Roberts Radio
Encyclopedia
Consumer electronics
Consumer electronics are electronic equipment intended for everyday use, most often in entertainment, communications and office productivity. Radio broadcasting in the early 20th century brought the first major consumer product, the broadcast receiver...
limited company
Limited company
A limited company is a company in which the liability of the members or subscribers of the company is limited to what they have invested or guaranteed to the company. Limited companies may be limited by shares or by guarantee. And the former of these, a limited company limited by shares, may be...
based in Mexborough
Mexborough
Mexborough is a town in the metropolitan borough of Doncaster, South Yorkshire, England, situated on the north bank of the River Don west of its confluence with the River Dearne...
, South Yorkshire
South Yorkshire
South Yorkshire is a metropolitan county in the Yorkshire and the Humber region of England. It has a population of 1.29 million. It consists of four metropolitan boroughs: Barnsley, Doncaster, Rotherham, and City of Sheffield...
, England
England
England is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. It shares land borders with Scotland to the north and Wales to the west; the Irish Sea is to the north west, the Celtic Sea to the south west, with the North Sea to the east and the English Channel to the south separating it from continental...
. It has been producing radio
Radio
Radio is the transmission of signals through free space by modulation of electromagnetic waves with frequencies below those of visible light. Electromagnetic radiation travels by means of oscillating electromagnetic fields that pass through the air and the vacuum of space...
s for over 80 years. Initially the company only traded in the United Kingdom, but now exports worldwide. The company has been granted three Royal warrants
Royal Warrant
Royal warrants of appointment have been issued for centuries to those who supply goods or services to a royal court or certain royal personages. The warrant enables the supplier to advertise the fact that they supply to the royal family, so lending prestige to the supplier...
in its own right, and one via the purchase of Dynatron Radio Ltd
Dynatron Radio Ltd
Dynatron Radio Ltd was the trade name used by H.Hacker & Sons for their wireless products. The firm started trading in 1927 and operated independently until being bought by Ekco in 1955...
,Bought from Philips, previously owned by Pye and EKCO
EKCO
EKCO from Eric Kirkham Cole Limited was a British electronics company producing radio and television sets from 1924.Expanding into plastic production for its own use, Ekco Plastics produced both radio cases and later domestic plastic products; the plastics company became Lin Pac Mouldings...
in 1981.
For many years the company's products were the only radios permitted in UK prisons (mainly because their cases could be easily opened to check for contraband). The Rambler of 1975 MW/LW
Longwave
In radio, longwave refers to parts of radio spectrum with relatively long wavelengths. The term is a historic one dating from the early 20th century, when the radio spectrum was considered to consist of long, medium and short wavelengths...
-only models were designed for this market.
The first models featured a distinctive Aladdin's lamp fretwork loudspeaker grille, but by the late 1930s the company had settled on an upright box shape set covered in coloured leathercloth with fabric loudspeaker grille - a style that they would keep to and evolve slowly with each progressive model.
The company was the first UK manufacturer to market a radio containing an Integrated Circuit. The RIC1 model of 1968 used the TAD100 I.C. from Mullard. This model's status was further enhanced by releasing limited numbers in special finish leather cloths through dealers like Harrods of London.
The Dynatron brand name replaced "Roberts Video" for production of modern and retro styled televisions, though the electronics within both were from Philips TV chassis of the day.
Aside from the television sets above, the company stayed focused on radio sets. In the mid 1950s they made a brief venture into the portable record player market with the Mayflower model, but quickly withdrew. The next minor departures were models that also featured cassette recorders, starting with 1981's RSR series manufactured by Hitachi.
While the company states that it is "family run", it is owned by a large Irish consumer electronics group, Glen Dimplex
Glen Dimplex
Glen Dimplex is an Irish-based consumer electrical goods firm. It is the world's largest electrical heating business and holds significant market positions in the domestic appliance industry worldwide...
. Its plastic-cased equipment is made in the far-east.
History
The firm was founded in London in 1932 by Harry Roberts (born 20 May 1910 in Mile EndMile End
Mile End is an area within the East End of London, England, and part of the London Borough of Tower Hamlets. It is located east-northeast of Charing Cross...
, London; died 1968) and Leslie Bidmead. By 1935 the partnership was producing 8 radios a week. During the war in 1941 the company moved its premises to greater safety in Molesey, where they remained for many years. In 1955 Messrs Roberts Radio Co. Ltd were awarded their first Royal Warrant as "Radio Manufacturers to Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II".
Takeover
In 1994, IrishIreland
Ireland is an island to the northwest of continental Europe. It is the third-largest island in Europe and the twentieth-largest island on Earth...
electrical equipment group Glen Dimplex
Glen Dimplex
Glen Dimplex is an Irish-based consumer electrical goods firm. It is the world's largest electrical heating business and holds significant market positions in the domestic appliance industry worldwide...
acquired the brand, although the company is still operated independently from the United Kingdom. At this time, the company's HQ moved north to join other Glen Dimplex UK brands in Mexborough
Mexborough
Mexborough is a town in the metropolitan borough of Doncaster, South Yorkshire, England, situated on the north bank of the River Don west of its confluence with the River Dearne...
.