British manufacturers of plugs and sockets

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Logos and short notes on history of manufacturers of British Standard plugs and sockets. The list is primarily based on items in the museum collection. More companies / bands have existed. Sources: internet sites of given companies, Grace's Guide to British Industrial History and information given by Jonathan Miles. ® shown logos are registered trademarks of given companies and brands. Logos may not be copied, except for strict encyclopedic purposes in relation to plugs and sockets.

Categories: 1. British companies, most of which are represented in the     museum collection, are listed in alphabetical order:              A - C     D - G     H - L     M - R     S - W   2. Company producing vitreous parts for electro-technical     companies.   3. Non-British companies that have made material shown in the     museum BS 546 section.   4. Logos of unknown companies.

 

		Ashley Accessories Ltd. Company founded in 1923 in Liverpool, initially registered as Ashley Wireless and Telephone Co. In 1935 the company changed its name to Ashley Accessories Ltd. Production moved to Ulverton, Cumbia. In 1980 Ashley was merged with Rock Accessories. For a period products were branded Rock Ashley. From 1998 Ashley is a part of the German Hager Group (Hager UK in Telford). Ashley still produces a full range of socketss, switches, lampholders and junction boxes.
		Belling Lee. Founded in 1922 by Charles R. Belling and E. Lee in Enfield. They were renown for coaxial radio plugs and cables. Besides a range of audio connectors, filters and fuses, Belling Lee also produce mains appliance couplers. Since 1992 the company is a subsidiary of Dialight LED lighting technology.
		BG Electrical. The company British General, also known as British Gauge, has been founded in 1952. Products include sockets, switches, fuse boxes and cable management accessories. BG Electric is a member of the Luceco plc group, London. In the 1970s or '80 the logo with six pointed star has been replaced by the blue logo.
		Britmac. The Britmac trademark has been associated with a number of companies over the years. The first registration that could be traced dates back to 1931 by C.H. Parsons of Britannia Works in Tyseley, Birmingham. Parsons launched a subsidiary company called the Britmac Electrical Co. Ltd to handle sales of electrical accessories. In time Britmac became part of BICC, Dorman & Smith, then Hanson and finally Electrium (now owned by Siemens UK). Today Britmac focuses on BS 1363 underfloor tracks and floor boxes. Information has been provided by Lucien Nunes.
		Bulgin. A.F. Bulgin & Co. Ltd started production of radio components in 1923 in Barking, Essex. Bulgin is now a brand of Elektron Technology in Cambridge. They offer a large range of circular connectors, switches, fuses, IEC couplers etc.
		Countrywide Electrical Distributors Inc. An electrical wholesaler since 1994; based in Dagenham (Essex). Plugs, sockets etc. are made by Axiom, the lighting brand of CED. Details about Axiom have not been found.
		Clang Ltd. Founded in 1932 by Curt Lange in Cricklewood, London. Production started with Bakelite domestic electrical accessories, table lamps and torches. The company still exists, but now focuses on electrical fittings for automotive industries.
		Clix. British Mechanical Productions, founded in 1937 in London, was the manufacturer of Clix electric accessories. In 1945 BMP acquired a large interest in General Accessories, distributor of Clix fittings. In 1952 Edison Swan Co (subsidiary of Associated Electrical Industries) purchased British Mechanical Productions. In 1956 Edison Swan Electric Co and Siemens UK merged and became Siemens Edison Swan. The Clix trademark has disappeared.
		CMD Ltd was founded in 1984 in Rotherham, South Yorkshire. The company focuses on creating solutions to meet the challenges of integrating power and media access in offices, among others with modular desk power systems. Ideal Industries Inc. acquired CMD in 2017.
		Contactum. In 1936 founded and still based in Cricklewood, London. Manufacturer of electrical wiring accessories and circuit protection products. In 2009 the company became part of the Electric Division of the Alfanar Group in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia.
		Crabtree Electrical Industries. Founded in 1919 by John Ashworth Crabtree in Walsall, Staffordshire. He started in a disused leather works. One of the first successful products was the 'Quick Make and Break' tumbler switch. To accommodate the growing business, Crabtree used a derelict music hall and a former church, but in 1926 he build large, new premises that became known as Lincolns Work. Around 1930 the company had its own Bakelite moulding plant. In 1947 the Crabtree South Africa branch was established. Crabtree Electrical Industries was acquired in 1972 by battery manufacturer Ever Ready Co., which was itself acquired by Hanson Trust in 1981. Hanson Electrical was bought in 1997 by Electrium, a newly created business led by ex-Crabtree apprentice Chris Thomas. Lincolns Work was closed; production moved to Wythenshawe, Manchester. In 2006 the Electrium Group became a part of Siemens UK.
