PYE Museum Homepage The Story of Pye
1896 to
The history of the Pye Group of Companies in scientific & analytical instruments, radio & line communications, broadcasting, domestic radio & TV and industrial electronics from 1896 to the present day
The virtual museum of the Pye History Trust - Celebrating Britain’s Scientific & Industrial Heritage
 
Full Pye Group Companies Directory
 

The Pye History Project is an industrial history program to research, document and record the history of the Pye Group of Companies between 1896 and the present day. The long-term objective of the project is to establish or participate in a public museum which will adequately interpret and display the full extent of the scientific and technological discoveries and innovations which originated in Cambridge and the surrounding area. The Pye Group was always headquartered in Cambridge, England.

 
The following is a list of 99 confirmed Pye Group Companies. New companies are added as information is discovered and verified: -
 
PARENT COMPANIES (In approx. date order)
Pye Group
Company Name
Company Location Business Activity Area Created/Acquired
or known active
Merged/Closed
or Dosposed
Notes
W. G. Pye & Co. Ltd Humberstone Road & other Cambridge locations Parent Company (and domestic radio receivers) 1896 1929 WG Pye Ltd formed 1896. On 1 July 1968 WG Pye (by then only the scientific instruments division) merged with Unicam Ltd (analytical instruments) to form Pye Unicam Ltd
Pye Radio Ltd Montague Road/Haig Road, Camb Domestic Radio & TV receivers reg 12 Feb 29 1937 Pye Radio Ltd formed 12 Feb 1929, changed name to Pye Ltd 15 June 1937
Pye Ltd St. Andrews Road, Cambridge Parent Company (also domestic radio & TV receivers) 27 Jul 1937 1960 Group parent company From 1937-1967 From 1967 Pye Ltd became Pye Group (Radio & television) Ltd. UK Company 00316939, last dormant accounts 26/06/2007, dissolved 09/12/2008
British Electronic Industries Ltd St. Andrews Road, Cambridge 1st parent Company of merged Pye and Ekco groups 1960 1963 British Electronics Industries formed as combined group parent in 1960 after merger between Pye & Ekco groups
Pye of Cambridge Ltd St. Andrews Road, Cambridge 2nd parent Company of merged Pye and Ekco groups 1960 1978 Pye of Cambridge (company number 00674887) formed in 14 November 1960, last dormant company accounts made up to 13/08/2009, company dissolved 15/02/2012
Pye Holdings Ltd (Philips owned parent of Pye of Camb) London 100% owned by Philips Elect. UK to hold 60% of Pye group 01 Apr 1967 1978 Pye Holdings formed by Philips Electronics UK formed to hold Philips 60% shareholding in Pye Group
Philips Electronic Industries UK London The UK National Organisation of NV Philips 1977 n/a Philips Electronics UK was the UK National Organisation of NV Philips, Netherlands
Philips Radio Communications Systems St. Andrews Road, Cambridge Formed from all Pye & Philips radio communications companies 01 Jan 1986 01 Jul 1996 In 1986 all Pye and Philips radio communications companies combined into one group - except Marantz Radio, Japan (Philips only owned 49%).
Simoco International Ltd St. Andrews Road, Cambridge Radio communications products, systems & service 01 Jul 1996 from April 2002 Simoco International Ltd formed 1 July 1996 to purchase all the radio communications companies of Philips from Philips Electronics UK except Marantz Radio
Simoco Group companies individually sold off or closed Various UK and overseas owners Radio communications products & systems only from April 2002 some active today Present day Simoco International descendants to be listed separately in due course
Team Simoco Derby, Huntingdon, Melbourne Australia etc Radio communications products, systems & service from 2002 to present day See separate list of Simoco companies in 2013

