PYE Museum Homepage The Story of Pye
1896 to
The history of the Pye Group of Companies in scientific & analytical instruments, radio & line communications, broadcasting, domestic radio & TV and industrial electronics from 1896 to the present day
The virtual museum of the Pye History Trust - Celebrating Britain’s Scientific & Industrial Heritage
 
About the Pye History Project
 
The Pye History Project

The Pye History Project is an industrial, technical and social history program to research, document and record the history of the Pye Group of Companies between 1896 and the present day. The long-term objective of the project is to establish or participate in a public museum which will adequately interpret and display the full extent of the scientific and technological discoveries and innovations which originated in Cambridge and the surrounding area. The Pye Group was always headquartered in Cambridge, England.

The Primary Objectives
  1. To research and accurately document the history and product range of The Pye Group of Companies (including its overseas operations), to ensure that accurate, factual information is available to historians and collectors and for the education of the public.
  2. To record and document the personal accounts of former Pye Group staff and management
  3. To conserve, restore and display the products and documents from the Pye History Trust and the Pye Telecom Historic Collection.
  4. To acquire examples of Pye equipment and documentation which are missing from the combined collections.
  5. To contribute to the establishment of a public museum display of Pye Group products and documents at a suitable technology museum location in Cambridge, England.
The Pye History Trust

In February 2015 a charitable trust, The Pye History Trust, was established as a long term framework for the various collections of equipment, documents, ephemera and personal accounts held by the Trustees. The trust has been formed as a charitable incorporated organisation (CIO) Registered Charity No. 1162310, with objectives which include the education of the public, advancement of culture, heritage and science in the fields of scientific and analytical instruments, radio communications, radio navigation, radar and broadcasting, radio, television, audio and domestic equipment, electronic components, manufacturing processes and supporting services.

The Pye Telecom Historic Collection

The Pye Telecom Historic Collection was Pye Telecom’s own museum collection of equipment, documents and photographs, collected over a 25 year period by the managers and staff of Pye Telecom/Philips RCS/Simoco International Ltd as a permanent record of the Company history. In the past, selected items were displayed at the Company Headquarters in St. Andrews Road in Cambridge.

When the various Simoco Group companies were sold or placed into legal administration in 2002 the collection was acquired from the Administrators by ex-Pye employees. From 2002 to 2015 the Collection was stored in privately funded rented accommodation. From 2015, storage of the collection has been funded by The Pye History Trust.

To date well over 300 examples of Pye, Philips and Simoco military and commercial radio communications equipment artefacts have been logged dating from 1939 to about 2005, plus the technical manuals for over 500 types of equipment. The equipment are mainly examples of the ‘standard products category’, as opposed to customer specific variants or special versions. Also held in the collection is a wide range of Company promotional material in the form of product catalogues, brochures and leaflets etc. from 1948 to 2005, together with photographs and other internal documents.

Photocopying of Pye Group Technical Manuals

Under the terms of the transfer of the collection from Simoco Ltd it is our policy not to supply photocopies of technical manuals for commercial purposes.

We will try to assist historians, private collectors and equipment restorers with accurate information where ever practicable, however we cannot carry out labour intensive requests such as copying complete service manuals.

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