The post on Arthur Edwards G6XJ and his QSL card resulted in a message from Tony G4UZN who has a fantastic Historic QSL card collection https://qsl-history.webs.com/. (He is the guy who advertises in Radcom for old QSL cards).

Tony found a pre-war G6XJ QSL card dated 1933 which although blank does have an interesting message on the rear about a trip to Denmark on the SS Mongolia in July 1933.

Tony’s collection got me thinking about other hams that were employed by Stratton and Laughton in the early days of the company. The Laughton’s company history “A Century of Achievement” published in 1960, mentions several people of which Tony has been able to find QSL cards.

George Brown G5BJ, who designed the VHF two way transmitting /receiving equipment that was sold to the Metropolitan and other Police Authorities in 1938 in case landline telephone communications was disrupted by enemy bombing. George G5BJ eventually left Stratton and Laughton to join the Birmingham Police to take charge of their radio section. The 1938 QSL card shows a contact with W4TS on 14MHz fone (AM) and the 1946 card shows a contact with VU2WP on 28MHz CW. The police equipment went on to form the basis of the 400 series R/T VHF equipment which was used in the D-day landings.

In 1924 Stratton & Laughton formed a retail organisation under the name Webbs Radio. It had five shops including those in London and Birmingham but in the end only the London store survived. Webbs Radio was under the able management of E.J. Pickard G6VA. During the war  E.J.Pickard was brought back to Birmingham and was on fire watch in November 1940 when the Bromsgrove St works was destroyed by enemy bombing. He and Harold Cox (Technical Director) and E.M.Lauze courageously went in and out of the burning building bringing out practically all the valuable radio test equipment. The QSL card shows a 1933 contact with OZ2K on 7MHz CW.

Also part of the Webb’s Radio staff was H.W. Stewart G2CY, H.R.Adams G2NO, and their resident American Buyer in Boston, Ted McElroy W1JYN. Tony G4UZN also had a QSL card from G2CY dated 1933 for QSO with OK2K on 7MHz CW and from G2NO dated 1936 with G2TG on 7MHz together with a Xmas card of the same year. Ted W1JYN was apparently the world champion high speed telegraphist. I think there must have been a parting of the ways in 1937 as I have seen a Short Wave Magazine ad for Eves Radio Limited in Wolverhampton with G2NO and W1JYN offering American Radio equipment and parts.

Again let me thank Tony G4UZN for his help and interest in Eddystone alumni QSL cards. Visit his site it is fascinating.  Chris G0EYO