		Dencon. The Dencon Group of Companies, founded in 1964 by Samuel Sullam in Harlow, supplies wholesale and retail electrical trade. Both Dencon and Lyvia are brand names for plugs, sockets and other electrical accessories.
		Deta Electrical Co Ltd. Manufacturer and distributor of wiring and electrical accessories since 1958. Based in Luton.
		Dorman & Smith. Late 1870s John S. Raworth, representative of Siemens Brothers in London, installed electric light installations in Lancashire and Yorkshire. In 1886 Raworth left Manchester and joined the Anglo-American Brush Electric Light Corporation in London. His business was sold to two of his employees, Charles Mark Dorman and Reginald Arthur Smith. They decided to focus on manufacturing electrical parts, notably switches and switchboards. The factory moved in 1892  to Salford. Private company Dorman & Smith Ltd was registered in 1914. In 1939 the flourishing company became involved in production of army material. To compensate for the very high war 'excess profits tax'  Switchgear Units Ltd was incorporated in 1940. Among others Switchgear Units designed in 1943 a fused plug by using a replaceable cartridge fuse as one of the power pins. D&S plugs and sockets have been used until the 1980s. Dorman Smith Switchgear Ltd in Preston still produces electricity distribution and control apparatus.
		Duraplug Electricals Ltd. Subsidiary of MK Electric, specialized in production of weatherproof, high impact resistant sockets, plugs, cable couplers and adapters, made of ABS/polycarbonate and rubber. Duraplug is based at Westwood Works, Broadstairs, Kent. Note that until 2008 Duraplug also manufactured fittings for Woolworth, which were branded Hercules and later under its own (Woolworth) brand.
		Electrak, power distribution division of Legrand Ltd in West Bromwich. Electrak offers a range of non standard sockets and matching key plugs. Furthermore, powertracks, busbar trunking systems and floor boxes for offices and businesses that need adaptable power distribution systems. Electrak products are manufactured in Consett, County Durham.
		General Accessories Corporation Ltd. Founded in 1896 in Bristol. It was one of the oldest electrical accessory and fitting manufacturers in the U.K. Maker of Genacco electrical fittings and distributor of Clix products. In 1945 British Mechanical Production Ltd acquired a large interest in General Accessories. See Clix (above) for details about B.M.P.
		General Electric Company. G. Binswanger was electrical wholesaler in London. With Hugo Hirst he founded The General Electric Apparatus Company in 1886. In 1888 the company acquired a factory in Salford, near Manchester were telephones, electric bells,ceiling roses and switches were manufactured. In 1900 General Electric Company Ltd was formed as private company. Business expanded and during the 20st century. GEC acquired many companies and merged with others. GEC was active in a quite diverse range of activities. Production of electrical accessories for the domestic market ended in the 1990s.The company was closed down in 2006 due to failed US acquisitions and the stock market collapse in 2002. Note that British General Electric Co is not linked to US General Electric Co.
		Grelco. Trademark of Grafton Electric Co, founded in London in the early 1930s and shifted to Minehead, Somerset in 1951. 1950s-'60s advertisements for multi-plug adaptors indicate that they are made by Grelco Ltd, suggesting that Grelco was 'upgraded' to subsidiary or independent company. Grelco multi-plugs were mostly known as theatrical stage lighting devices.
		Homebase Ltd. Do It Yourself market, founded in 1979 by supermarket chain Sainsbury's and Belgian retailer GB-Inno-BM. The Australian retailer Wesfarmers acquired Homebase in 2016.
		Lektrik. Trade Mark of A.P. Lundberg & Sons. He founded in 1882 the company that invented and manufactured accessories needed for electric lighting, such as lampholders, switches and plugs. Lundberg was also supplier to the aircraft industry.
		IEClock. Subsidiary of Scolmore Group (see below), specialized in manufacturing lockable IEC 60320 connectors and outlets.
		Lewden Electrical Industries Ltd. In 1946 founded by Lewis and Denfield (hence Lew den), in London. The company started as Lewden Metal Products and used metal die-casting techniques for manufacturing door furnishings, motor industry components and lighting. In the 1970s the company started production of plastic moulded plugs and sockets according to IEC 309 standard (now IEC 60309) that superseded BS 4343. To enhance global marketing, Lewden joined in 2006 the Italian Palazzoli Group. Lewden and Palazzoli now offer a wide range of electrical products used in construction industry and activities in hazardous environments. Lewden is now based in Braintree, Essex.