UK COMPANIES (by business activity group)
Analytical, Scientific Instruments & Controls
Pye Group
Company Name
Company Location Business Activity Area Created/Acquired
or known active
Merged/Closed
or Dosposed
Notes
W. G. Pye & Co. Ltd then Pye Unicam Ltd in 1968 Various locations in Cambridge Scientific laboratory instruments Formed in 1896 01 Jul 1968 WG Pye and Unicam Ltd merged 1 July 1968 to form Pye Unicam
Unicam Instruments Ltd then Pye Unicam Ltd in 1968 York Street, Cambridge CB1 2PX Analytical Instruments operational in 1972 01 Jul 1968 merged with WG Pye 1 july 1968
Pye Unicam Ltd York Street, Cambridge CB1 2PX Analytical Instruments & distribution of Philips instruments 1 July 1968 op in 72
Pye Ether Ltd Caxton Way, Stevenage, Herts, SG1 2DG Electronic components and equipment for process control operational in 1972
Ether Engineering Ltd
Ether Bigglewade Ltd
Ekco Instruments Ltd Southend-on-sea, SS2 6PS process weighing systems, nucleonic counters, military equip operational in 1972
Pye Electric Ltd Oulton Works, Lowestoft, Suffolk Various process controls and industrial equipment operational in 1972 Huge range of industrial products and services - see June 1972 documents for details
Faraday Radio Gamophones Ltd London, SW9, later Blue town, Sheerness Kent Wide range of electronics for commercial and military use op in early 1960s by 1960 called Faraday Electronic Instruments Ltd

Radio Communications, Line & Broadcasting
Pye Group
Company Name
Company Location Business Activity Area Created/Acquired
or known active
Merged/Closed
or Dosposed
Notes
Pye Telecommunications Ltd Newmarket Road, Cambridge Radio communications equipment 1944 1986 Pye Telecommunications Ltd formed Feb 1944
Pamphonic Reproducers Ltd Colindale, London, NW9 Public address & audio equipment
Labgear (Cambridge) Ltd Abbey Walk, Cambridge CB1 2RQ TV test equipment, radio equipment, contract design & manuf. operational in 1972
Greasby Instruments Ltd Kingston By-Pass, Surbiton, Surrey Electronic equipment for test, defence, avionics, fuel & power operational in 1972
Rees Mace Marine Ltd London, Oulton Broad, Lowestoft Marine radio equipment Suspect this was merged with Pye Marine 1957-1960
Pye Marine Ltd Oulton Broad, Lowestoft Marine radio equipment Note - with time Pye Marine and Rees-Mace Marine simply became brand names and distribution channels of Pye Telecom. The same product could be sold with three different brand names through three different routes
Pye Scottish Telecommunications Ltd (Airdrie Electronics) Victoria Place, Aidrie, ML6 9BL, Scotland Telephones, military radio communications equipment etc 23 Oct 1968 04 Sep 1998 Company number SC046045 manufactured radio equip and telephones (£2.5M order), from 1970 TMC Ltd, Later Philips BCS, Later Telecom Sciences Ltd, Later Mitel and finally TML
RF Heating Ltd Cambridge RF heating transmitters
Pye TVT Ltd (started as a division in Pye Telecom) PO Box 41, Coldhams Lane, Cambridge CB1 3JU TV & sound studio broadcasting equipment and transmitters 22 Mar 1960 01 Sep 1998
High Definition Television Ltd who is this? TV manufacturing or CCTV? 1965 Industrial Div of Pye Telecom merged with Pye HDT to combine CCTV interests
E.K.Cole Malmesbury Ltd Avionics & airborne radar
Pye Business Communications Ltd Cromwell Road, Cambridge, CB1 3EL telephone exchanges, audio, CCTV, security alarms etc operational in 1972 Formed about 1970 from Pye Telephones and the sound & vision activities of Pye TVT Ltd
Sepura Ltd St. Andrews Road, Cambridge Tetra PMR hand portable radios for Public Safety and Industry April 2002 Present day Specialises in Tetra hand portable PMR radios, was the Tetra portable development activity of Simoco
The Telephone Manufacturing Co Ltd (TMC) (Pye TMC) Head Office, Martel Road, Dulwich, SE21 8EF Telephone line and subscrber equipment for GPO and industry operational in 1972 also Pye TMC St. Mary Cray, Kent, also Roper Road, Canterbury, also Hardwick Trading Estate, Kings Lynn - See Ref a Jun 1972 doc

