Many times I have been asked what made you start collecting!! and memories come flooding back- my father had learned to fly in the Civil Air Guard at the princely sum of seven and sixpence per hour the catch being that at the outbreak of war you were immediately called up, so as a fifteen year old and trying to run the business I found myself in the position, that on the night of 29/30 April 1942 his premises had received a direct hit and all that was left was the large cellar which had been the workshop.

Two days later amongst the rubble I ventured into the darkness and found myself in twelve inches of water, however with the aid of a torch, in the beam, I could see a microphone and stand which turned out to be a Marconi-Reisz which my father later told me had been used by King George V at Stody Hall Norfolk in 1931 the home of Mr Beaverbrook who later became a Lord. How things have changed, my father said that he and my uncle had to attend the Norwich Guildhall and was sworn in under the Secrets Act before being allowed to install this equipment However I did retrieve the mic and stand, and if only I had been able to rescue the original Marconi 1929 amplifier that was also there.
But it was rather too heavy for one person to lift.

So this was the beginning, the collection gradually increased over the next thirty five years. Replacement systems provided most of the old equipment in the Museum together with close friends' contributions for which I am most grateful. A number of the older microphones came from Norfolk Churches. It was in 1984 when some of the equipment was on display that David Clayton of Radio Norfolk came into the shop and was most impressed by the old microphones. It was then I realised the collection was unique, and I decided a Trust should be formed with the object of preserving it for future generations on a permanent site.

Seventeen years later the Private Museum was built on land attached to my home which was completed and opened 19 th June this year, when nine members of the BBC had an enjoyable evening.

Questions I have been asked are which is your favourite microphone I haven't a particular one as they are all classic but I do have a soft spot for a dull black G.E.C. carbon about 1930 , the ugly one of the collection.

Over one hundred microphones are on display in company with twenty valve amplifiers and twenty five early transistor types which are now becoming quite elderly. Among the unusual exhibits is an early Lustraphone 'Radiomic' fitted with a Grampian lavalier DP6 microphone, several old Hearing Aid handsets, also Tannoy equipment from a wartime airfield, not to mention the Philips dictation machine from the Mortuary of the Norfolk & Norwich Hospital complete with cassette, which I hasten to add I have not listened to.

For entertainment!! This must go to a Philips 50 watt MN 2853R on permanent hire with operator for almost twenty years, starting in the early 50s at the St Andrews Hall Norwich. used by The Stan Kenton Orchestra, Lional Hampton and his Orchestra Sir Edmund Hilary, plus so many International Artists and Personalities.

For despair!! In 1997 I was given via a scrapyard and a close friend two Tannoy square horn loudspeakers, plus combined microphone and speaker switching unit, which came from R.A.F Shepherd's Grove Suffolk, the station opened in 1944 and closed 1964. Although the speakers were in very poor condition it was possible to restore them. At the same time I was promised one of the racks that came from the same station.

St Andrews Hall 50watt Philips 1950's

I should add, for the past thirty years, they had been stored in a damp shed which was impossible to get into. A telephone call from my friend in December of last year confirmed that the shed had been cleared and that the racks were in very poor condition. A visit, to my horror proved to be correct, the full size rack which in 1944 contained four sixty watt units plus mixer and other equipment, was just a rust ridden shell, all units had been removed.

The other rack had been cut down with two of the sixty watt amps missing, the remains was also rust ridden and pitted.
But still contained the KT66 valves just visible through the dirt. As you will appreciate, I had no idea what I should do with it, and with this in mind, was not anxious to take delivery.

I will not bore you with the following weeks, other than to say it was extremely hard work. It will never work again, other than by a complete rebuild which would defeat the whole object of this restoration, as it is ninety five per cent is original, the removal of part wiring and electrolytics covers the balance. Considering the state it was in, and after three months work, I found the end result most rewarding. It is now in the Museum reunited with the other equipment from Shepherd's Grove.

Any regrets!! Yes I should have rescued the Marconi amplifier my father used in his early pioneering public address days, bearing in mind, many people had no radio in 1930. However an unbelievable surprise came my way in September, ( I now know what it looked like), more will be revealed on our web site, www.historyofpa.co.uk completion date, late Febuary 2002.

I would conclude by saying , thanks must go to my late father for his dedication to the public address industry, and the problems they had in those early days, compared with modern technology.

I trust, the Museum legacy of the industry, and together with its property will be here for future generations, for many years to come. Which will have made the effort involved well worth while.

O, by the way, if I am asked, having served in the R.A.F. the star of the Museum must be the Tannoy rack.

Ken Yaxley
November 2001

Flt Lieutenant D R Campbell was on finals here back from a bombing on Rees, Suddenly an enemy aircraft opened fire on his Stirling setting it ablaze Campbell landed the burning transport of 196 Squadron and all except the rear gunner escaped the inferno.

During and after the war Shepherd's Grove was much a Stirling base, the station took its name from a small wood nearby, Although built for USAF in 1943 the station opened under 3 Group RAF on April 3 rd 1944 as a satellite of Stradishall, between April and October it was the Stirlings of 1657 Conversion Unit which were based here

When Stradishall again became operational at the end of 1944 Shepherd's Grove was transferred to 33 Group and had its own SHQ. No 196 and 299 Stirling IV transport squadrons moved in late January 1945 continuing their SOE sorties and took part in the Rhine crossing airborne operations when both squadrons towed gliders out of Shepherd's Grove No 1677 Target Towing Flights maintenance were here from January 24 th to April 11 th 1945

After the war the two Stirling Squadrons flew mail and stores overseas 196 using a number of Stirling Vs between January and May 1946. Shepherd's Grove now became a saterlite of Watton The Radio Warfare Establishment there positioning some of its Ansons and Lancasters at Shepherd's Grove, the station fell from use Febuary 1950 and was put on care and maintenance.

In 1951 it returned to active life and was loaned to the USAF, The station hit the headlines when on August 27 th 1951 No 116 squadron of the 81 st Fighter Intercepter Wing brought along their F86A Sabres the first to be based in Britain and joined by those of the 92 squadron these were the first foreign aircraft assigned to the air defense of Britain.

In November 1952 the 116 squadron was re-designated 78FS Fighter Bomber Squadron on April 1 st 1954 and began receiving F84F Thunderstreaks later that year the 78 th moved to Woodbridge. In December1954 almost at once building of a Thor Complex took place and a flight of 82 nd squadron arrived in 1959 to operate them until 1963. After their removal the site was returned to civilian use.

Shepherd's Grove Hangers and the station Nissan Hut Hospital has survived. The USAF 48 th Fighter Wing RAF Lakenheath are now the Custodians of the old Hospital Unit and use it as a Community Centre for their nearby Housing./

K F Yaxley
14 th Febuary 2001

The equipment illustrated came from RAF Shepherd's Grove Suffolk (as below).

Control, Speaker and Microphone switching

NORWICH CITY COUNCIL CHAMBER SOUND SYSTEM INSTALLED 1969, NOW IN THE MUSEUM