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#135795 02/07/03 08:04 PM
Joined: Aug 2001
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pauluk Offline OP
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The thread about Belling-Lee coaxial connectors prompted me to search for some information on the Belling-Lee company. I found this on the Enfield Council website:

Quote
Belling & Co
Charles Reginald Belling was born at Bodmin, Cornwall in 1884. He served an apprenticeship in elctrical engineering with Crompton & Co of Chelmsford. He subsequently joined the staff of Ediswan at Ponders End. In 1912 he started his own business in Lancaster Road, Enfield, manufacturing electric heaters. In 1913 he acquired additional factory space at Derby Road, Edmonton. The range of products widened to include electric water heaters (1913) electric cookers (1919) and immersion heaters (1920). A new purpose-built factory was opened in Southbury Road in 1924. The premises have since been progressively enlarged. A second factory was opened at Burnley, Lancashire in 1956. Mr Belling died in 1965.

Belling-Lee Ltd
In 1922 C R Belling (see above) formed a partnership with Edgar M Lee to manufacture mains powered radio sets. (B.B.C.radio broadcasting started in 1922). Maintenance problems caused the firm to temporarily abandon mains powered radio sets in 1924, production being switched to crystal sets. The original factory was at Queensway, Ponders End, moving to new premises on the Great Cambridge Road in 1932. The product range was widened to include fuses and fuse holders (1929) electrical gramophone pick-ups (1933) and radio aerials (1935). During World War II much of the production was switched to radar components and V.H.F.aerials for use on aircraft. The post war years saw a huge demand for television components. In 1961 an office block was built, followed by a big extension to the factory in 1964. Following the death of Mr Belling, the company became part of the Phillips group in 1966. Mr Lee died in 1972.

There's a brief note about the Ediswan Company as well. Here's the link: http://www.enfield.gov.uk/histind.htm


[This message has been edited by pauluk (edited 02-07-2003).]

#135796 02/07/03 10:04 PM
Joined: Jul 2002
Posts: 8,443
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Paul,
That's quite an interesting story, thanks for posting that one.
Oddly enough, Paul, my late Great-Grand-father, owned a Belling Radiant type Heater,
that he had brought over here from the UK, when they emigrated.
This was 27 years ago, but I still remember the BELLING & CO Emblem on it.

#135797 02/14/03 01:55 AM
Joined: Jul 2002
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Paul,
I have just read the part about the Ediswan
Company.
The first sentence is not entirely correct,
(as far as I was taught).
I was under the impression that Charles Swan was the first person to invent a working light bulb, however, two years later, Thomas Edison (Patented), the first? light bulb.
Sorry to pin-prick, but this is why people believe, that Edison invented the light bulb,
when Swan actually did. [Linked Image]

#135798 02/14/03 02:03 AM
Joined: Aug 2002
Posts: 1,691
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Member
Well...Thomas Edison...like Lee De Forest always thought about the PATENT. You gotta admit, they were excellent business men.

That's what actually counts....the patent which is the unequivocable proof that you invented something. Otherwise, you'll just be relegated to oblivion and it's your word against someone else's.

#135799 02/14/03 08:10 AM
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C-H Offline
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Swan did indeed make lightbulbs before Edison, and he wasn't the only one. The difference lay in the voltage used and the life of the bulbs. Edison realised the need for a "high" distribution voltage and settled for 110V. Swan only managed to make low voltage bulbs.

#135800 02/14/03 01:22 PM
Joined: Dec 2001
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A very distant relative of mine (sorta like great-grandmother's cousin's father-in-law) Carl Auer von Welsbach invented the metal filament bulb, as well as the Welsbach gas light burner which is still used for camping lights.

#135801 02/15/03 09:41 PM
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pauluk Offline OP
Member
So many inventions were based upon developing principles of the time, and it's hard to apportion the correct share of the credit to each party involved.

I've also found that different countries often teach a somewhat different viewpoint. Ask almost any Brit (well, any reasonably well-educated Brit) who invented TV and he will almost certainly reply "John Logie Baird." Many other countries acknowledge the contributions of all the other men who had a part in the invention.

By the way, on a somewhat unrelated matter of different countries' viewpoints, there are still some British history books that state American independence was 1783. The rest of the world accepts the correct date of 1776!

The patent question is certainly a big issue -- Just look at the case of Alexander Graham Bell vs. Elisha Gray. Just think: For over a hundred years Americans could have been talking about the "Gray System" and "Ma Gray."

It doesn't have the same ring to it, does it? (If you'll pardon the pun!)

#135802 02/15/03 10:24 PM
Joined: Jul 2002
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Guys,
The only reason I brought this up, was because I had a rather heated "discussion", with an Electrical Tutor, when I was doing my First Qualifying Year at Polytech, and he
threatened to fail me on this question, because I said that Charles Swan, was the first person to demonstrate a working light-bulb, when his marking notes said Edison.
Depends on where you come from I suppose. [Linked Image]


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