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Old 4th Feb 2011, 8:56 pm   #21
G3UPW/PETER
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Henry Heard nothing from you
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Old 9th Feb 2011, 10:01 pm   #22
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Henry hasn't visited the forums since he joined on 1 December last year.

You can email him via the forums by clicking on his username to the left of his post.
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Old 1st Mar 2011, 8:41 pm   #23
G3UPW/PETER
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Thanks
Have tried to email him, still no reply. Pity Because I may have most of the info which he could do with.
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Old 23rd Jun 2011, 11:52 am   #24
Amanda L
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Sorry I have just joined this thread and am very interested to hear about this all. My family owned Derwent Television etc and I am very interested to hear from Henry as he is obviously a distant relative.

If anybody would like any info about where everyone is or they have pictures or memories, it would be good to hear about them as I am trying to put together a book for my grannys (Edith Fletcher - she was married to Mr Fletcher (Winston) 90th birthday this year.

Many thanks
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Old 25th Jun 2011, 7:55 pm   #25
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Quote:
Originally Posted by G3UPW/PETER View Post
It started up as 'Lease a Radio' at Perivale in 1937
Good grief, I have one of those radios. I posted a request for info a couple of years back and I got no replies. Mine is badged 'Lease-a-Radio' on the dial, chassis-wise it's a little crude I always thought, works very well though, mains speaker, american-pattern valves etc.
It has the same cabinet as the one in oldticktock's pic but the chassis is probably different because the knobs are all in a different place and the dial has a rear-mounted flat-glass.
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Old 26th Jun 2011, 9:33 am   #26
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I may be wrong but was it not Visionhire that took over Derwent. I think you may be thinking of DER rentals Fusewire, a Thorn company and no connection with Derwent. They had a very posh branch on Wimbledon Bridge, large chrome letters on the shop head board, very 30's 40's and I always considered them to be the 'Rolls Royce' of television rental. I would probably not have considered myself 'good enough' to enter their premises had I been a prospective rental customer for fear of being chased out and shown the directions to Vista or maybe Spectra just along the road. Derwent did have a very good reputation for excellent service and a good customer base. Regards, John.
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Old 24th Aug 2011, 1:18 pm   #27
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Hi names Peter Golding I used to be Service Manager for Derwent Television at Tolworth, my 2ic was David Piper, branch chief engineers that joined me at Tolworth were Richard Plum (Kingston), Les Banks (Guildford), Peter Longhurst (streatham), I was C.Eng at Sutton, David Gray(Wimbledon) but he left as Tolworth formed. I knew Winston Fletcher, Peter and Michael Fletcher and his wife Carol. Many many more.
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Old 24th Oct 2011, 12:47 pm   #28
JIM MARKS
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Hi to anyone interested in Derwent Television

I was employed with Derwent Television, as a Television Engineer from November 1956 to December 1961. January 1958 I was promoted to Service manager working at the branch in Park Street Bristol. During this time Derwent had 29 showrooms.

The director I worked under was Mr W J King, who was a very nice man to work for, Derwent was very much a family business, and a pleasure to work for. During my time with Derwent my main contacts were Mr King, and the senior field trouble shooter Charlie Lunt. I made a number of visits to the factory at 26 Wadworth Road Perivale Greenford Middlesex, and was able to meet and talk to the company Television designer a Mr Banthrope.

I remember we rented a 9" that the engineers called the Yellow peril, due to the weight of the set, we also supplied a magnifiying glass to help enlarge the picture.

The company Head Office was Derwent House 188-192 London Road Liverpool
Telephone number ROYAL 6152

Most of the set in the range were named after lakes in the lake district. We also rent radiograms that looked very impressive, highly polished, a very modern design at the time, due to the company also being involved with the furniture business.

The service vans were painted a bright orange, with black sign work looked very smart. I remember the Managing Director of GF rentals, another Bristol company stopped me one day and commented on the impressive look of the van

The engineers had to carry out a TVI about every six months, we got paid a half crown for every one we did..

Well the grey matter is slowing down a bit now. I hope you found this of interest

Regards Jim Marks
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Old 24th Oct 2011, 1:11 pm   #29
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Hello Jim, welcome to the forum. Very interesting information, do you have any old photos you could show us all. Cheers, Malc
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Old 26th Oct 2011, 12:56 pm   #30
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Yes if anyone has old photos of the works or anything to do with the company that would be very interesting.

