The Saga of Marconi Osram Valve

 Marconi-Osram Valve was involved in the valve business right from the beginning. It became one of the world¹s great Companies; not large in size nor huge in financial muscle by modern standards but outstanding in its contribution to science, technology and industry over a extended period.

M-OV was born of famous parents in exciting times. It was founded by Lord Hirst, an entrepreneur of stature and vision who believed in individual flair and a supportive and 'can do' culture. Its history covers 100 years, three generations, two world wars and the great developments in broadcasting in the post-war periods. The history is intertwined with Marconi, EMI, RCA, Osram and the GEC itself over virtually the whole period of electronics.

The history covers the period in which Marconi's Wireless Telegraph Company joined forces with GEC (now calling itself Marconi Plc) to form the Marconi-Osram Valve Company with the aim of securing a source of state-of-the-art valves. This was the earliest time GEC was associated with the name Marconi, a fact that lends justification to the new name especially as GEC has simultaneously re-styled itself as a Telecommunications Company.     

So, this is a history of valve-making with particular emphasis on wireless valves developed by Marconi-Osram Valve whose genius did so much to advance the state of the art in the new science of electronics.

(text taken from the publisher's homepage 2016)