Meet the Guinness World Record holder whose unique Derbyshire museum pulled in a TV star

His spares and repairs shop in Heanor is an Aladdin’s cave of collectibles where dust-busting devices from the past 100 years are showcased.

James set the Guinness World Record in 2012 with his collection of 332 vacuum cleaners, just two years after he opened the museum at Market Street, with the help of the Prince’s Trust.

He has since lost count of the number he owns. "My collection fills out the shop nicely,” said James, who runs Mr Vacuum Cleaner. “I’m mainly a repair shop as I couldn’t make a living from the museum.”

Visitors from far and wide, including the TV presenter and actor Warwick Davis, have been sucked in by the impressive collection. James said: "Warwick was making a programme about places to go on holiday a few years ago. He likes vacuuming so his family arranged for him to come here. On school holidays we get families from all over the country.

"I get people saying 'my mum or granny had one of these’, or ‘we had one of these when we got married’ but I don't sell my museum pieces. I can always look out for one for them, but vacuum cleaners from the 50s, 60s, 70s and 80s can be hard to get parts for."

James, 43, has never revealed how much he's spent on his collection. He said: "It gives people the idea that I'll pay stupid amounts of money for someone's chappy old cleaner. Most reconditioned models are worth £10 to £50 but there are exceptions. Last year on eBay there was a new in-box Hoover Senior from 1973 that had never been used and that went for over £1,000.”

His collection began with a red Goblin cylinder, identical to the one that he had found in a dustbin store when he was eight years old and playing outside his dad's maisonette.

"My oldest vacuum is probably a wireless Vacuette from 1919,” said James. “I also have two bellows/hand pump vacuums from around 1910s/1920s. My oldest electric model is a Vacuette Electric from 1924/25.” These early Vacuettes were invented by Jim Kirby, at least a decade before the Kirby name started appearing on models.

Kirby is the Rolls-Royce of the vacuum cleaning world. James said: "They are built to last an average of 30 years, built to be repairable and still sold with a sales person. I have nearly every model Kirby has made since they started in 1914; I'm missing one or two of the early ones."

A brand new Kirby costs around £2,500 but with its life expectancy, quality of workmanship and cleaning abilities, James reckons it's money well spent. He said: "Standard vacuum cleaners cost £200 to £400 and last a handful of years before they break and need replacing.....over 30 years how many of these would you have bought?"

Naturally, the vacuum cleaner that James uses at his home in Heanor is a Kirby. He said: "I like vacuuming as well as working on vacuum cleaners. When you've done a good job, the carpet looks groomed, clean and tidy.

"There's a whole plethora of reasons why I like vacuum cleaners: the styling, the type faces, the colours, the models, the lots of different things that they do and the difference in quality.”

James stressed that vacuum cleaners need to be disposed of safely when they are no longer fit for purpose. He said: "It's important with battery powered cleaners to make sure that you take it to be recycled. You can't chuck it into the bin; if it's crushed in the lorry, it could cause a fire.

"Some iconic vacuum cleaners might be worth keeping, but more often than not it makes sense to sell or donate them, if they are still working and in good condition. If not, you can always recycle your old vacuum cleaner and give it a new lease of life.”

Anything with a plug, battery or cable can be recycled, simply visit www.recycleyourelectricals.org.uk.