Post by Steve on Jun 13, 2021 11:52:40 GMT 12
As I'm working through my research on Radio Corporation of New Zealand I'm also delving into the history of those companies around it - Stewart Hardware, Courtenay Radio Ltd, Turnbull and Jones, etc... and (if you know me, you know why) The Pacific Radio Company Ltd.
So what I'll probably do from time to time is give a brief synopsis of what I know, probably scattered with the odd question... and I'd love some feedback, questions or further information (real or interpreted). So here we go with the most important company in the world, ever. Period. The Pacific Radio Company Limited of Wellington, New Zealand. This is about their beginnings and background, not so much the radios - I can certainly talk about those for hours... although I have a brief video which covers some of their sets, and a bit of history here: www.youtube.com/watch?v=BVrzP_ORZhk&list=PLv0SPv11_1hvhmYXkvBDGXQZX9CYNLtXf&index=1
The company was officially incorporated on the 7th of July 1933, although the paperwork had been drawn up on the 1st of that month. The capital of the company was £100, divided into 100 shares worth £1 each. There were two shareholders although it seems unlikely that either was the major financial or business backer. They were Percival Patrick O'Brien (a public accounts clerk) who had 33 shares, and Doreen Beasley (secretary) who had 67.
Their premises were on level 3 of the Huddart Parker Building in Wellington (although the exact office they were in is unknown at this time).
The company was indebted to Radio Corporation (N.Z.) Ltd. early on - most likely the cost of the startup company would have been significant, given they were advertising nationwide, including large-format advertising in major publications and would have needed large numbers of radios to have been manufactured and shipped around the country to the various distributors. Near the end of 1933 a debenture document was written up and signed by Arthur Maurice Anderson, a director of the Pacific Radio Co. Ltd (the first mention anywhere I have found of a director and possible owner) and witnessed by Doreen Beasley (previously noted as a shareholder). I have a suspicion that William Marks (Radio Corp NZ founder) may have also been a director / owner / something to do with the company early on - he certainly was a bit later.
Now my business knowledge / understanding is fairly basic, so I'm not entirely sure what is going on here - My assumption is that Anderson started the company. He was (I understand) the public accountant who wound up Stewart Hardware and facilitated the leasing of the buildings at 80-84 Courtenay Place to Radio Corporation of New Zealand. He was also a board member of Radio Corporation of New Zealand up until 1937, when all off-brand manufacturing ceased and he and at least one other board member (from Cory-Wright & Salmon) resigned their positions in what appears to have been less-than-happy circumstances. It seems from what I've read there was some unrest over the new terms that RCNZ put in front of the companies who they manufactured for which included massive increases in minimum order quantities over what they had been previously ordering.
T.B.C...
So what I'll probably do from time to time is give a brief synopsis of what I know, probably scattered with the odd question... and I'd love some feedback, questions or further information (real or interpreted). So here we go with the most important company in the world, ever. Period. The Pacific Radio Company Limited of Wellington, New Zealand. This is about their beginnings and background, not so much the radios - I can certainly talk about those for hours... although I have a brief video which covers some of their sets, and a bit of history here: www.youtube.com/watch?v=BVrzP_ORZhk&list=PLv0SPv11_1hvhmYXkvBDGXQZX9CYNLtXf&index=1
The company was officially incorporated on the 7th of July 1933, although the paperwork had been drawn up on the 1st of that month. The capital of the company was £100, divided into 100 shares worth £1 each. There were two shareholders although it seems unlikely that either was the major financial or business backer. They were Percival Patrick O'Brien (a public accounts clerk) who had 33 shares, and Doreen Beasley (secretary) who had 67.
Their premises were on level 3 of the Huddart Parker Building in Wellington (although the exact office they were in is unknown at this time).
The company was indebted to Radio Corporation (N.Z.) Ltd. early on - most likely the cost of the startup company would have been significant, given they were advertising nationwide, including large-format advertising in major publications and would have needed large numbers of radios to have been manufactured and shipped around the country to the various distributors. Near the end of 1933 a debenture document was written up and signed by Arthur Maurice Anderson, a director of the Pacific Radio Co. Ltd (the first mention anywhere I have found of a director and possible owner) and witnessed by Doreen Beasley (previously noted as a shareholder). I have a suspicion that William Marks (Radio Corp NZ founder) may have also been a director / owner / something to do with the company early on - he certainly was a bit later.
Now my business knowledge / understanding is fairly basic, so I'm not entirely sure what is going on here - My assumption is that Anderson started the company. He was (I understand) the public accountant who wound up Stewart Hardware and facilitated the leasing of the buildings at 80-84 Courtenay Place to Radio Corporation of New Zealand. He was also a board member of Radio Corporation of New Zealand up until 1937, when all off-brand manufacturing ceased and he and at least one other board member (from Cory-Wright & Salmon) resigned their positions in what appears to have been less-than-happy circumstances. It seems from what I've read there was some unrest over the new terms that RCNZ put in front of the companies who they manufactured for which included massive increases in minimum order quantities over what they had been previously ordering.
T.B.C...
