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Mullard/Philips Factory, Mitcham

Discussion in 'Information Requests' started by Anna_C, Oct 27, 2010.

  1. Anna_C

    Anna_C recruit

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    Hi,

    Does anyone know where I can find more info on the Mullard/Philips factory in Mitcham, London during the 1940s?

    Thanks in advance,
    Anna :)
     
  2. LRusso216

    LRusso216 Graybeard Staff Member

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    Don't know if this helps or not

    Mullards' Mitcham Works at Hackbridge
    The River Wandle, in South London, was described, in the days of watermills, as Europe's most industrialised 14 miles of waterway. But the biggest industrial concern in the Wandle valley was Mullards', later Philips', factory where from 1927 to 1993 radio valves, sets and cathode ray rubes were manufactured, employing up to 5,000 or more people at one period.
    Although it was known as the Mitcham Works, the factory was in fact at Hackbridge, on a plot of land lying to the north of Culver Avenue on the right bank of the river. The site is now occupied by residential development, but the new road names Mullard Close, Phillips Close and Eindhoven Close serve as a reminder of the former A Building, built 1927, B Building, 1938, and C Building, completed by 1929. It was a local joke that two of these adjoining multi-storey factory blocks were built with the floor levels of one, built to metric dimensions, somewhat higher than those in the other, built to imperial dimensions, resulting in the connecting walkways being progressively steeper as the higher floors were reached.
    The Mullard Radio Valve Company was incorporated, number 170293, on 17 September 1920. The founder of the firm was Robert Stanley Mullard, 1883-1979, on his birth certificate, but more generally he preferred to be known as Stanley Robert Mullard. Starting from incandescent lamp manufacture, Mullard developed the idea of adding one or more additional other valves for current rectification, signal amplification and so forth. In particular, he developed the use of fused silica glass enveloped. He commenced in a small way at a disused laundry in Hammersmith, and later at a former glassworks at Balham.
    Early production was largely for military applications, but the advent of the BBC in 1922 led to a mass demand for radio valves. The Balham works was retained for research and development for some years after large-scale production commenced at Hackbridge. In 1925 half of the Mullard shares were purchased by NV Philips Gloilampenfabriken of Eindhoven in the Netherlands, which concern bought the remaining shares in 1927. Mullards thus became a wholly-owned subsidiary of Philips, but chose to retain the English name until about 1988. Although the Hackbridge factory closed in 1993 and was later demolished, the Mullards, now Philips, Research Laboratories at Salfords, near Redhill, continue in operation in 2007.
    Frederick Arthur Sowan, 1914-2006, the writer's father, commenced work as a lab boy at the Balham works at the age of 16, progressed to quality control work at Hackbridge, then to technical writing, and to the post of editor-in-chief of Mullards' technical publications and, for his last two years before retiring from the firm, company historian. His extensive notes and library of published works on the history of lamp and radio valve development and production survive. Paul W Sowan
    Greater London Industrial Archaeology Society

    and this


    • Factories - Night of 10th / 11th October 1940
      • HE bombs fell on the Doulton Works at Lambeth and caused some casualties, but no reports of damage are available.
      • A fire was in progress at the LPTB works at Gunnersbury.
      • A fire was started by incendiary bombs at J Wright and Sons Factory, at Stepney, but was soon brought under control.
      • Mullards Radio Valve Co Suffered damage to the machine shop at Mitcham Works, but it is uncertain if this was caused by a shell or bombs.
      • HE bombs fell in the yard of Sangamo Weston at Enfield but the full extent of the damage is not known.
      • At Wembley a large trunk water main was damaged near the GEC factory. The GEC will not be affected, but British Oxygen Co will be without water until repairs have been effected.

    The Battle of Britain - Home Page
     
  3. Anna_C

    Anna_C recruit

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    Thanks for this info, especially the bit about location. Great help :)

    Cheers,
    Anna
     
  4. Valerien

    Valerien recruit

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    Hi Anna - have only just found your enquiry - my mother, aunt and grandmother all worked at the New Road factory during the war years - my mother and aunt on the assembly lines and my grandmother on the tea trolley. There is a book called Memories of Mullards - not sure if it is still in print but you may be able to find one. However if you have some specific enquiries please feel free to let me know and I will try and help you.
    Val
     
  5. jeff h

    jeff h New Member

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    My late grandmother worked at this factory during the war years.
     
    Otto likes this.
  6. Johnp

    Johnp New Member

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    My father worked there during the war. He was an auto-setter which was at the time a reserved occupation. I remember in our back garden being instructed to look at doodlebug (don't recall seeing it) but still remember the explosion when it landed on the nurses home of St. Helier hospital. Luckily nobody was killed. We lived in between Hackbridge and the hospital.
     

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