Radio, TV & Domestic Equipment Division
Pye Group
Company Name
Company Location Business Activity Area Created/Acquired
or known active
Merged/Closed
or Dosposed
Notes
Pye Radio Ltd Montague Road/Haig Road, Camb Domestic Radio & TV receivers reg 12 Feb 29 1937 Pye Radio Ltd changed name to Pye Ltd 15 June 1937
Pye Ltd Sales Division (Home & Export) St. Andrews Road, Cambridge, CB4 1DS Main sales operation for consumer products operational in 1972
Corran Works Ltd Larne, Northern Ireland Domestic Radio & TV receivers From 1947 based in Larne, Northern Ireland and intended as a lower cost radio production facility to serve export markets
Invicta Radio Ltd Langham, London Domestic radio & TV receivers - brand in use 1972
Woodcraft Production (Cambridge) Ltd Cambridge Radio, TV & Audio Cabinets
L. G. Hawkins & Co Ltd London Domestic electrical appliances etc
Pam (Radio & Television) Ltd Langham, London Domestic radio & TV receivers
TV Manufacturing Ltd Lowestoft TV receivers
UTM Ltd Cambridge TV rentals??
United Rentals Ltd Cambridge TV rentals
Dynatron Radio Ltd (also at Hansa Road Kings Lynn) St. Peter's Road, Furzeplatt, Maidenhead SL6 7QY high quality radio, TV, audio equipment etc operational in 1972 Note, Dynatron manufactured Rebecca airborne radar equipment during WW2 - what happened in the early post-war period?
United Television Manufacturers Cambridge and 5 regional service deopts Servicing of Pye Group radio and TVs
Radio & T.V. Services Ltd Cambridge Servicing of Pye Group radio and TVs
Combined Electronic Services set up in 1954 Servicing of all Pye, Pam, Invicta Radio domestic radio and TV source Wireless World August 1954 page 362
Pye Ltd/Ekco Heating & Appliance Division Drury Lane, Hastings, Sussesx Domestic and industrial heating appliances

Components, Services & Processes
Pye Group
Company Name
Company Location Business Activity Area Created/Acquired
or known active
Merged/Closed
or Dosposed
Notes
Cathodeon Ltd Nuffield Road, Cambridge Thermionic valves, CRT & glass/metal seals 1935 still op. in 1972 1968 Confusion as to which Cathodeon is which - Development on CRT began in 1930 - Cathodeon formed in 1935 - merged into Pye Unicam Ltd 1968
Cathodeon Electronic Ltd Southend Thermionic valves & TV camera tubes ? ? Confusion as to which Cathodeon is which - What did Cathodeon Kings Lynn do?
Magnetic Devices Ltd Exning Road, Newmarket, also Swaffham Electro-magnetic relays & various control components About 1947 ? Magnetic Devices started as a department in Pye Telecom in circa 1947 at Ditton Works, Newmarket Road, Cambridge, formed in association with Guardian Electric Corp, Chicago
Pye Industrial electronics Ltd Ditton Works, Cambridge, then Newmarket became Magnetic Devices about 1947 ?
Cathodeon Crystals Ltd Linton, Cambridge, CB1 6JU Quartz Crystals, filters, crystal ovens etc 1954? op. in 1972 ?
Pye Engineering Services Ltd Newmarket Road/East Road junction, Camb Sheet metal components, racks, cabinets, plating, painting etc still op. in 1972 1979 This company was operational when I joined Pye Telecom in 1964 - see june 1972 document for details
BEPI (Electronics) Galabank Mill, WilderHaugh, Galashiels, Scot Printed circuit board manufacture, flexible circuits etc 1962 still op. in 1972 17 Jan 1992 BEPI formed in 1962 (ref Galashiels Local History Society) may also have been known as BEPI Circuits Ltd
Varelco Ltd Exning Road, Newmarket, Suffolk Electrical connectors, plugs and sockets operational in 1972
Newmarket Transistors Ltd Exning Road, Newmarket Semiconductor devices, thick and thin film hybrids etc operational in 1972
Lindley-Thompson Transformer Co Ltd Electricity power distribution transformers operational in 1960s
Egen Electric Ltd Charfleet Ind. Estate, Canvey Island, Essex potentiometers, & switches for radio & TV industry operational in 1972
Ekco Plastics Ltd Southend-on-sea, Essex, SS2 6PP Injection & compression moulded plastic components operational in 1972
Cabinet Industries Ltd Walthamstow Avenue, Chingford, E4 8QE Manufacturers of wooden cabinets for radio, TV etc operational in 1972
Hinchley Engineering Co. Ltd Southgate House, Devizes, Wiltshire Electrical transformers, power supplies, wound components operational in 1972
Pye Switches Ltd Otehall Works, Burgess Hill, Sussex Electrical switches for aviation, and industry etc operational in 1972
Pye Thermal Bonders Ltd 28 James Street, Cambridge, CB1 1HY Radio frequency heaters and presses for wood work industry operational in 1972
CCL Ltd Hanworth Lane, Chertsey, Surrey Aluminium electrolytic capacitors, suppression filters etc operational in 1972
Pye Connectors Ltd Hitchin Street, Biggleswade, Bedfordshire Electrical connectors for military and commercial apps, etc operational in 1972
Pye Dynamics Ltd Park Avenue, Bushey, Herts R & D for HM Government etc, Environmental Testing facilities operational in 1972 Huge range of industrial products and services - see June 1972 documents for details
Pye TMC Components Ltd Graham Bell House, Roper Road, Canterbury Electro-mechanical components, relays, switches, etc operational in 1972 Also at Old Meadow Road, Hardwich Trading Estate, Kings Lynn

