Title
Correspondence with Radio Communication Co Ltd and the British Broadcasting Co Ltd regarding broadcasting from Metropolitan-Vickers temporary radio station 2ZY
Reference
YA1996.1735/MS0531/118
Production date
04-02-1922 - 23-06-1932
Creator
- Metropolitan-Vickers Electrical Co LtdBiographyBiography
Metropolitan-Vickers Electrical Co Ltd was the new trading name given to British Westinghouse Electric and Manufacturing Co on 8 September 1919. The predecessor company had sold its controlling share to the Metropolitan Carriage Wagon Co in 1916 in order to gain membership of the Federation of British Industries. In 1919, Vickers acquired the Metropolitan Carriage Wagon Co, along with its controlling share in British Westinghouse, prompting the change in name to Metropolitan-Vickers Electrical Co Ltd.
The American owned British Westinghouse had established its English operations at Trafford Park in 1899, and Metropolitan-Vickers Electrical Co Ltd continued on the same site from 8 September 1919. The company was initially known for its electricity generators, later diversifying into the manufacture of steam turbines, switchgear, transformers, electronics and railway traction equipment.
The passing of the Electricity (Supply) Act in 1926 provided a boost to the company’s post-war fortunes, with the creation of the National Grid generating demand for the company's products.
In 1928, Metropolitan-Vickers Electrical Co Ltd merged with its rival British Thomson Houston Co Ltd, retaining both names for trading purposes. The following year, on 4 January 1929, Associated Electrical Industries Ltd (AEI) acquired Metropolitan-Vickers Electrical Co Ltd and the British Thomson Houston Co Ltd. Again, both trading names were retained, and a fierce rivalry was established between the firms which the parent company was unable to control.
In 1931, Sir Felix Pole joined Metropolitan-Vickers Electrical Co Ltd as its new chairman. He oversaw a period of expansion for the company leading into the Second World War. In 1939, seeking a more concise name for the company, the Board of Directors decided upon Metrovicks, which became interchangeable with the official company name of Metropolitan-Vickers Electrical Co Ltd. Under Sir Felix Pole's chairmanship, Metropolitan-Vickers developed new products for the aviation industry and during the war was one of the sites where Lancaster bombers were built. In 1941, the company developed the first British axial-flow jet engine, the Metrovick F.2.
Following the Second World War, the company appointed Oliver Lyttelton as chairman, with the aim of increasing the efficiency and productivity of AEI. Despite his success in achieving this aim, Lyttelton was unable to resolve the commercial rivalry between Metropolitan-Vickers Electrical Co Ltd and the British Thomson Houston Co Ltd.
During his second period as chairman, from 1954-1963, Lyttelton, now Lord Chandos, oversaw the development by Metropolitan-Vickers Electrical Co Ltd of the first commercial transistor computer, the Metrovick 950. Chandos also resolved to extinguish the competition and internal divisions between Metropolitan-Vickers Electrical Co Ltd and the British Thomson Houston Co Ltd, and both company names ceased to be used from 1 January 1960, with all subsidiaries going on to trade under the name of Associated Electrical Industries Ltd.
Scope and Content
Correspondence, reports and memos between Metropolitan-Vickers, the Radio Communication Company and the British Broadcasting Co Ltd regarding the licencing of a broadcasting station, electrical equipment used, and broadcasting experiments carried out during the early days of radio station 2ZY.
Amongst the papers are reports on a visit to companies involved in manufacturing and assembling thermionic valves, discussions on development of types of radio receiving sets for the British market, an agreement on the licencing of Radio Patents and other inventions related to telephonic broadcasting, the proposed location and tuning of the broadcasting stations, comments received from listeners to the early broadcasts, setting up and the staffing of a future broadcasting station for Manchester and specifications for equipment at Moorside Edge transmitting station.
Physical description
Good
Language
English
Level of description
FILE
Repository name
Science and Industry Museum
Associated people and organisations
- Radio Communication Company LimitedBiographyBiography
Basil Binyon formed the Radio Communication Company Limited 1919 to produce radio equipment for use on board merchant and naval vessels. The radio sets were manufactured under the Polar Bear brand name. The polar bear was also the company trade mark.
In 1922, the Radio Communication Company Limited was one of six major telecommunications companies involved in setting up the British Broadcasting Company, later the British Broadcasting Corporation. Radio Communication Communication Company Limited worked alongside the Marconi Wireless Telegraph Co, Metropolitan-Vickers Electrical Co Ltd, General Electric, Western Electric Co and British Thomson-Houston to decide how UK broadcasting should develop.
Radio Communication Company Limited merged with the Marconi Company in 1929. Binyon had worked with Guglielmo Marconi on the early development of the first transatlantic Morse code transmissions.
- The British Broadcasting Co LtdBiographyBiography
The company was incorporated in 1922 by British and American electrical companies, they were; Marconi wireless Telegraph company; Metropolitan-Vickers electrical Co Ltd; Radio Communication Co Ltd; The British Thomson-Houston company; The General Electric Co; Western Electric Company.
The participating companies did this to ensure there was a service providing radio broadcasts, in order to create a market for the sale of radio receivers made by the members of the company. The company was dissolved on the 31st December 1926 and the non-commercial British Broadcasting Company (BBC) was established under a Royal Charter.
Subject
Conditions governing access
Open access.
Conditions governing Reproduction
Copies may be supplied in accordance with current copyright legislation and Science Museum Group terms and conditions.
