The principal product of John Logie Baird Ltd. was an impressive all-purpose piece of equipment which displayed a bright television picture on the flat 22 in. × 19 in. screen of a 27 in. diameter cathode ray tube, and which incorporated in the cabinet a Plessey 11-band radio receiver and a Plessey auto-change gramophone record player. In 1946, a production unit was set up at 466 Alexandra Avenue, Rayners Lane, Harrow and there several costly but well specified television receivers were manufactured. The Adelphi had a distinctive bow-fronted cabinet, the Garrick was provided with an all-wave radio, and the Lyric was a superb example of the cabinet makers' art. Presumably, Jack Buchanan, the actor Chairman, chose the theatre names of the sets. It is believed that 600 receivers were constructed at Rayners Lane. Baird did not live to see television, which he had pioneered from 1923, become the universal medium of entertainment of the post-war years. One day in February 1946, he went for a walk, returned home tired, went to bed, and suffered a stroke during the night. Nurses were engaged to attend to him, as Mrs. Baird's own health was near to breaking point and her mother was almost bedridden. For the next 13 weeks, Baird spent much time in bed fighting for his life.

Inspec keywords: biographies; television; history

Other keywords: war years; bow-fronted cabinet; John Logie Baird Ltd; bright television picture; entertainment universal medium; television receiver; Plessey 11-band radio receiver; Adelphi; television pioneer; Plessey auto-change gramophone record player; all-wave radio; cathode ray tube

Subjects: Biographical, historical, and personal notes