Cheers
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Old 30th Jan 2012, 2:27 am   #31
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I have one of those 9-inch Derwent TV sets which was originally rented by my parents in around 1952. It still has the big oil-filled magnifying glass which hangs in front of the screen, supposedly to make it look bigger.

It was modified by Derwent with an additional tuner for the start of ITV. It seems to still work, even though there's nothing for it to receive and I would love to have any more information about it.

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Old 5th Mar 2012, 7:54 pm   #32
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Reading these pages brought back happy memories to me. I was the marketing manager for Philips Consumer Electronics in the 70's and had personal responsibilities for one of our main rental customers, namely Derwent.

I had regular meetings with Mr Winston Fletcher and on one occasion was privileged to meet Mr Fletcher Senior, who in his 90's still ruled the company with a rod of iron. I also had meetings with Winston's sons Michael and Peter (I believe I have the names correct).

It was always a pleasure to meet Mr Banthorpe who earned the nick name 'Chatty' Banthorpe because it was always a pleasure to listen to his tales of his early days developing Radar. Unfortunately I don't have any photos.
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Old 27th Dec 2012, 7:00 pm   #33
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Greetings Friends.

I am Harry and I joined Derwent Television Rentals in 1974/1975 at Bromley Branch. Later I was transferred to Streatham branch were I stayed until 1980. Then again I was transferred to Tolworth where they opened a new branch. Finally I was transferred back to Bromley and then to Orpington where they opened a new service department.

I must say it was the best time of my life working for Derwent Television.
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Old 2nd Jan 2013, 8:31 pm   #34
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Hi all,

I also worked for Derwent Television from 1972 to 1982. Great days to be a Television engineer!
We serviced the Manchester area from the workshop at the back of the Sale shop. We covered rental service for the Bolton and Manchester branches. Memories of struggles with old Plessey chassis TVs named after lake district lakes mixed with Philips K70,G6, G8, G9 and G11 chassis. Names and faces from the past sadly no longer here. I wish I had taken photographs!
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Old 22nd Feb 2013, 1:23 pm   #35
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Peter Golding View Post
Engineers that joined me at Tolworth were Richard Plum (Kingston), Les Banks (Guildford), Peter Longhurst (streatham)
Interesting.

Dick Plumb (nice guy) was my manager at Kingston (branch in Fife Road). I also worked alongside Charles? who's surname I can't remember. Presumably Kingston closed as I was never aware of a Tolworth branch, so must have left before that.

Regards, Alan.
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Old 13th Dec 2013, 10:11 pm   #36
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A quick ressurection of the thread with pics this time!
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Old 12th Apr 2014, 7:36 pm   #37
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Quote:
Originally Posted by HENRYARNOLD View Post
Did you work at Perivale or up at Liverpool? I am Henry Fletcher's grandson [the founder] and at some point in the near future I'm putting together something for the family about Derwent. It would be good to correspond.
Hi, can I help in any way? I recognise the thread is old but you never Know! Initially I served as an Apprentice then Engineer at London Road in Liverpool mid 1970's & 80's.

Cheers Tony.
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Old 12th Apr 2014, 8:02 pm   #38
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Amanda L
Sorry I have just joined this thread and am very interested to hear about this all. My family owned Derwent Television etc
Hi Amanda, this is a long shot, I worked at Liverpool branch from the mid 70's to 80's can I help. regards.

Last edited by Station X; 12th Apr 2014 at 9:14 pm. Reason: Quote added to provide context.
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Old 23rd Jan 2015, 9:51 pm   #39
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I worked for Derwent, at the Finchley, then the Wembley branch as a Field Engineer.
The BW TVs had removable cabinets. Just four screws, and the whole cab was off, made servicing easy.
They had either a racecourse name i.e. Ascot etc, or a lakes name i.e. Ullswater
Very good friendly company. I Am just trying to remember the Service Managers name at Wembley, ah yes Eric Ecllesly, sorry cant spell it. I started with an Anglia van then as I kept it clean, got an Escort, then an Escort estate car. I have some pictures somewhere, of the orange van, many happy memories.
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Old 18th Feb 2015, 4:26 pm   #40
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Derwent shop Newport Street Bolton around 1960. My aunty Vera Kobelt was Michael Fletcher's PA. I think she was based at Bromley. I remember she lived in a flat over the Derwent shop in Tolworth until she retired around 1986.
She always said it was a great company to work for.

Anyone remember Vera Kobelt?
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