Goblin Clocks and Radios

BVC acquired the Magneta Time Company in about 1937 and began to diversify into both domestic and master and slave clocks. In late 1937 Goblin developed a new clock movement and created a range of Goblin clocks and began to manufacture and market them in earnest.

By November 1939 the Goblin Works in Leatherhead was billed as ‘Britain’s Newest Clock Factory’. It was here that domestic clocks were made. The Magneta Time Company remained as a separate division of BVC, based in Fulham.

Goblin made an important step forward in 1943 when they applied for a patent on their uni-directional clock motor. This would allow a rotary motor to turn in a particular direction, regardless of the direction of the initial impulse. This would be used for a self-starting synchronous clock motor, so that a clock’s hands would always turn in the right direction. The patent was accepted on September 12th 1945.

During the war specific models were made, including a NAAFI or WAAF radio. The Goblin Timespot radio alarm clock was released in 1947.

Goblin marketed a number of other interesting clock based appliances including the Luna, an unusual bedside lamp, which dates from 1951. The ashtray of the Luna forms a revolving switch which is used to set the alarm. There was also an office combination of a lamp and a clock, which we know as the Goblin Desk Set, dating from 1953.