About the Company
Murphy Radio Ltd. was a well‑known British electronics manufacturer founded in 1929 in Welwyn Garden City, England, originally producing radios and later other consumer electronics including televisions.
As part of its mid‑century product lineup, Murphy also sold at least one reel‑to‑reel tape recorder for consumers, but tape recorders were a minor and brief part of the company’s output.
Production History
Late 1950s – Early 1960s: Entry into Tape Recording
Murphy’s core business was radio and television sets from the 1930s through the 1950s, and it continued evolving into the early 1960s.
Around 1960–1964, Murphy produced reel‑to‑reel tape recorders aimed at the consumer/home market in the UK.
Known Models
Murphy TR1
Brand: Murphy (Murphy Radio Ltd.)
Era: Circa 1960–1964
Type: Consumer reel‑to‑reel audio recorder
Electronics: Tube‑based (valve) design typical of early consumer decks of the time
Specifications (typical):
Half‑track mono recording and playback
Tape speed ~3¾ ips
Full‑track or simple two‑head transport
The TR1 appears to have been Murphy’s main reel‑to‑reel model that was commercially sold, even if only for a short period.
Market Position
Consumer Focus: Murphy’s tape recorder offerings were entry‑level consumer products, not professional broadcast or studio machines.
UK Market: These machines were manufactured in the United Kingdom, likely leveraging Murphy’s electronics expertise from radio/TV production.
Short Production Run: The reel‑to‑reel lineup was limited in scope and only produced for a few years, circa 1961–1964.
This was similar to other European consumer electronics makers of the era that occasionally sold branded reel‑to‑reel decks without becoming major tape recorder manufacturers.
End of Reel‑to‑Reel Production
There’s no evidence of Murphy expanding into a wide range of tape recorders beyond the TR1 or a small handful of consumer units.
By the mid‑1960s, Murphy—and many other mainstream electronics companies—scaled back or ceased reel‑to‑reel deck production as the market shifted toward solid‑state designs and portable formats like compact cassette.
Meanwhile, Murphy’s core business continued focusing on radios and televisions well into the 1960s before being reorganized under other brands after acquisition by Rank/Bush.