Tilbury & Lewis Pty. Ltd.
185 Little Collins Street, Melbourne, Victoria (1911 – 1921)
51 Wangaratta Street, Richmond, Victoria (1921 - )
Radio Assembly factory, 8 Margaret Street, Richmond, Victoria. (1935 - )

BRANDS; Lewbury, Van Ruyten

Tilbury & Lewis Pty. Ltd. manufactured “Lewbury” brand battery eliminators, “Van Ruyten" brand radios and Inverters and other electrical items. They manufactured transformers, chokes and assorted electrical equipment until the 1960s. The manufacturer of silverware and trophies continued until the mid 1970’s.

T.W. Tilbury started as a manufacturing Jeweller around 1911 [1] and by 1918 George W. Lewis had joined the firm and formed the company Tilbury and Lewis by 1918[2].

By 1921 the company had expanded to be silversmiths, jewellers and electroplaters and moved to Wangaratta Street, Richmond.[3]

In 1928 they expanded to also include radio parts, inverter, and battery eliminator manufacturering. They also joined the Radio Manufacturers Association.[4] Thier electrical products were branded “Lewbury” which was the brand they also used on their silverware.[5] Van Ruyten brand radios were advertised from 1932.

George Lewis died in 1933 and the running of the company was taken over by his sons Norman & Regional Lewis.[6]

In 1935 they took over the Radiovision Pty. Ltd. factory at 8 Margaret Street, Richmond, for the assembly of their radio products.[7]

They advertised car radios and car radio installation in 1935.[8]

The company manufactured Van Ruyten radios until the start of WW2. The inverter production continued into the mid 1960’s.

In 1958 their highest power inverter unit was the model VR58TV. This 32V-to-240V inverter had an output power of 200W and weighed in at 10kg. It was specifically designed to power black and white TV sets from a 32V bank of batteries on a rural property. [9]

Liebmann, Clarke Pty. Ltd., 201 Bridge Street, Richmond advertised the manufacture of Van Ruyten inverters after WW2 however the connection to Tilbury & Lewis is not clear at the time of writing.[10]

The company continued on with silverware and trophy manufacture into the mid 1970’s.

The company was de-registered in August 1990.[11]

[1] Jewish Herald (Vic.)  May 26, 1911, Page 16.
[2] The Age (Vic) May 24, 1918, Page 3.
[3] The Argus (Vic.) Dec 10, 1921, Page 17.
[4] The Age (Vic.) Oct 10, 1928, Page 13.
[5] Queensland Radio News Mar 1929, page 29.
[6] The Age (Vic.) Sep 25, 1933, Page 10.
[7] Radio Trade Annual 1936, page 330.
[8] The Argus (Vic.) May 9, 1935, Page 4.
[9] Silicon Chip Magazine June 30, 2007.
[10] Front panel of a Liebmann Clarke 100W Inverter.
[11] Commonwealth of Australia Gazette. Business (National) Aug 21, 1990 [Issue No.B33]  Page 2440  COMPANIES (VICTORIA) CODE Subsection 459 (4)