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Frank Murphy launched his business in WGC in 1928 from a garage in Brockswood Lane but quickly moved into one of the sectional factories in Broadwater Road during that same year. In a few years it became one of the major manufacturers in the town and in the 1950s it moved site to Bessemer Road to accommodate the company's move into the production of television sets.

Murphy Radio
Our thanks to Betty T who donated this copy of 'A First Class Job! Frank Murphy Radio Pioneer' to our archive. It was given to Betty by the author Joan Long who is Frank Murphy's daughter.
Murphy Radio
Bill E winning the 1 mile race on Murphy Sports Day in 1951. Our thanks to Bill for donating this photo of his victory!
Murphy Radio
Margaret H joined Murphy Radio Ltd in 1950, aged 15. She went to the Engineering Department in the component testing laboratory where she worked for Dr Reynolds. Her work included testing components to destruction to ascertain their limitations for operation - excessive heat, cold and humidity - as well as wear and tear. She stayed with the company for three years until she got married. This picture shows the presentation to mark Margaret and her husband Raymond (who also worked for the company running the Audio section) leaving Murphy Radio in 1953 - the two other gentlemen are Len Salter & Charles Gabell(?). This picture was donated to the WGC Heritage Trust by Margaret's niece Jean.
Murphy Radio
Murphy News special sports day report dated 22nd July 1955 (No.337). Front cover. Donated to the Welwyn Garden City Heritage Trust archive by Chris B as part of the 'Where Do You Think We Worked?' project.
Murphy Radio
This photograph of the factory in Bessemer Road shows that the name Murphy Radio had changed to Rank Bush Murphy. It was taken in May 1967 by Ken Wright during his time as a photographer for the Welwyn Garden City Development Corporation.
Murphy Radio
Frank Murphy produced a series of leaflets outlining his ideas as to how companies should be run. This booklet no.6 is called The Constitution and is dated February 1938.
Murphy Radio
Frank Murphy produced a series of leaflets outlining his ideas as to how companies should be run. This booklet no.5 is called This Freedom and is dated February 1938.
Murphy Radio
The Murphy News published on 1st July 1949 - included this item about a vigorously played game of cricket between Murphy Radio Ltd's Tewin Road and No.1 Shop teams! Donated to the Welwyn Garden City Heritage Trust archive by Chris B as part of the 'Where Do You Think We Worked?' project.
Murphy Radio
The Murphy News dated July 1954 in a special sports edition of 36 pages. It was donated to the Trust by Brenda & Sue.
Murphy Radio
The Murphy Radio Sports Day planning committee is pictured in a clear atmosphere contrasting with the description of their initial meeting the previous winter in Works Manager Potter's office in the Broadwater Road main factory where 'a nice fug had developed amid a smog of tobacco smoke while the planners gave the then distant date of 3 July its first once-over'.
Murphy Radio
A typically English Summer? To quote from this article on the Murphy Radio Sports Day held in July 1954 'Nobody ordered aqualungs - and for most of the afternoon they weren't needed. The trouble was that when the rains came they did so with such a vengeance that it wasn't an aqualung you needed but a submarine. In accordance with custom there were plenty of submarines (canvas) around the field and they certainly came in useful to house the hundreds when the monsoon burst. They could not do much for the competitors; the show must go on, and for the most part did. In fact, about the only thing that had to be cancelled through the current inclemency was the formal prize giving.'
Murphy Radio
The Murphy News dated July 1954 in a special sports edition of 36 pages. These pages show the company products on display. Our thanks to Brenda & Sue for donating this item to the Trust.
Murphy Radio
We are grateful to Brenda & Sue who donated this copy of Murphy News dated 31st March 1961.
Murphy Radio
The Murphy News covers not only information about the company's products but also has articles about its staff such as this one from Oct 1960 picturing the team of seven girls who manned the Murphy switchboard type P.M.B.X.1A which handled 20 incoming, 10 outgoing & 368 internal lines. From 8am - 5.30pm during the working week they were 'working at break neck speed throughout every day, not all of them at once of course, for frequent breaks are essential to relieve the strain'! Our thanks to Brenda & Sue for donating this item to the Trust archive.
Murphy Radio

A programme for the Murphy Radio Ltd 6th Annual Dinner held at Grosvenor House, Park Lane W. Dated Feb 21 1936 and donated by Terry whose father Edgar worked for the company.

