There was once an old Radio (Wireless) shop in Northfields...
Walking along Northfield Avenue, South Ealing some 25 years ago I came across an old wireless shop called Ruperts. The premises are still there today called "The Old Mill"I went inside and fell in love at first sight with an old Bush radio dated around 1950. Wow it was so elegant, had all those unusual radio stations on the display, Hilversum, Belgrade, Home, Light, Third and so on. It worked perfectly, with a deep hum and I bought it for £50. I still have it today. Some five years later I found that my old gramaphone player needed some renovation..and,in addition, the Bush radio had become iffy on short wave and needed some small adjustment.Ruperts were still at Northfields and the chap there , who was a vintage wireless enthusiast, suggested I make a trip over to Dulwich to see a Gerald Wells whose home was a Museum and workshop!!My word what a surprise that was. Gerald came to his front door wearing a white jacket/overall as though he was a shopkeeper..and he was..with a shop and counter selling valves etc in an upstairs room.The staircases and rooms were packed with radio displays! And his gardens too with numberout outhouses all joined together!!His home was teeming with thousands of radios! He had a Club night for enthusists during the week.His British Vintage Wireless Museum has a website you can look around..and perhaps recognise a few radios.http://www.bvwtm.org.uk/tour/------------------------------------------------Today, on the BBC Magazine Website page is a feature article on Gerry Wells now aged 80. There is a radio broadcast you can link to as well.http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/magazine-11035689--------------------------------------------------------It's an odd subject I know. But with nostalgia being topical on the Forum at present it will have interest..perhaps!
Jim Lawes ● 5732d6 Comments