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Eric Kirkham Cole born in Rochford.
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Started business with Girlfriend in Leigh on Sea repairing radio sets and charging batteries etc.
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Develops Battery Eliminator (i.e. Mains transformer).
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Joined by WS Verrells (You make 'em - I'll sell 'em).
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Funding obtained to move to bigger premises in Leigh.
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A.W. Martin joined business (later to become chief Engineer and designer of famous round Bakelite
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Land acquired in Priory Crescent - building commenced.
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Business moved to Priory Crescent.
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First Bakelite press ordered - 1,000 employees.
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Fire destroyed part of factory including R&D labs (1932/3 prototypes lost) firm nearly goes out of
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Radar research moves to Orfordness.
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Tizard committee consider need for airborne radar, Taffy Bowen leads team and builds first
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prototype over winter 36/37 (A lot of detail worked out over pints in digs at the Castle & Crown Pub
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Test flights from Martlesham heath shows system works detecting navy exercise at 20Nm.
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Secret discussions held with EKCO about help with radar research and production methods
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EKCO offers help via AW Martin and secret lab established by year-end. 3,000 employees.
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Secret planning to disperse research and production away from Southend into 'Shadow
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factories'. September onwards, production transferred to war work (Type 19 army radios).
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EKCO helped with getting night fighter radar AI Mk 2 into production.
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Secret underground lab built alongside underground shelters at Southend.
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June 1940 - evacuation plan activated. HQ moved to Green Park Hotel Ashton Clinton, Military
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Radio work to Aylesbury and Radar work to Malmesbury - First successful night fighter attack and
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shoot down July 23rd (A1 Mk III). Winter of 40/41 AI Mk 4 in full production as is Anti shipping radar
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ASV Mk 2 (both about 1.5 metre wavelength) (Mk IV in Beaufighter scores 22 kills in March 41, 52 in
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April and May 102 + 172 probable - German Night raids effectively cease) T1154 and R1155
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After Blitz, radio and valve making re-commence at Southend. Magnetron allows development of
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'Microwave' AI Mk 7 and then Mk 8 (9cm wavelength) at Malmesbury.
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Jostle 1 developed and trialed by year end.
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T/R 1154/1155 in production at Aylesbury.
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Full production of AI Mark 8 - which stayed in production through rest of war and was only bettered
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in 1944 by American SCR720 (which was based on AI Mk 8).
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Jostle 2 deployed in North Africa in time for Alemeim.
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1943 |
Development work starts on AI Mark 9 (C band 3cm) intended as follow on to AI Mk 8. Development
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work starts on 'man portable' VHF military radio's (Walkie Talkies) in service in time for invasion of
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Italy (WS 46 radio) production now encompasses 'Woking and Glenrothes' as well. Southend also
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making WS 19 and 46 radio sets, also wiring harness for Lancaster bombers - circa 8,000
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employees across all sites.
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1944 |
WS 46 deployed in invasion of Italy and Europe.
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1945 |
War ends, AI Mark 9 finally goes into limited production, all production scaled down across all sites. |
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Ashton Clinton + Alyesbury closed down Malmesbury continues except WDU (closed down). |
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Southend re-commences radio and plastics production. |
1946 |
Development work starts on successor to WS46, this being WS88. Telecommunications Research. |
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Establishment give EKCO a research contract to develop Cloud and Collision warning radar. Core |
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(ex-WDU and Ashton Clinton) research departments re-formed at Malmesbury and Southend. |
1947 |
Weather radar prototype begins testing in Sunderland. Set designated as E38 (A110?). |
1948 |
Sunderland flies extensively on 'empire routes' testing bad weather performance (in association with |
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TRE). |
1949 |
First commercial delivery of E34 weather radar then called 'Search Radar' (DH Comet 1) |
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development work started on radiation dose meters, WS 88 goes into full production. |
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Development work starts on radar ranging system intended for Hawker Hunter. |
1950 |
Development work starts on successor to WS 88 numbered WS A40. |
1951 |
Development work starts on successor to E38 and E38B this being E120 system. |
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Development work starts on ASV Mark 19A. |
1952 |
EKCO Electronics Limited set up as separate business unit within E.K.Cole. |
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Development work starts on Project 'Blue Sky' (Fireflash missile - First successful UK AAM). |
1953 |
Hawker Hunter radar goes into production (based on 'B' model specification) - over 2000 will be |
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made before production finishes. Assigned designator ARI 5820. |
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ASV Mark 19B developed and trialed. |
1954 |
Flight trials begin on Blue Sky at Llambeter - later at RAF Valley. Development work starts on AI |
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Mark 17. Intended as follow on from Blue Sky designated for Gloster Javelin. |
1955 |
Blue Sky trials team move to Woomera (Australia). E120 system moves to production phase. |
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ASV Mark 19 enters service in Fairey Gannet Mark AS1. E38 system (55 sets) sold to German |
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BundesMarine as standard fit to their Armstrong Whitworth Seahawks. |
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Development work starts on project 'Green Willow', which develops into AI Mark 20 - |
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Backup radar system for English Electric Lightning (not used). |
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Transistors (Germanium) first tested (cost £2.10s each). |
1956 |
Work starts on Automatic Machine Control. Work starts to re-develop AI Mark 20 to meet |
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requirement for Tail Warning Radar in V Bombers (code named Red Steer). |
1957 |
Blue Sky abandoned by Government. Missile superseded by Red Top. |
1958 |
E120 developed into E160 and flown in DH Comet IV. |
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Red Steer tail warning radar enters trial phase assigned designator ARI 5919. |
1959 |
Development work starts on successor to E160, this being E190 (designed as first fully |
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transistorised system). |