Other (which do not fit the above main headings)
Pye Group
Company Name
Company Location Business Activity Area Created/Acquired
or known active
Merged/Closed
or Dosposed
Notes
HC Banham Ltd Riverside Works, Mariners Way, Cambridge Manufacture, hire & operation of boats, Ships Chandlers etc operational in 1972
Nixa Records Ltd/Pye Records Ltd Trafalgar, London Audio Recording & records Nixa Records formed 1950-bought by Pye and merged with Polygon in 1956, name changed to Pye Records in 1959
W. Watson & Sons Ltd Barnet, Hertforshire Medical equipment (Iron Lung etc)
W. Bryan Savage Ltd Vibration tables etc
ATV Ltd (9% shareholding) Birmingham London & Midlands ITV broadcasting
Pye Finance Ltd
Cambridge Data Processing Ltd St.Andrews Road, Cambridge Computer data services bureau for Pye and other customers 1969 still op. in 1972
Pye Ltd. Personal Export Division 295 Regent Street, London W1R 8DX Diplomatic sales and export of radio, TV, HiFi operational in 1972
Communications Services Ltd St.Andrews Road, Cambridge Leasing facilities in the UK for Pye Group products operational in 1972

Companies awaiting identification and details
Pye Group
Company Name
Company Location Business Activity Area Created/Acquired
or known active
Merged/Closed
or Dosposed
Notes
Holloway Engineering Works Ltd London, N7
Pamrex Ltd Langham, London
Power Controls Ltd Newmarket, Cambridge
V.C. Bond & Sons Ltd
Ekco Electronics Ltd

OVERSEAS OPERATING COMPANIES
Pye Group
Company Name
Company Location Business Activity Area Created/Acquired
or known active
Merged/Closed
or Dosposed
Notes
Coronet Industries Ltd Hong Kong Manufacture of radio and TV about 1948 Coronet Industries, Hong Kong formed about 1948 as a low cost manufacturing centre, but not often mentioned in company documents
Pye-Electronic Ltd Melbourne ,Australia Radio communications equipment became Pye Industries Ltd
Pye Canada Ltd Ajax, Ontario, Canada Radio communications equipment
Pye (Ireland) Ltd Finglas, Dublin, Eire Radio communications ancillary equipment
Pye (New Zealand) Ltd Auckland, New Zealand Radio communications equipment
Pye Radio & Television Pty (S. Africa) Johannesburg, South Africa Domestic Radio & TV
Technico Ltd Sydney, Australia
Bendix-Technico Pty Sydney, Australia
Akrad Radio Corporation Ltd Waihi, New Zealand Manufacture of Radio, TV, radiotelephones
G.A. Wooler & Co Ltd Auckland, New Zealand Distribution of Pye radiotelephones
Green & Cooper Ltd Wellington, New Zealand
Pye Corporation of America New York, USA opened in 1954 Wireless World Aug 1954 page 361
Pye (France) S.A. Paris, France Does this include SFTP Paris??
Deutsche Pye G.m.b.H.
Unidare Ltd (a group of 9 Irish companies) Republic of Ireland Domestic appliances & industrial processes Joined Pye 1964
Pye Italy (2 companies)

Various joint ventures & franchises to be added as information is confirmed
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