This programme includes a list of some of the guests including suppliers (including the BBC) and Murphy dealers (from Belfast, Swansea, Birmingham, Edinburgh, York & Wrexham to name but a few) - the seating plan shows 143 tables!

The menu details 7 courses and guests were entertained by 'The Radio Girls' and various other acts in a Variety Show at midnight whilst there was 'Dancing to Sidney Lipton's Grosvenor House Band 10.30-2.30am.

Murphy Radio
Murphy Radio advertisement stating that 'WGC thrives, to a large extent, on its own industries, and consequently Murphy Radio, as the largest employer in the town, plays no small part in the prosperity of its residents' - it goes on 'radio is strictly a seasonal industry, but in spite of this difficulty Murphy Radio endeavours to employ its staff regularly throughout the year. So you see, if you do buy a Murphy set when the time comes, you will be helping to solve an unemployment problem which affects the whole of the Garden City'. It appeared in the Barn Theatre programme for the 1937-38 Season - Welwyn Drama Club presented 'The First Mrs Fraser' on 4-9th October 1937. Item from The Barn Theatre archive.
Murphy Radio
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Murphy Radio
Murphy Radio factory photographed by Ken Wright circa October 1961. The Trust is extremely grateful to Ken who has donated a wonderful collection of his WGC photographs to our archive.
Murphy Radio
Murphy Radio staff on their coffee break - photograph dated February 1961. Image donated to the Welwyn Garden City Heritage Trust archive by Edith S as part of the 'Where Do You Think We Worked?' project.
Murphy Radio

Murphy Radio Ltd - leaving card for Lesley Bedells before her marriage to Michael Elliston in 1945. Card drawn by A.Barnwhite and signed by drawing department staff. Donated to the Welwyn Garden City Heritage Trust archive by Lesley E as part of the 'Where Do You Think We Worked?' project.

Murphy Radio

Murphy Radio Ltd - leaving card for Lesley Bedells before her marriage to Michael Elliston in 1945. Card drawn by A.Barnwhite and signed by drawing department staff. Donated to the Welwyn Garden City Heritage Trust archive by Lesley E as part of the 'Where Do You Think We Worked?' project.

Murphy Radio

Murphy Radio Ltd - leaving card for Lesley Bedells before her marriage to Michael Elliston in 1945. Card drawn by A.Barnwhite and signed by drawing department staff. Donated to the Welwyn Garden City Heritage Trust archive by Lesley E as part of the 'Where Do You Think We Worked?' project.

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Murphy Radio
Murphy Radio factory interior and workers dated 1930. Image from the WGC Library Local Studies Collection.
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Murphy Radio
The Murphy Radio World published c1960 - front cover. Donated to the Welwyn Garden City Heritage Trust archive by Bill E as part of the Where Do You Think We Worked? project.
Murphy Radio
The Murphy Radio World published c1960 - centre pages show this wonderful drawing of the Headquarters & Main Factory of Murphy Radio Ltd, WGC by E.J.Thring. Donated to the Welwyn Garden City Heritage Trust archive by Bill E as part of the Where Do You Think We Worked? project.
Murphy Radio
13th Annual Welwyn Drama Festival programme 3rd-5th June 1946. Cover design by Stanley Herbert. Inside back cover Murphy Radio advertisement refuting idea that employment in radio engineering is seasonal. Donated to the Welwyn Garden City Heritage Trust archive by Robert G.
Murphy Radio
15th Annual Welwyn Drama Festival programme 14-19th June 1948 at the Welwyn Theatre. Cover design by Stanley Herbert. Inside back cover Murphy Radio Ltd advertisement If its good reception youe after Murphys the name. Donated to the Welwyn Garden City Heritage Trust archive by Robert G.
Murphy Radio

