Below is shown a photograph of the Brimar valve works on Crittall’s Corner, Footscray, Kent next to the Sidcup bypass. This majestic art deco-styled building was originally the Depot and Branch Office of Crittall Manufacturing Co. who made metal-framed windows—their windows can be found in the Houses of Parliament and Tower of London and were also installed on the RMS Titanic. Today this beautiful landmark building is no more;
Brimar took ownership of the premises and repurposed them to construct BRItish Made American Range valves. Incidentally, Brimar, along with Mullard, Mazda, Marconi, Ever Ready and a handful of other British companies were all members of the British Radio and Valve Manufacturers’ Association (BVA). The BVA was established in 1926 as a registered ‘trade union’, however in practice the group was essentially a tight cartel of British firms that had simply come together to protect their own interests from any foreign competition (particularly the U.S.A.) by fixing the prices and standardising the types of valves sold on British soil.
In 1960 Brimar were acquired by Thorn Lighting (formerly The Electric Lamp Service Company Ltd.) and then merged with the Rank Organisation.
Brimar’s tube types on this site:.
