Murphy Radio Employee Reminiscences 

Joy Edworthy, employed 1932 - 1935, and again during the WW II.

I was twice employed by Murphy Radio, once when the company was only two years old, and then again during the war. I first joined in 1932 and at that time the office where I worked was in Broadwater Road. My Boss was Mr A.R. Daniels, the accountant. I worked with Mrs Latchmore working out the wages for the whole of the organization, right up to putting the money into the appropriate envelopes. Mrs Latchmore eventually married again to a Mr Scotchmore who was quite an important person in the Garden City. 

At one time a curious request was made of us that a new girl was coming to work in Accounts, and as she was from the country would we please all be particularly kind to her. Although we could not remember ever having been unkind to any new member we obliged. As time went on it turned out that the "new girl" was about to be married to Frank Murphy's son, Kenneth. In 1932 or 1933 the accounts section moved from Broadwater Road to Peartree Lane. I was promoted to work with Miss Hurley in a special section of the office with Frank's Secretary (Miss Rowcliffe) and one other girl, and together we became the Administrative section. We were so special that our part of the office was separated from the General Accounts by having a brick wall built before our very eyes to exclude us from the rest of the office. Never at any time while I was with Murphy Radio did I ever see Frank Murphy. 

I think it was within the first year of the new premises that we held our first sports day. One of the cups to be awarded was a relay race from all sections of Murphy Radio, including the workers left behind in Broadwater Road. The team was to comprise three men and one girl. I represented the girl in the Accounts Section with Ron Wells, Bill Nunns and one other whose name I have forgotten. We were an outstanding team and won easily, which was not surprising as some of the girls ran in high heels! It was later decided that this particular cup should not be awarded! 

I left Murphy Radio in 1935 to take a job with De Havilland Aircraft. There I met my future husband and eventually moved to North West London. The war drove me back to Welwyn Garden City. One of the casualties was Kenneth Murphy who had to undergo a series of injections to protect him from overseas service and to which he succumbed. I was once more in the Administrative section under the supervision of Mr F.J. Osborn, a prominent member of the Town Planning Association. What was not generally known at that time was that some engineers were moved from Broadwater Road to Peartree Lane and in an obscure part of the building they were working on Radar for the Government. I left Murphy Radio again for the last time in 1945. 

In the meantime our shy little Country Girl, now widowed with the death of Kenneth Murphy, joined Frank causing a divorce between him and his wife, and the last I heard of them was that they were working for a Canadian Hotel acting as luggage carriers for new arrivals at the hotel! There was a good photograph of Frank doing this job in the daily newspapers and this was the nearest I ever came to seeing the man in the flesh. 

Hope some of this will be of interest to you. Joy Edworthy"

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