		Loblite Electric Ltd. Loblite has German roots that goes back to Bamberg, Bavaria where Hugo Löbl started in 1916 an electro-wholesale. In 1924 he and his sons Sali, Fritz and Robert established a manufacturing company of electrical accessories. The Jewish company Hugo Löbl Söhne was confiscated in 1938 by Nazi Germany. Soon after the Kristallnacht (9-10 Nov. 1938) several Löbl family members managed to escape from Germany. Fritz and Robert reached England in 1939. They built up a new factory in Gateshead under the name Loblite. From 1956 the company was managed by George and Ronald, sons of Fritz Löbl. When George retired in 1994 business was sold. Loblite Electric Ltd in Gateshead has gone out of business around 2010. Sources: Juden in Bamberg (book in German, see pages 273-276) and We were Europeans (book about Löbl family, see pages 10-17, 20-21, 42, 65-66 and 94).
		Lyvia Electrical Ltd. The Dencon Group of Companies (see above) distributes electronic and telecommunications equipment and electro-technical parts under the brand name Lyvia. Details about the manufacturer are unknown.
		Marbo. Brand of Marbourn Ltd, manufacturer of electrical accessories. The company was founded in 1930 at Roslyn Works, South Tottenham, London. Larger production facilities were opened  in 1972 in Hartlepool, county Durham. For some time Marbourn was a subsidiary of Ever Ready Holding Ltd. Later Marbo became a brand of the Electrium Group. Production ended in 2000 and Marbo brand disappeared.
		Masterplug, member of the Luceco plc Group in London, founded in 1984. Manufacturer of home power solutions, surge protected extension leads, outdoor power equipment and accessories for light industrial use.
		Midland Electrical Manufacturing. Founded in 1908 by Walter Barber in Birmingham. Started with manufacturing switch and fuse gear and added in 1927 motor control gear to the range of products. In 1971 Delta Metal acquired MEM. In 2003 the Electrical Division of Delta, including MEM and Holec brands, was acquired by Eaton Corporation.
		Micromark, manufacturer of electrical accessories, home appliances, lighting and security products. Established in 1985; based in London, but products are manufactured in Ireland. Micromark is owned by Micard LLP.
		MK Electric. In 1912 Charles Arnold and Charles Belling formed Belling and Company, an electric fire venture. In 1914 Arnold was enlisted in the army and sold his interest in the company to Belling. At the end of war, when Arnold was demobbed, his old friend Belling pointed out the need of making switches and sockets. In 1919 the Heavy Current Electrical Accessories Company was founded by Charles Arnold. He designed a new, safe socket, named Multy Kontact that was patented in 1919. The socket was very successful and in 1923 the company was renamed MK Electric. No-one knows why it was decided to spell Multy with a y and Kontact with a K, rather than using an i and C. In 1928 the first socket with safety shutters was produced. Nowadays MK material is omnipresent in the UK. Since 2005 MK Electric is a subsidiary of Honeywell International.
		Made in Mind Ltd is the company that develops and produces MU folding plugs. Matthew Judkins and Min-Kyo Choi founded the company in 2009 in Marlow, Buckinghamshire. The folding plug has been designed by Min-Kyu Choi to reduce the discrepancy between progressively thinner laptops and cell phones and invariable thick UK plugs on appliance cords of chargers. The name MU was suggested by Robin Freeman. MU plugs have one or two build in USB outlets.
		Niphan. Simmonds Brothers Ltd, in Holborn, London was a manufacturer of ships' watertight plugs and cable couplings. From ca. 1910 they used Niphan as registered trade name for electrical connectors. An advertisement in a 1946 issue of Electrical Review shows that metal clad plugs and sockets were manufactured by Simmonds & Stokes Ltd. Comparable Niphan connectors are now produced by LPA Niphan Systems, in particular for the railway market.
		PowerConnections. Brand of Sandal Plc in Harlow, Essex. Plugs are manufactured in China and stocked in the Far East, Australia and UK. PowerConnections offer a range of rewirable plus, converter plugs, power cords and extension sockets.
		A. Reyrolle & Company Ltd. Alphonse Reyrolle, born in 1864 in Juillac, Correze, France, moved in 1883 to London. In 1886 he founded an electrical engineering company. In 1901 he moved to Hebburn, Tyneside and formed A. Reyrolle and Co. Ltd. The company focussed on switchgear for power stations and heavy duty plugs and sockets. After several mergers, among other with C.A. Parsons and Co., Reyrolle was acquired by the industrial conglomerate Siemens in 2005.
		William Sanders & Co. Founder in 1897 of Falcon Electrical Works in Wednesbury. The company manufactured electrical switchgear and fuse gear to a high standard and undertook a lot of pioneering design for domestic and industrial use. In 1977 the company became part of the Ottermill Group, subsidiary of Westinghouse Electric Corporation. The Falcon Works in Wednesbury closed in the early 1980s. In the mid 1980s Westinghouse transferred production to Ireland.
