Roberts Radio is a British

consumer electronics Consumer electronics or home electronics are electronic (analog or digital) equipment intended for everyday use, typically in private homes. Consumer electronics include devices used for entertainment, communications and recreation. Usually r ...

company that produces

radio Radio is the technology of signaling and communicating using radio waves. Radio waves are electromagnetic waves of frequency between 30 hertz (Hz) and 300 gigahertz (GHz). They are generated by an electronic device called a transmit ...

s and related audio equipment. Based in

Mexborough Mexborough is a town in the City of Doncaster in South Yorkshire, England. Situated between Manvers and Denaby Main, it lies on the River Don close to where it joins the River Dearne, and the A6023 road runs through the town. It is contiguous ...

, the company has been making radios since its foundation in 1932 and claim to be the oldest active radio manufacturer in the UK.

History

Roberts Radio was founded in 1932 by Harry Roberts (1910-1969) of

Mile End Mile End is a district of the London Borough of Tower Hamlets in the East End of London, England, east-northeast of Charing Cross. Situated on the London-to-Colchester road, it was one of the earliest suburbs of London. It became part of the m ...

and Leslie Bidmead of Kilburn. They financed the down payment on a small factory in London's

Soho Soho is an area of the City of Westminster, part of the West End of London. Originally a fashionable district for the aristocracy, it has been one of the main entertainment districts in the capital since the 19th century. The area was develop ...

by selling Bidmead's motorbike. A few years later they moved across

Oxford Street Oxford Street is a major road in the City of Westminster in the West End of London, running from Tottenham Court Road to Marble Arch via Oxford Circus. It is Europe's busiest shopping street, with around half a million daily visitors, and as ...

to no. 41

Rathbone Place Rathbone Place is a street in central London that runs roughly north-west from Oxford Street to Percy Street. it is joined on its eastern side by Percy Mews, Gresse Street, and Evelyn Yard. The street is mainly occupied by retail and office pre ...

. During the

Blitz Blitz, German for "lightning", may refer to: Military uses *Blitzkrieg, blitz campaign, or blitz, a type of military campaign *The Blitz, the German aerial campaign against Britain in the Second World War *, an Imperial German Navy light cruiser b ...

in the

Second World War World War II or the Second World War, often abbreviated as WWII or WW2, was a world war that lasted from 1939 to 1945. It involved the vast majority of the world's countries—including all of the great powers—forming two opposin ...

, they moved to

East Molesey Molesey is a district of two twin towns, East Molesey and West Molesey, in the Borough of Elmbridge, Surrey, England, and is situated on the south bank of the River Thames. East and West Molesey share a high street, and there is a second retai ...

in Surrey. During this time the majority of production shifted from domestic radios to

morse code Morse code is a method used in telecommunication to encode text characters as standardized sequences of two different signal durations, called ''dots'' and ''dashes'', or ''dits'' and ''dahs''. Morse code is named after Samuel Morse, one of ...

tappers. Roberts resumed producing domestic radios after the war and eventually gained a reputation of quality. They received a Royal Warrant to the Queen in 1955 and later another to the Queen Mother and the Prince of Wales in the 1980s. Another warrant was granted via the purchase of

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. The rights to the Dynatron name are currently held by Rober ...

.Bought from Philips, previously owned by Pye and

EKCO EKCO (from Eric Kirkham Cole Limited) was a British electronics company producing radio and television sets from 1924 until 1960. Expanding into plastic production for its own use, Ekco Plastics produced both radio cases and later domestic plasti ...

in 1981. The R66 portable valve radio was launched by Roberts in 1956, followed by their first portable transistor radio the RT1 in 1959. Its box-shaped design with a carry handle became popular among the public and celebrities in the 1960s, shaping the familiar Roberts design. It was designed by Bidmead, apparently inspired by a handbag belonging to his wife Elsie. In 1962, the company had a purpose built factory constructed in

West Molesey Molesey is a district of two twin towns, East Molesey and West Molesey, in the Borough of Elmbridge, Surrey, England, and is situated on the south bank of the River Thames. East and West Molesey share a high street, and there is a second retai ...

. Co-founder Harry Roberts died in 1969, succeeded by son Richard who served until his own death in 1991. The company was struggling in the 1980s with the rise of television and imported Japanese electronics. In 1989, a classic red Roberts radio appeared in a

Martini Martini may refer to: * Martini (cocktail) * Martini (vermouth), a brand of vermouth * Martini (surname), an Italian surname * Martini (automobile company), a Swiss automobile company * Automobiles Martini, a French manufacturer of racing cars * M ...

TV advert, which revived interest in the product. A replica of the 1950s radio was created and sold out in two limited runs. Public popularity led to the full reissue of the original design as the Revival in 1993 in original red colour, with various new colours and designs numbering sixteen by the year 2000. The Revival has been Britain's best selling portable radio ever since. Roberts Radio was purchased by privately owned

GlenDimplex GlenDimplex (formerly known as Glen Electric) is an Irish based consumer electrical goods firm headquartered in Dublin, Ireland. The company is privately held, with manufacturing and development centres in the Republic of Ireland, the United Kingd ...

Group in 1994, which also owns

Morphy Richards Morphy Richards is a British brand of electrical appliances headquartered in Swinton, in South Yorkshire, England. Its products were formerly made at its historic home of Mexborough, and in other facilities across the United Kingdom. However, si ...

. The company then moved headquarters and production north to South Yorkshire joining other GlenDimplex ventures. Roberts produced their first DAB digital radio in 1999 and their first

internet radio Online radio (also web radio, net radio, streaming radio, e-radio, IP radio, Internet radio) is a digital audio service transmitted via the Internet. Broadcasting on the Internet is usually referred to as webcasting since it is not transmitted ...

in 2007. File:Roberts Rambler radio (1960s).jpg, Roberts Rambler radio LW/MW (1960s) File:Vintage Roberts Portable Transistor Radio, Model R500, Multi-Band - MW-LW-SW, 7 Transistors, Made In Great Britain, Circa 1963 (13223505614).jpg, Roberts R500 radio LW/MW/SW (1960s) File:Roberts Revival RD60 (Cobalt Blue).jpg, Roberts Revival RD60 DAB+/DAB/FM Radio (Cobalt Blue) File:Roberts stream 83i.JPG, Roberts Stream 83i DAB/FM radio File:DAB Radios from Roberts.jpg, DAB radios from Roberts on display (2010s)

Notes

References

External links

Roberts Radio website
{{British Royal Warrant holders Electronics companies of the United Kingdom Manufacturing companies of the United Kingdom Companies based in Rotherham Electronics companies established in 1932 Manufacturing companies established in 1932 1932 establishments in England British Royal Warrant holders British brands Radio manufacturers