Burndept Ltd.
London Office & Showrooms, 15 Bedford Street. Strand, WC2 (1922)Aerial Works, Blackheath, London, S.E.3 (1922)

Burndept Wireless Ltd.
Aldine House, Bedford St., Strand, W.C.2 (1925)

Burndept Wireless (1928) Ltd.
17 Eastnor House, Blackheath, S.E.3 (1929)

Burndept Wireless (1928) Ltd.
17 Eastnor House, Blackheath, S.E.3 (1929)

Burndept Ltd.
51-53, Church Street, London S.E.10.  (1932)
Light Gun Factory, Erith, Kent. (1939)

Burndept Electronics (E.R.) Ltd. 
St. Fidelis Road, Erith, Kent. (1968)

Brands: Ethophone, Ethovox

Manufacturer of domestic electrical goods, dry batteries, radio receiver components, and radio, and television receivers.

Worldwide exporter of components and radios in the 1920s and 1930s.

in the late 1960s, Burndept made transceivers, Readycall (car radio/ telephone), search and rescue beacons, and test instruments. 

Here is a description of the company from Wireless Weekly Australia Dec 18, 1925, Page 32 fourteen months after setting up the Australian Branch.

The trademark Burndept first appeared on wireless apparatus in 1918, and in those days was manufactured by Burnham and Co., of Deptford, hence the derivation of the name Burndept.

Since those early days the company has grown at a pace until now, in the year 1925, the name “Burndept” is recognised as a mark of supreme quality wherever it appears and has held its place for the high efficiency of its products and fine workmanship.

The growth of this company has been truly phenomenal. Commencing with offices and factory at Aerial Works, Blackheath, in 1922, when a limited company was formed to develop under the old trademark of “Burndept,” showrooms have been opened in Bedford Street, Strand; new factory premises were taken over in the autumn of 1922, and in June 1923, the staff of the head office at Blackheath, consisting of sales, advertising, and accounts, were moved to their present offices at Aldine House, London, until now it covers the whole centre floor of Aldine House.

In the early part of 1925, the export business had increased to such an extent that something had to give way in Bedford Street, and as a consequence, the whole of the advertising department and the service departments were removed to Henrietta Street.

New factory premises were taken over in 1922. These were known as “Eastnor Works,” and as the two existing works were outgrown so land was acquired around the old works, and a large four-story steel and concrete factory was completed in 1924, and another new block has just been completed.

The growth of this company did not stop here, for with the formation of the new company Burndept Wireless Limited, in April 1925, a special factory was acquired at Willesden and was equipped with the very latest valve making machinery, laboratory, and testing equipment.

In the latter part of the present year, the congestion up at head office became even more conspicuous than ever before, and consequently, head office stores had to be moved to other premises on the 12th October last.

In addition to valve manufacture, Burndepts are now manufacturing their own cabinets, and consequently one sees now this very progressive firm turning out every kind and class of radio apparatus, from the hand-lacquered terminal to the big seven-valve Super-sonic Heterodyne receiver.

Burndept Wireless Limited are solely and exclusively manufacturers of wireless goods and have no other interests of any description whatsoever.

The names ‘Ethophone and Ethovox are known practically the whole world over. There are 14 branches of the company in the United Kingdom, associated companies in Canada, the United States, France, South Africa, and Australia, and accredited foreign agents in every country (except Germany) in Europe.

Large stocks are carried by the Australian Branch head office at Broughton House, Clarence Street, Sydney, and a personal visit will well repay those interested in radio goods.

The latest 1925 development, the Super Vernier Dial, has just come to hand, and there is no doubt that this wonderful invention will attain the same popularity as their Crystal Detector, Antiphonic Valve Holder, and other components, to say nothing of the Ethovox Loudspeaker, which is recognised in England as standing in a class entirely of its own.

Company History

1922 - Burnham & Co's wireless department became Burndept Ltd., Witt Burnham established it as a private company; located at Aldine House, Bedford St, Strand, London, also Manchester, Leeds, Cardiff, and Newcastle. One of the (12) founders of the British Broadcasting Co. Ltd., the predecessor to the BBC.

1924 – Established Burndept (Australasia) Ltd. to import & market Burndept products in Australia.

1925 - became a public company: Burndept Wireless Ltd. Introduced a series of valves: one bright emitter valve H.L.565, and eight dull emitter types. In July 1925 the company set up Burndept Wireless Corp. of America.

1927 - overcame financial problems and ceased manufacture of valves and concentrated solely on radio equipment. 

1932 - Henry E. Taylor, Ltd.,  acquired the goodwill, patents, trademarks, and stocks of Burndept wireless apparatus and continued to market the more popular models of this marque and changed the name back to Burndept Ltd. [1]

1934 - Burndept radio company purchased and also began to produce Vidor batteries (as Vidor Limited);

1935 - factory located at Erith, Kent;

1962 - taken over by Royston Industries of Byfleet;

1968 - The Ever Ready Company (Great Britain) Ltd has acquired from the receiver of Royston Industries the factory and assets relating to the telecommunications section of Burndept Electronics Ltd, at Erith, Kent. The company will continue under the name Burndept Electronics (E.R.) Ltd. [2]

by 1971 - Burndept made transceivers,  Readycall (car radio/ telephone), search and rescue beacons, and test instruments;

1978 - a subsidiary of EverReady (Holdings) Ltd.

[1] Wireless World Jul 8, 1932, Page 18.
[2] Wireless World May 1968  Page 98.