John Bowers (Loudspeaker Builder)
Encyclopedia
John George Frederick Bowers (1923 – 1987), born near Worthing
, UK
was in special operations during World War II
contacting allied resistance
in occupied Europe by radio transmissions. Posted in Germany
in the Royal Corps of Signals
, he met Roy Wilkins. They discovered a common interest in radio and decided between them that when the war was over, they would set up a shop to supply components for amateur radio enthusiasts.
After the war John Bowers became a Telecommunications Engineer at the Brighton Technical College (now part of the University of Brighton
). Together with Roy Wilkins, John Bowers opened an electronics retail store in Worthing
under the name Bowers & Wilkins Ltd. The business soon expanded to include television as well as radio. Rentals became a large part of the business and a service department was established to support this extra business, run by a new recruit, Peter Hayward. Almost from the start Bowers and Wilkins became involved in the supply of public address equipment to schools and churches throughout Sussex. Combined with his passion for classical music, this led to John Bowers devoting more and more of his time to the study, design and assembly of loudspeakers. Bowers' designs soon gained a reputation for quality, and before long a small production line was established in workshops behind the shop. A certain Ms. Knight was very pleased with the speakers Bowers made for her, and granted him £10,000 in her will.
Bowers decided to leave the retail business and focus on his speaker building activities. Together with Peter Hayward he founded B&W Ltd.
in 1966.
In his approach to perfect reproduction John Bowers combined feedback from recording engineers with extensive R&D
and engineering. Within the company he founded a dedicated research department in 1976. Three years of research lead to the revolutionary 1979 Bowers & Wilkins 801 studio monitor
that became a long term reference in the music recording industry. In 1982, John Bowers started a dedicated research and development facility in Steyning
.
Near his life's end, John Bowers released the John Bowers Active 1 loudspeaker under his own brand name.
On 20 December 1987, John Bowers died after a short illness. A memorial service was held in Arundel Cathedral
, Sussex.
Worthing
Worthing is a large seaside town with borough status in West Sussex, within the historic County of Sussex, forming part of the Brighton/Worthing/Littlehampton conurbation. It is situated at the foot of the South Downs, west of Brighton, and east of the county town of Chichester...
, UK
United Kingdom
The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern IrelandIn the United Kingdom and Dependencies, other languages have been officially recognised as legitimate autochthonous languages under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages...
was in special operations during World War II
World War II
World War II, or the Second World War , was a global conflict lasting from 1939 to 1945, involving most of the world's nations—including all of the great powers—eventually forming two opposing military alliances: the Allies and the Axis...
contacting allied resistance
Resistance during World War II
Resistance movements during World War II occurred in every occupied country by a variety of means, ranging from non-cooperation, disinformation and propaganda to hiding crashed pilots and even to outright warfare and the recapturing of towns...
in occupied Europe by radio transmissions. Posted in Germany
Germany
Germany , officially the Federal Republic of Germany , is a federal parliamentary republic in Europe. The country consists of 16 states while the capital and largest city is Berlin. Germany covers an area of 357,021 km2 and has a largely temperate seasonal climate...
in the Royal Corps of Signals
Royal Corps of Signals
The Royal Corps of Signals is one of the combat support arms of the British Army...
, he met Roy Wilkins. They discovered a common interest in radio and decided between them that when the war was over, they would set up a shop to supply components for amateur radio enthusiasts.
After the war John Bowers became a Telecommunications Engineer at the Brighton Technical College (now part of the University of Brighton
University of Brighton
The University of Brighton is an English university of the United Kingdom, with a community of over 23,000 students and 2,600 staff based on campuses in Brighton, Eastbourne and Hastings. It has one of the best teaching quality ratings in the UK and a strong research record, factors which...
). Together with Roy Wilkins, John Bowers opened an electronics retail store in Worthing
Worthing
Worthing is a large seaside town with borough status in West Sussex, within the historic County of Sussex, forming part of the Brighton/Worthing/Littlehampton conurbation. It is situated at the foot of the South Downs, west of Brighton, and east of the county town of Chichester...
under the name Bowers & Wilkins Ltd. The business soon expanded to include television as well as radio. Rentals became a large part of the business and a service department was established to support this extra business, run by a new recruit, Peter Hayward. Almost from the start Bowers and Wilkins became involved in the supply of public address equipment to schools and churches throughout Sussex. Combined with his passion for classical music, this led to John Bowers devoting more and more of his time to the study, design and assembly of loudspeakers. Bowers' designs soon gained a reputation for quality, and before long a small production line was established in workshops behind the shop. A certain Ms. Knight was very pleased with the speakers Bowers made for her, and granted him £10,000 in her will.
Bowers decided to leave the retail business and focus on his speaker building activities. Together with Peter Hayward he founded B&W Ltd.
Bowers & Wilkins
Bowers & Wilkins is a British loudspeaker company that produces mid-range through reference quality hi-fi and home theater speakers. The company name is often abbreviated to just B&W.Joe Atkins is current owner and chairman...
in 1966.
In his approach to perfect reproduction John Bowers combined feedback from recording engineers with extensive R&D
Research and development
The phrase research and development , according to the Organization for Economic Co-operation and Development, refers to "creative work undertaken on a systematic basis in order to increase the stock of knowledge, including knowledge of man, culture and society, and the use of this stock of...
and engineering. Within the company he founded a dedicated research department in 1976. Three years of research lead to the revolutionary 1979 Bowers & Wilkins 801 studio monitor
Studio monitor
Studio monitors, also called reference monitors, are loudspeakers specifically designed for audio production applications such as recording studios, filmmaking, television studios and radio studios where accurate audio reproduction is crucial....
that became a long term reference in the music recording industry. In 1982, John Bowers started a dedicated research and development facility in Steyning
Steyning
Steyning is a small town and civil parish in the Horsham District of West Sussex, England. It is located at the north end of the River Adur gap in the South Downs, four miles north of Shoreham-by-Sea...
.
Near his life's end, John Bowers released the John Bowers Active 1 loudspeaker under his own brand name.
On 20 December 1987, John Bowers died after a short illness. A memorial service was held in Arundel Cathedral
Arundel Cathedral
The Cathedral Church of Our Lady and St Philip Howard is a Roman Catholic cathedral in Arundel, West Sussex, England. Dedicated in 1873 as the Catholic parish church of Arundel, it was not designated a cathedral until the foundation of the Diocese of Arundel and Brighton in 1965...
, Sussex.