Ellison Manufacturing Co., Ltd.
Dragon Works, Harrogate, Yorkshire (1929)

Ellison Manufacturing Co., Ltd. was a British company that specialised in radio power supplies during the early days of home radio. Based at Dragon Works in Harrogate, Yorkshire, Ellison played a role in transitioning from battery-powered to mains-powered radios in the 1930s. [1]

Key Products:

• Mains Units: Ellison produced a range of HT (high tension) mains units for both AC and DC power. These units allowed battery-designed radios to be powered from household electricity, greatly improving convenience and performance. [1]
• Filament Transformers: As radio technology progressed, Ellison developed transformers to help users upgrade their battery sets to use more efficient AC valves (vacuum tubes).[2]

Notable Models:

• P1 AC: A portable set mains unit with dual outputs (60-80V and 120V).
• AC2: Designed for screened-grid sets with three voltage tappings.
• Filament Transformer: A well-regarded 4V transformer for converting battery sets to AC valves.

Ellison's products were known for their quality construction and good performance. Their filament transformer, reviewed in Amateur Wireless in 1931, achieved an impressive 93% efficiency rating.

While Ellison Manufacturing Co., Ltd. appears to have ceased operations sometime after the 1930s, their contributions helped shape the early British radio industry and eased the transition to fully mains-powered home radios.

Importantly, they appear to have no affiliation with later transformer manufacturers, specifically Ellison Transformers Ltd., based in Northampton during the 1950s.

[1] Wireless & Gramophone Trader Jun 7, 1930, Page 262
[2] Amateur Wireless June 1931, Page 1006.