selsey was an Island, by Mary Habberfield, published July 1998 in Midhurst Magazine (Volume 10 Number 4, article, pp.34-38, Summer 1998) accessible at: W.S.R.O. [Lib 15969]

Brief summary of the history of Selsey. Includes a 1913 advertisement promoting Colin Pullinger, 'Contractor, Inventor, Fisherman and Mechanic' and inventor of 'A Curious Mouse Trap'! Also, other intriguing advertisements of the same date.

Colin Pullinger's Registered Designs, by David Drummond, published 2004 in Sussex Industrial History (issue no. 34, article, pp.36-37, ISSN: 0263-5151) accessible at: The Keep [LIB/506532]   Download PDF

Some ten years ago I wrote about Colin Pullinger of Selsey and two of his mouse trap designs, his unsuccessful Automaton Mouse Trap and his commercially successful Perpetual Mouse Trap. In this article I wrote "A point should be made at this stage about the word 'Registered'. There is no evidence that Colin Pullinger registered either of his mouse traps, or for that matter any of his other inventions, as patents or designs. It seems likely that his wholesaler inserted the word in his advertisements as a ploy to deter potential competitors from copying the design. In this as we shall see later he seems to have been largely unsuccessful". Quite recently however my attention has been drawn by Stephen van Dulken to the appearance of Colin Pullinger's name in a list held in the British Library of registered non-ornamental designs. Further research has revealed that not only did Colin Pullinger register his two mouse trap designs, but also a few others. Thus the purpose of the present article is partly to eat humble pie and to indicate the nature of Colin's registered designs, but perhaps most importantly first of all to reveal the existence of an important body of unpublished information that may be largely unknown to other amateur would-be historians of inventions.