16th Annual Welwyn Drama Festival programme 13-18th June 1949. Cover design by Stanley Herbert. Inside back cover Murphy Radio advertisement "Suit the action to the word" quotation from Hamlet which the company says is advice which radio designers as well as actors should take to heart. Donated to the Welwyn Garden City Heritage Trust archive by Robert G.

Murphy Radio
18th Annual Welwyn Drama Festival programme 4-9th June 1951. Cover design by Stanley Herbert. Inside back cover Murphy Radio advertisement The only television set you will see actually working in the Festival Dome of Discovery is a Murphy. The Dome of Discovery was a temporary exhibition building designed by architect Ralph Tubbs for the Festival of Britain at Londons South Bank in 1951. Donated to the Welwyn Garden City Heritage Trust archive by Robert G.
Murphy Radio

19th Annual Welwyn Drama Festival programme 16th-21st June 1952 held at Welwyn Theatre. Cover design by Stanley Herbert. Inside back cover Murphy Radio advertisement asking How low is your brow? (The Monkeys Paw is a 1902 supernatural short story by W. W. Jacobs, Passion, Poison, and Petrifaction is a 1905 play by George Bernard Shaw.) Donated to the Welwyn Garden City Heritage Trust archive by Robert G.

Murphy Radio
20th Annual Welwyn Drama Festival programme 29th June-4th July 1953 held at Welwyn Theatre. Inside back cover Murphy Radio advertisement Television sets, like actors, are judged on performance. Weve yet to find that anyone ever pelted a Murphy with rotten eggs. Donated to the Welwyn Garden City Heritage Trust archive by Robert G.
Murphy Radio
22nd Annual Welwyn Drama Festival programme 6-11 June 1955 held at Welwyn Theatre. Inside back cover Murphy Radio advertisement expressing the hope that patrons will see many more plays as brilliant and superbly acted as tonights (we hope). And we hope to go on providing good stages for some of them, in the form of good radio and TV sets. Donated to the Welwyn Garden City Heritage Trust archive by Robert G.
Murphy Radio
23rd Annual Welwyn Drama Festival programme 4-9th June 1956 held at Welwyn Theatre. Inside back cover Murphy Radio advertisement To the Theatre, the oldest form of entertainment - killed by the Magic Lantern, murdered by the Bioscope, eliminated by the Cinema, but still going strong: best wishes from the latest on the list of the Assassins - Television. Donated to the Welwyn Garden City Heritage Trust archive by Robert G.
Murphy Radio
26th Annual Welwyn Drama Festival programme 15-20th June 1959 held at Welwyn Theatre. Front cover design by Stanley Herbert. Inside back cover Murphy Radio advertisement To all those crazy mixed-up people who still insist on going out to the Theatre when they could stay where they are and watch a Panel Game... ...our sympathy (and our congratulations!). Donated to the Welwyn Garden City Heritage Trust archive by Robert G.
Murphy Radio
27th Annual Welwyn Drama Festival programme 20-25th June 1960 held at Welwyn Theatre. Inside back cover Murphy Radio advertisement Why aren you at home watching television?. Donated to the Welwyn Garden City Heritage Trust archive by Robert G.
Murphy Radio

Murphy Radio football teams (could that be their mascot approaching the camera?). Eddie Phillips is 6th from the left. It may be Frank Murphy holding the flag - we're not certain...

Murphy Radio

Murphy Radio football teams. Eddie Phillips is pictured in the back row 2nd from the left. Again we're not certain but it has been suggested that Frank Murphy is standing at the very furthest back on the left.

 
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