		Scolmore International Ltd. Scolmore Group designs, develops, manufactures, and distributes electrical products and accessories in the United Kingdom. Since 1989 based in Tamworth, Staffordshire. Among others Scolmore distributes IEC Lock appliance couplers (see above) and Click electrical accessories. The no longer used logo shown left has been found on a BS 546 5A socket, bought in 2000.
		Slimplug. John Gillis in Sheffield finished in 2006 the design of a folding plug that solves the problem of the awkwardness of British power plug and still complies to British standards. Slimplug has been developed in consultation with ASTA BEAB certification services. Slimplug is a registered trademark of Ridings Ltd in Sheffield.
		Smiths. Timeguard Ltd used to be known as Smiths Industries Environmental Controls Company. Smiths was the first UK company to manufacture RCD switched BS 1363 sockets. RCD sockets are now a part of Timeguard Valiance product line. Timeguard Ltd in London is a subsidiary of the German Theben Group.
		Sperryn & Co. Founded in 1889 in Birmingham by George Sperryn, Herbert E. Wright and W. Salters. The company made gas fittings, stove cocks and from 1898 also water fittings and electrical accessories. In 1919, after several acquisitions, the company renamed British Brass Fittings Ltd, and changed its name in 1952 back to Sperryn & Co. Ltd. For various products the brand name Spersom has been used. Among others Sperryn has made in the 1920s and '30s plugs, sockets and switches made of porcelain, ebonite and Bakelite. Among others, products were made for the Australian and New Zealand market. In 1960 Sperryn & Co was acquired by Delta Metal Co.
		Strand Electric. Company founded in 1914 by two London theater electricians, Arthur Earnshaw and Phillips Sheridan. It became, and still is, a leading company in stage, television, motion pictures and architectural lighting services. The name changed to Strand Lighting. In 1968 it was acquired by Rank Film Corporation. Since 2008 it is a separate, independent company within the Dutch Royal Philips Lighting group.
		Swan. Thomas Bulpitt founded in1868 in Birmingham the firm Bulpitt and Sons. They started out as brass founders. The company registered the trade name Swan Brand. In the 1920s Bulpitts moved into electrical appliances including kettles, irons, heaters and steamers. An electric cut-out connector was registered, that automatically switched off an overheated kettle. In 1988 Moulinex bought Swan Housewares and Swan trademark.
		Thinplug. Folding plug designed by Zihni Yalcin in 2009. Two types exist, a folding UK plug to IEC C7 connector and a USB UK mains travel charger. Manufacturer of Thinplug is unknown.
		Volex. Ward & Goldstone (see below) introduced the brand name Volex for dry batteries, motorcycle lighting sets and electrical accessories. In 1983 the wiring and electrical accessories company of Ward and Goldstone was renamed to Volex Group. Volex accessories is now a brand of the Electrium Group, a company under ownership of Siemens AG UK.
		Walsall. The logo has been found on non-standard BS 1363 Walsall Gauge plugs and sockets. It is likely that they have been made by Walsall Gauge and Tool Company Ltd in Manchester, incorporated in 1984. More information has not been found, except that the company is dissolved. Note that Walsall Electric Co, founded by Frederick Brown in 1884, produced ammeters and voltmeters. Indications that Walsall Gauge is linked to Walsall Electric have not been found.
		Wandsworth Electrical Manufacturing Co. Ltd (WEMCO). Founded in 1904 in Birmingham by Edward Thomas Davies, Arthur Reynolds and Francis John Ritchie., manufacturers of switches, plugs and sockets. The name Wandsworth has been chosen as a founding member came from the Wandsworth area of London. The still existing, independent, Wandsworth Group is now based in Woking, Surrey.
		Ward and Goldstone. Founded in 1892 in Salford by James Henry Ward and Meyer Hart Goldstone, manufacturers of electrical cables, lighting sets, electrical accessories and electrical systems to motorcycles and cars. Brand names: Goltone and Volex (see above). In the early 1950s Temco, the electrical accessories branch of the Telephone Manufacturing Company, London was sold to Ward and Goldstone. In the late 1970s / early 1980s the once flourishing company was in deep trouble. Wiring and electrical accessories division changed managements and its name to Volex Group. Now Volex offers standard and custom cable assemblies.
		Wylex. George Hamer Scholes commenced business in 1897. He started with house lighting and widened its scope to complete electrical installation. In 1924 he concentrated on manufacturing of electrical accessories and fuse boxes. In 1934 the Wylex Works at Wythenshawe were build. Wylex became a subsidiary of the Electrium Group, a Siemens UK company. Wylex is now active in domestic, commercial and industrial circuit protection devices.

