Wharfedale Wireless Works
Makers of loudspeakers, of Idle, Bradford
1932 Gilbert Briggs built a loudspeaker in the cellar of his home in Ilkley, Yorkshire.
1933 Set up a factory near Bradford to build the loudspeaker drives helped by his wife Doris.
1936 Moved to a larger factory in Bradford.
WWII When the war came, the factory continued. During the second half of the war, the Wharfedale Wireless Works were commissioned to make transformers for Marconi.
1945 Responding to demand for better quality loudspeakers, Wharfedale developed the first two-way loudspeaker.
1948 G. Briggs published the first of many books on sound reproduction.
1959 Rank Organisation acquired Wharfedale Wireless Works[1]
1962 The first 'roll surround' cones was introduced by Wharfedale; started to use ceramic magnets.
1960s Made tuners, amplifiers and turntables.
1965 G. Briggs retired
1970s New factory on a green field site in Highfield Road, Bradford.
Continued development of new loudspeaker designs
Early 1990s: Wharfedale was sold to Verity Group which also owned Quad and Leak.
1996 Management buyout.
See Also
Sources of Information
- ↑ The Times 22 May 1959
- History of Wharfedale [1]