Murphy Radio 1930 Range

Murphy started Murphy radio with a family friend, Edward Power who previously worked at McMichael Radio.  From the outset, the emphasis on the production of radio sets was sixfold 1 Reliability; 2 Simplicity of operation; 3 Value for money; 4 Efficient after sales service; 5 Advance in technical improvement in quality of sound reproduction; 6 Distinctive cabinet design. Murphy decided the factory to manufacture the receivers should be in Welwyn Garden City.  This was a new town built only 9 years earlier, but was already renowned for creating an area of excellent housing together with modern factory facilities in the Hertfordshire countryside.  The factory was a 10,000ft building off Broadwater Road, where several companies such as Shredded Wheat and the London Film Company had chosen as a manufacturing base.  The next task was to make the public aware of Murphy Radio, and for this Murphy employed the advertising company he had left a couple of years earlier.  It was noted that most other manufacturer’s advertising consisted of extravagant claims concerning the technical performance of their receivers.  Murphy Radio decided to concentrate on promoting their product using prose and images that suggested Murphy Radio was a company of integrity that could be trusted.  Murphy Radio had a principal copy line of “Making Wireless Simple”, and advertisements addressed the reader more as a friend giving advice rather than a company telling you why their product was best.  This was a new and major departure in advertising in the 1930’s.  Another major difference between Murphy Radio and other manufacturers was that Murphy decided to set up a network of Murphy Dealers.  Other manufacturers of the time distributed their sets to wholesalers such as Brown Bros, who then re-sold the sets on to individual dealers or chains.  Murphy judged this to be inefficient, and reasoned that a unique dealer network could also ensure high standards of service and repairs would be maintained.  To this end only one Murphy dealer would be allowed for each town, and if that dealer did not maintain necessary standards the opportunity to sell and service Murphy receivers would be revoked. The first radio manufactured by Murphy Radio is shown in the sketch below, most subsequent pages will feature photographs of at least one actual receiver for each year.

Full range introduced from 1930

      Fig 1             

Continue to Murphy Range 1931   

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