Kolster-Brandes
Encyclopedia
Kolster-Brandes Ltd was an American owned, British manufacturer of radio and television sets based in Foots Cray
, Sidcup
, Kent
.
The company was a descendant of Brandes, a Canadian company founded in Toronto
in 1908. Brandes became part of AT&T
in 1922 and a British subsidiary Brandes Ltd. was established in Slough
, in 1924, to manufacture headphones. The company rapidly expanded producing a range of loudspeakers and in 1928 moved to a former silk mill at Foots Cray
. The company was re-named Kolster-Brandes Ltd. after the American parent company merged with the Kolster Radio Corporation
. In 1930 the company supplied 40,000 of its Masterpiece two-valve, bakelite cabinet radios to the Godfrey Phillips tobacco company, who gave them away to customers in exchange for cigarette coupons. K-B also began a long association with Cunard
after they won a contract to provide communications equipment for the RMS Queen Mary
ocean liner. In 1938 K-B became part of ITT
's British subsidiary STC
. The Foots Cray site was also shared by Brimar, another STC company founded in 1933 to manufacture American pattern valves
for the British market.
Foots Cray
Foots Cray is a place in the London Borough of Bexley, near the town of Sidcup, in southeast London, England, United Kingdom.It took its name from Godwin Fot, a local Saxon landowner recorded in the Domesday Book of 1086, and from the River Cray that passes through the village. It lay on the old...
, Sidcup
Sidcup
Sidcup is a district in South East London in the London Borough of Bexley and small parts of the district in the London Borough of Greenwich.Located south east of Charing Cross, Sidcup is bordered by the London Boroughs of Greenwich and Bromley and Kent County Council, and whilst now part of...
, Kent
Kent
Kent is a county in southeast England, and is one of the home counties. It borders East Sussex, Surrey and Greater London and has a defined boundary with Essex in the middle of the Thames Estuary. The ceremonial county boundaries of Kent include the shire county of Kent and the unitary borough of...
.
The company was a descendant of Brandes, a Canadian company founded in Toronto
Toronto
Toronto is the provincial capital of Ontario and the largest city in Canada. It is located in Southern Ontario on the northwestern shore of Lake Ontario. A relatively modern city, Toronto's history dates back to the late-18th century, when its land was first purchased by the British monarchy from...
in 1908. Brandes became part of AT&T
AT&T
AT&T Inc. is an American multinational telecommunications corporation headquartered in Whitacre Tower, Dallas, Texas, United States. It is the largest provider of mobile telephony and fixed telephony in the United States, and is also a provider of broadband and subscription television services...
in 1922 and a British subsidiary Brandes Ltd. was established in Slough
Slough
Slough is a borough and unitary authority within the ceremonial county of Royal Berkshire, England. The town straddles the A4 Bath Road and the Great Western Main Line, west of central London...
, in 1924, to manufacture headphones. The company rapidly expanded producing a range of loudspeakers and in 1928 moved to a former silk mill at Foots Cray
Foots Cray
Foots Cray is a place in the London Borough of Bexley, near the town of Sidcup, in southeast London, England, United Kingdom.It took its name from Godwin Fot, a local Saxon landowner recorded in the Domesday Book of 1086, and from the River Cray that passes through the village. It lay on the old...
. The company was re-named Kolster-Brandes Ltd. after the American parent company merged with the Kolster Radio Corporation
Kolster Radio Corporation
The Kolster Radio Corporation was an electronics manufacturer and distributor based in Newark, New Jersey, which became bankrupt in January 1930. In June 1928 the Columbia Phonograph Company announced plans to market a radio receiving set built by Kolster Radio...
. In 1930 the company supplied 40,000 of its Masterpiece two-valve, bakelite cabinet radios to the Godfrey Phillips tobacco company, who gave them away to customers in exchange for cigarette coupons. K-B also began a long association with Cunard
Cunard Line
Cunard Line is a British-American owned shipping company based at Carnival House in Southampton, England and operated by Carnival UK. It has been a leading operator of passenger ships on the North Atlantic for over a century...
after they won a contract to provide communications equipment for the RMS Queen Mary
RMS Queen Mary
RMS Queen Mary is a retired ocean liner that sailed primarily in the North Atlantic Ocean from 1936 to 1967 for the Cunard Line...
ocean liner. In 1938 K-B became part of ITT
ITT Corporation
ITT Corporation is a global diversified manufacturing company based in the United States. ITT participates in global markets including water and fluids management, defense and security, and motion and flow control...
's British subsidiary STC
Standard Telephones and Cables
Standard Telephones and Cables Ltd was a British telephone, telegraph, radio, telecommunications and related equipment R&D manufacturer. During its history STC invented and developed several groundbreaking new technologies including PCM and optical fibres.The company began life in London as...
. The Foots Cray site was also shared by Brimar, another STC company founded in 1933 to manufacture American pattern valves
Vacuum tube
In electronics, a vacuum tube, electron tube , or thermionic valve , reduced to simply "tube" or "valve" in everyday parlance, is a device that relies on the flow of electric current through a vacuum...
for the British market.