G. Z. Auckland & Son
395 St. John Street, London EC1 (1921 -       )
Works: Elmore Street, London N1 (1922)
Factory: 125-131, Rosebery Avenue., London, EC1 (1923)
8 & 8a Cross Street Islington London N1. (1927)

Manufacturer of radio hardware, components, and radio receivers from the early 1920s.

An example of their products was on display at the All-British Wireless Exhibition at the Horticultural Hall, Westminster on the 30th of September 1922.

This firm exhibits a large and varied selection of component parts, including their well-known Intervalve Transformers, which are wound in layers and spaced to give maximum efficiency, the cores being of Stalloy iron. The variable condensers shown are of a type built upon aluminum top and bottom plates, thereby making them rigid, with no possibility of becoming loose. The spacing of the vanes is 0.072 and the condensers are made in four sizes, viz., 0.0002, 0.0003, 0.0005, and 0.001 mfd.

Among other parts exhibited are Duo-lateral Coils and several types of coil holders, both table and panel, telephone transformers, knobs, dials, detectors, etc. Complete sets, Receivers, Amplifiers (2 and 3 valve), and Power Amplifiers are also exhibited. [5]

The business was started immediately after World War 1 by George Frederick Auckland who had served in the Royal Engineers, Signals. Within a short time, however, George went to other realms of radio (Marconi, Decca) and the wireless business was transferred to his wife, Gladys Zilpah, and the firm became G.Z. Auckland & Son.

In January 1922 Gladys stated in an avert in Wireless World, “Now that we have acquired larger works, we have resolved to offer the Amateur the benefits derived from up-to-date machinery and mass production methods”.[1]

With the interest and experience gained in radio, Gladys, “GZ”, as she was known in the trade applied for and was given two callsigns – 2PA for the firm and 2XB for herself.

The output power was 10 watts, the limit allowed to Amateurs. Her operating bands were 150, 180, 200, and 440 meters (2000, 17000, 15000, and 680 kHz) with Spark, CW, and Telephony.

In 1924 2PA/2XB was using ‘TT’ (Tonic Train) – a form of modulated CW.

The firm held Morse reading contests operated from Clerkenwell near ‘The Angel’ in Islington and the winners were listeners in Dundee, Heenslede (Holland) and Weston-Super-Mare. [2]

In March 1923 they opened a new and extensive factory situated at 125-131, Rosebury Avenue, EC1. The largest factory in London is devoted entirely to Radio Apparatus. [3]

It is not known what happened to the company however an advert appeared in October 1927 with an address of 8 & 8a Cross Street Islington N1.[4]

[1] Wireless World Jan 21, 1922, Page xxvi.
[2] Reg. Auckland, October 1982 article for the Verulam Amateur Radio Club.
[3] Wireless World & Radio Review, Mar 31, 1923, Page 11.
[4] Wireless World Oct 5, 1927, Page ad39.
[5] Wireless World & Radio Review Oct 7, 1922, Page 9.