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Vintage Radio (domestic) Domestic vintage radio (wireless) receivers only. |
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28th Jun 2020, 10:46 am | #1 |
Nonode
Join Date: Mar 2008
Location: Aberdeen, UK.
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Roberts Radios
Are there any Roberts Radios collectors/experts out there who have an insight into their vintage era history ?
The reason I ask is that I've a "Roberts Valve Tester" thread running in "Test Equipment", and I've a suspicion that they were manufactured for use with Roberts Radios back in the late 40's. Too much of a coincidence in the same "Roberts" name, and I'm sure that copyright issues would have arisen if London Sound Labs had used the name without the Roberts Company's permission. Having started out in 1932, Roberts fortunes must have jumped in 1947 when a picture of the King & Queen beside a Roberts wireless was published. Perhaps back then Kerrys were also the main distributors for Roberts ? Perhaps Roberts & Kerrys operated a franchise servicing deal(similar to Mullard, Pye, etc.) to radio shops ? Hence a "Roberts Circuit & Valve Analyser" - similar to the "Pye Service Rack" & the "Mullard HSVT" which were spread around the country in old radio/tv shops. Regards, David Last edited by David Simpson; 28th Jun 2020 at 10:48 am. Reason: punctuation |
28th Jun 2020, 11:09 am | #2 |
Hexode
Join Date: Oct 2019
Location: Weymouth, Dorset, UK.
Posts: 473
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Re: Roberts Radios
I stumbled upon this article from 1947 in Wireless World;
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28th Jun 2020, 11:35 am | #3 |
Dekatron
Join Date: Apr 2011
Location: Cornwall, UK.
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Re: Roberts Radios
London Sound Laboratories....Guy Neville Roberts....See post #4 here:
https://www.vintage-radio.net/forum/...d.php?t=154900 Lawrence. |
28th Jun 2020, 12:38 pm | #4 |
Nonode
Join Date: Mar 2008
Location: Aberdeen, UK.
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Re: Roberts Radios
Thanks Guys for the replies. I hadn't actually seen the WW article, but had found other similar stuff like the "simpsons" forum thread. I've also got a copy of the wee A5 Users Handbook which is pretty much non-technical. So, I'm not really needing any past info on the London Sound Labs or Kerrys, but I'm trying to establish a link between the Roberts Radio Company & the "Roberts Portable Valve & Circuit Analyser"(to give it its full name). For example - in any documentation held by Forum Roberts Radios experts is there a mention of using such an item ? As I've said in the other thread - the tester's limited circuitry might possibly only really suit the models of Roberts Radios from 1932 till the late 40's ? But, I ken SFA about collecting or repairing these sets.
Regards, David |
28th Jun 2020, 1:19 pm | #5 |
Dekatron
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Re: Roberts Radios
Guy Neville happened to have the surname of Roberts...?
He was doing business before Roberts Radio it would seem: https://www.thegazette.co.uk/London/.../5290/data.pdf Lawrence. Last edited by ms660; 28th Jun 2020 at 1:26 pm. Reason: link added |
28th Jun 2020, 2:21 pm | #6 |
Dekatron
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Location: Cottingham, East Yorkshire, UK.
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Re: Roberts Radios
In 1987 a hardback 45-page book 'The History of Roberts Radio' was published, the authors of which were Keith Geddes and Gordon Bussey, with the Foreword written by Richard Roberts. It's a well written interesting little book, long since out of print, but copies crop up from time to time such as this one:
https://www.amazon.co.uk/History-Rob.../dp/0951259008 As will be noted at that link, there are several used ones on offer at prices ranging from £7.99 to an optimistic £41. There are also two 'collectible' ones on offer, one of which has a full-page inscription by Richard Roberts. (£12.95).
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David. BVWS Member. G-QRP Club member 1339. |
28th Jun 2020, 2:38 pm | #7 |
Nonode
Join Date: Mar 2008
Location: Aberdeen, UK.
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Re: Roberts Radios
I guess that Roberts is quite a common name, so its not inconceivable that two completely separate chaps had set up different radio companies in the early 1930's. Would've been good to discover that Harry & Guy were brothers, me thinks.
Anyway, going by Roberts Radios illustrious connections with the Royal Family, & the name continues to this day, I guess they've fared a lot better than London Sound Labs who went out of business after just a few years. Not surprised if their "Sound" equipment was as poorly built as the effing valve tester. Regards, David |
28th Jun 2020, 2:51 pm | #8 |
Dekatron
Join Date: Apr 2011
Location: Cornwall, UK.
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Re: Roberts Radios
Guy Neville Roberts:
Birth registered in 1894 at Alvestoke. Marriage registered in 1923 at Newcastle on Tyne, married Alice M. Ogilvie. Death registered in 1975 at Taunton Deane. Lawrence. |
28th Jun 2020, 3:08 pm | #9 |
Dekatron
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Re: Roberts Radios
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28th Jun 2020, 3:56 pm | #10 |
Rest in Peace
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Re: Roberts Radios
Thanks Lawrence an interesting read.
Mike |
28th Jun 2020, 4:53 pm | #11 |
Nonode
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Re: Roberts Radios
My thanks too, Lawrence. A good afternoon coffee read. Stuck inside due to the rain. Needed a rest, due to laundry work & hoovering, as my wife has cut a finger & needed a hospital dressing yesterday, (pruning in the fruit cage with secateurs!).
Regards, David |
28th Jun 2020, 5:01 pm | #12 |
Dekatron
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Re: Roberts Radios
Just to confuse the matter a little more, there was also "J. Roberts Radio Company", the alleged makers of some very basic little receivers marketed by Concord Electronics:
https://www.radiomuseum.org/r/unknown_little_jewel.html I suspect in that instance Harry Roberts' company may have taken fairly swift action to protect the brand. Paul |
30th Jun 2020, 11:06 am | #13 |
Nonode
Join Date: Mar 2008
Location: Aberdeen, UK.
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Re: Roberts Radios
Well, looks like my suspicions of a link between the two "Roberts" names were unfounded. So, thanks guys for the answers. Particularly Lawrence for the Roberts' history link.
I've never been a keen vintage domestic radio collector/restorer. Many table top wirelesses have gone under my radar. Just some Ferranti's, Murphy's, and a few collectable 1920's TRF's. So reading up on Roberts has opened my eyes as to how nice some of the old sets were. I guess, Moderators, that this thread could be closed. Thank you. Regards, David |