(First published in the July 2006 edition of Catswhisker)
A few years ago, members may recall, I wrote a piece in Catswhisker about the three small-time firms who made radios in the early 1920s (February 2003). They were Marshall of Portland, Smith of Weymouth, and V. H. Bennett of Weymouth.
A Smiths two-valve radio appeared on the internet during 2005. Unfortunately I didn't get to know about it until too late, by which time it had been sold at the National Vintage Communications Fair in October 2005. The trader had sold it, along with a lot of other old sets, possibly to an Italian dealer and it is this lead that I'm trying to follow up, more in hope than in anticipation.
Now, it looks as if this set, whose origin the trader hadn't heard of ('Never heard of Smiths - probably a small company somewhere') is in many ways similar to the three-valve set with a sloping front that we are familiar with, except for the tuning controls. Enlarging the picture shows a scroll on the fascia just like other Smiths panels, the name 'Smith' has to appear somewhere so why not in the scroll. The shape of the cabinet is the same (not forgetting that ready-made cabinets were available then - but a local cabinet-maker worked for Smiths and Marshall).
The reason for the excitement is the fact that it was a two-valve set. On the panel of the Smith sets we know the GPO registration number 2093 appears. This was granted to manufacturers by the Post Office when their sets intended for sale had passed certain tests, such as radiation control. A number that started with '2' indicated a 2-valve set but makers were allowed to keep their number for subsequent developments in their range.
So, was this mystery set really made by Smiths of Weymouth? Does it indeed have two valves? If 'yes' then it could be the missing link - the prototype or one of the first production run to carry the GPO number. We can't be sure until it has been traced and photographed, and questions answered.
Unfortunately interest in ancient wirelesses and support through magazines and clubs doesn't appear to be as strong in Italy as it is in UK, so I fear news of my quest may not reach a sympathetic ear - but one lives in hope.
I'll try to keep you up-to-date with it.
John Rose, M0BQO
A few personal recollections from George, G2DGB, who moved to the Weymouth area in 1933.
I remember well the wireless shop in the Clinton arcade. I saw my first television there around 1934. It used a rotating disc and the image was viewed through a lens about two inches in diameter. Across St. Thomas Street on Frederick Place was Howleys, who sold wireless parts and bicycles, and later on Opal cars. Also on Frederick Place was a private house displaying used wireless parts in the window but I don't know the name. I bought a nice 100/1 slow motion drive there for my o.v.1 short wave receiver.
Going south down St. Thomas Street, on the left-hand side, just before the town bridge was Darches', who sold Listen parts and kits. I bought and built the Listen 'Skyscraper Four' there in about 1934. It was a TRF with long, medium and two short-wave bands, and I had lots of fun with it.
In 1936 I bought a 'Challenger', 8-valve superhet from the London firm Degalliers. It cost 13 guineas (£13.65). The valve line-up in the 8-valver was almost the same as the famous HRO and used types 6C6, 42 and an 80. The set was still working with some of the original valves at my parents' home until 1986. I later gave it to Ray, G3TPH at Blandford.
George Short, G2DGB - Dorchester, August 2008.