[PW] Re: Any British Wombats around? (c) OxfordUP

[Adrian Smith]

Oxford Dictionary of national Biography:

"Cole, Eric Kirkham (1901-1966), radio engineer, was born at 14 Windsor Road, Prittlewell, Southend-on-Sea, Essex, on 4 July 1901, the only child of Henry Cole, a dairyman, and his wife, Alice Laura, née Kirkham. He was educated at Southend Day Technical School and, after serving a three-year apprenticeship, went into partnership with his father as an electrical engineer. He set up his own business in 1922, making radio receivers to take advantage of the demand following the foundation of the BBC. His first premises were a single rented room in Westcliff-on-Sea, where, assisted by Muriel Bradshaw (1904/5-1965), he made on average six sets a week. These were conventional sets for the period, using headphones for the output and powered from batteries."

Read more ... Runs to 7 paragraphs
http://www.oxforddnb.com/view/article/46833?docPos=5

"Cole could spare little time for hobbies while working, but was able in retirement to develop his interests in shooting and photography. His wife died in 1965, and he did not survive her for long. He died in a bathing accident at Fitts Village, St James, Barbados, on 18 November 1966.

Contributed by: Rowland F. Pocock 

Apparently Ekco merged with Pye in 1960

(c) Oxford University Press

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Adrian, UK

-----Original Message-----
From: project-wombat-fm-bounces at lists.project-wombat.org [mailto:project-wombat-fm-bounces at lists.project-wombat.org] 

On Behalf Of Donna Halper
Sent: 16 December 2006 22:39
To: list at project-wombat.org
Subject: [PW] Any British Wombats around?


I am working on an article about Bakelite, especially in the making 
of radios.  It seems that the 1930s were a highpoint of this style, 
and I have had NO problem finding many on-line and book articles 
about the process.  Some of those radios evidently are quite 
collectable today, especially one brand-- EKCO.

That's where I am stuck.  I know that EKCO was the company owned by 
British engineer Eric Kirkham Cole, who began manufacturing radios 
circa 1929 and his company became very important in the UK even into 
the 1960s, when I think it was finally sold.  What I cannot find is 
an obit that fills in some of his life for me.  I think he died in 
1957.  I've checked every database to which I have access, but no 
obit-- although lots of mention of his company's cool radios, and 
assorted recollections from people who worked for EKCO at one time or 
other.  Might anyone have access to an obituary for Eric K. 
Cole?  Thanks much if you do have one!

Donna L. Halper, Journalism Dept. Emerson College Boston MA       
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