Company producing vitreous parts of sockets and switches on behalf of electro-technical companies.

Taylor, Tunnicliff & Co. Ltd. Thomas Taylor and William Tunnicliff started production of electrical insulators in 1898 at Eastwood, Hanley, Stoke-on-Trent, Staffordshire. Gradually the range of vitreous products for industrial business grew, including parts of sockets and switches for several British manufacturers. The museum has a 1920s Sperryn switch with brass cap. The vitreous switch base has the Taylor, Tunnicliff & Co. logo. T,T&Co logo has been recognized by John Cooper. Details about the company history are given in the History of Stoke-on-Trent website.

Non-British manufacturers of BS 546 / BS 1363 plugs and sockets that are represented in the museum collection.

		Clipsal. Alfred Edward Gerald in Adelaide, Australia founded in 1908 the company Gerald & Goodman. In 1920 Gerald started production of conduit fittings. The brand name Clipsal referred to the design of an adjustable, one size "clips all" metal conduit fitting. Clipsal expanded and diversified to one of the leading manufacturers of electrical accessories in Australia. Products are exported to Asia, among other Malaysia that uses British type plugs and sockets. In 2004 Clipsal was acquired by Schneider Electric.
		PMS Electrical Manufactury PTE Ltd, Singapore. Subsidiary company of Ming Kee Manufactory Ltd in Hong Kong, established in 1980. PMS production comprise plugs, adapters, power cords sets, extension sockets and cable reels.
		Wing Keung Electrical Accessories Ltd. Company founded in the 1969 in Hong Kong. Europe, in particular the UK and Ireland, is an important export market. Wing Keung offers among others a range of BS1363 and BS 546 sockets, plugs and adapters.

The logos shown below belong to still unknown companies. The possibility cannot be excluded that a logo relates to a company that is not based in the UK. Click plugs for larger images and details.

		Logo with tumble switch and letter B.
		Logo found on a 15A BS 546 multi-plug with various types of outlets.
		Flag with TK logo found on a 5A BS 546 multi-plug.
		Plug carries name EMPIRE and coat of arms with W and T Two slightly different coats of arms exists.

Please mail me if you recognize a logo. Find my address at the start page.

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