Stanley R. Mullard
Encyclopedia
Stanley Robert Mullard, (November 1, 1883 – September 1, 1979) was an English
industrialist who founded the Mullard
electronics company.
, London
in 1883, the son of Robert Mullard. He joined the Mackey Electric Lamp Company Ltd in 1899, and became a director of the company in 1906.
Mullard joined the IEE
as a student member in 1903, became a full member in 1910, and a fellow of the IEE in 1928.
In 1909, following the bankruptcy of the Mackey company, Mullard went to work first for a lamp company in Paris
, and then joined the Ediswan company in Ponders End
, north London, where in 1913 he was put in charge of the lamp laboratory.
During World War I
, Mullard was commissioned as a Captain
in the Royal Naval Volunteer Reserve and served at HMS Vernon
as a research engineer, helping to develop high power valves made from silica rather than glass.
in 1921, followed by a move to Balham
in 1923. Mullard ended up owning 6 factories. He said that all his money came from royalties from valves and other patents. In 1925, Mullard sold half the shares in the Mullard company to Philips
, with the remainder of the company being acquired by Philips in 1927. Mullard remained as managing director of the Mullard company until his resignation in 1930.
During the General Strike, workers in his Lancashire factory either walked or rode to work. None struck. Mullard was noted for spending a great deal of his working time on the factory floors, garnering information from his workers about improving methods of production. If workers were not performing well, they would receive two weeks holiday pay, and be expected to perform upon return. More senior management were give four weeks absence of leave.
. In many ways he was a socialist, if not Fabian
, in his political views. In later years, he jokingly said that he had made more money from growing carnations than he had in the electronics industry. He invented a tarmac tennis surface which was bought up and shelved, and he introduced mica into his potting mixes to hold water. He died at Brooklands Nursing Home, Paddockhall Road, Haywards Heath, Sussex , on 1 September 1979 and was survived by a son and three daughters. He was a champion amateur golfer, and a billiards player of some significance.
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...
industrialist who founded the Mullard
Mullard
Mullard Limited was a British manufacturer of electronic components. The Mullard Radio Valve Co. Ltd. of Southfields, London, was founded in 1920 by Captain Stanley R. Mullard, who had previously designed valves for the Admiralty before becoming managing director of the Z Electric Lamp Co. The...
electronics company.
Early life
Stanley Mullard was born in BermondseyBermondsey
Bermondsey is an area in London on the south bank of the river Thames, and is part of the London Borough of Southwark. To the west lies Southwark, to the east Rotherhithe, and to the south, Walworth and Peckham.-Toponomy:...
, London
London
London is the capital city of :England and the :United Kingdom, the largest metropolitan area in the United Kingdom, and the largest urban zone in the European Union by most measures. Located on the River Thames, London has been a major settlement for two millennia, its history going back to its...
in 1883, the son of Robert Mullard. He joined the Mackey Electric Lamp Company Ltd in 1899, and became a director of the company in 1906.
Mullard joined the IEE
IEE
IEE may stand for:* Integrated Enterprise Excellence, an Industrial Engineering system documented in books by Forrest W. Breyfogle III* Institution of Electrical Engineers, in engineering, now part of the Institution of Engineering and Technology...
as a student member in 1903, became a full member in 1910, and a fellow of the IEE in 1928.
In 1909, following the bankruptcy of the Mackey company, Mullard went to work first for a lamp company in Paris
Paris
Paris is the capital and largest city in France, situated on the river Seine, in northern France, at the heart of the Île-de-France region...
, and then joined the Ediswan company in Ponders End
Ponders End
Ponders End is a place in the London Borough of Enfield, North London located in an area generally known as the Lea Valley. It is roughly located in the area either side of Hertford Road between The Ride and the Boundary Public House and Wharf Road and the Southbury railway station/Kingsway...
, north London, where in 1913 he was put in charge of the lamp laboratory.
During World War I
World War I
World War I , which was predominantly called the World War or the Great War from its occurrence until 1939, and the First World War or World War I thereafter, was a major war centred in Europe that began on 28 July 1914 and lasted until 11 November 1918...
, Mullard was commissioned as a Captain
Captain (Royal Navy)
Captain is a senior officer rank of the Royal Navy. It ranks above Commander and below Commodore and has a NATO ranking code of OF-5. The rank is equivalent to a Colonel in the British Army or Royal Marines and to a Group Captain in the Royal Air Force. The rank of Group Captain is based on the...
in the Royal Naval Volunteer Reserve and served at HMS Vernon
HMS Vernon (shore establishment)
HMS Vernon was a shore establishment or 'stone frigate' of the Royal Navy. Vernon was established on 26 April 1876 as the Royal Navy's Torpedo Branch and operated until 1 April 1996, when the various elements comprising the establishment were split up and moved to different commands.-Foundation...
as a research engineer, helping to develop high power valves made from silica rather than glass.
Mullard Radio Valve Company
In September 1920, Mullard established the Mullard Radio Valve Company. The company moved to HammersmithHammersmith
Hammersmith is an urban centre in the London Borough of Hammersmith and Fulham in west London, England, in the United Kingdom, approximately five miles west of Charing Cross on the north bank of the River Thames...
in 1921, followed by a move to Balham
Balham, London
Balham is a neighbourhood of south London, England, and is part of the London Borough of Wandsworth and the London Borough of Lambeth.-History:...
in 1923. Mullard ended up owning 6 factories. He said that all his money came from royalties from valves and other patents. In 1925, Mullard sold half the shares in the Mullard company to Philips
Philips
Koninklijke Philips Electronics N.V. , more commonly known as Philips, is a multinational Dutch electronics company....
, with the remainder of the company being acquired by Philips in 1927. Mullard remained as managing director of the Mullard company until his resignation in 1930.
During the General Strike, workers in his Lancashire factory either walked or rode to work. None struck. Mullard was noted for spending a great deal of his working time on the factory floors, garnering information from his workers about improving methods of production. If workers were not performing well, they would receive two weeks holiday pay, and be expected to perform upon return. More senior management were give four weeks absence of leave.
Later life
Mullard never returned to the electronics industry, after the 1930s. His favourite music was Paul RobesonPaul Robeson
Paul Leroy Robeson was an American concert singer , recording artist, actor, athlete, scholar who was an advocate for the Civil Rights Movement in the first half of the twentieth century...
. In many ways he was a socialist, if not Fabian
Fabian Society
The Fabian Society is a British socialist movement, whose purpose is to advance the principles of democratic socialism via gradualist and reformist, rather than revolutionary, means. It is best known for its initial ground-breaking work beginning late in the 19th century and continuing up to World...
, in his political views. In later years, he jokingly said that he had made more money from growing carnations than he had in the electronics industry. He invented a tarmac tennis surface which was bought up and shelved, and he introduced mica into his potting mixes to hold water. He died at Brooklands Nursing Home, Paddockhall Road, Haywards Heath, Sussex , on 1 September 1979 and was survived by a son and three daughters. He was a champion amateur golfer, and a billiards player of some significance.