Skip to main content

When Vox of Dartford Changed Music Forever

Founded in 1957 by Thomas Walter Jennings, Vox is a musical instrument manufacturer. The Beetles and The Rolling Stones both used Vox amplifiers. The VOX AC30 was first made at 119 Dartford Road. It is world famous and catapulted the sound of British music into the global arena.

Source: Kent Online
Jennings worked for the Royal Electrical and Mechanical Engineers during World War II. In 1942 he was discharged on medical grounds and went to work at the Vickers munition plant in Crayford. Here he met amateur guitarist Dick Denny. Jennings started repairing accordions and trading in musical instruments in 1944. Two years later he set up his first shop in Dartford importing accordions and other musical instruments. Jennings invented the then popular Univox electric accordion. In 1957 he collaborated with Denny and they formed a partnership Jennings Musical Instruments (JMI) developing the AC15. The valves were prone to distortion due to their low headroom. This distortion was seen as a fault at first but ultimately guitar players enjoyed the effect. 


Cliff Richards and The Shadows used AC15 amplifiers in the late 1950s. Vox insisted that artists they endorsed always had the brand visible during performances which proved to be an excellent marketing ploy. The Shadows found that due to screaming fans they could not hear their amps properly and requested that JMI build them a louder amp.
  
Denny wanted to create a double amp but Jennings was vehemently against it saying it would be too loud and too big.  Denny began secretly making the amplifier  but got caught by Jennings who was livid.  After a huge argument it was agreed that 10 could be made and proving successful the  famous AC30 was born. 


Labels

Labels:

Comments

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

Wat Tyler

Wat Tyler or Walter Tyler was the leader of the Peasants' Revolt in 1381. This was a protest against the poll tax of the time and a push for social reform and greater equality. As a result of the revolt Wat Tyler became a local hero. There is a pub in Dartford named after him where it is suggested he spent time. The Peasants' Revolt began 35 years after the Black Death had decimated Europe resulting in labour shortages. Peasants realised that there was a shortage of people to work the land and wanted better pay and conditions.  The government passed a law to stop wage rises and to make matters worse a poll tax was introduced to support the war with France.  Three times in four years the tax was demanded so that everybody over the age of 15 irrespective of their earnings had to pay 4 pence.  This   disproportionately affected the poor and peasants encouraged by the teaching of John Ball a radical priest were led to take action.   When a tax collector arrived in a...
Post a Comment
Read more

Burroughs Wellcome & Co

Burroughs Wellcome & Co at Dartford was founded in 1889 by Silas Burroughs and Henry Wellcome who were business partners originally from America. They refurbished the former paper mills and using the latest technology created a factory renowned for manufacturing pharmaceutical products. There was a small lake in front of the mills which was drained and cleaned, and the brick mill was converted to laboratories. An analytical department was added to the complex by 1897 to test raw materials. Often plants were grown on the company’s farm including deadly nightshade, foxglove, henbane, thorn apple and aconite . (Source: Wayback Laboratories) Burroughs Wellcome & Co. Factory, Dartford Photograph c1890-1900.    Source: The Victorian Web One range of products manufactured at Burroughs Wellcome Dartford were their medicine chests which were supplied to explorers, expeditions, and royalty. The medicine chests were tailored to the needs in the part of the world that they would ...
Post a Comment
Read more

The History of Central Park

Lt-Col Charles Newman Kidd J.P   In 1903 Lieutenant-Colonel Charles Newman Kidd offered five acres of land to be developed by the town into recreational grounds with the condition that it be used 'in perpetuity as a public recreation ground and for no other purpose whatsoever'. Dartford Council  consequently  opened the area as  'Central Recreational Ground' to the public in June 1905. Ceremonially, there was a procession from outside the council offices to the park entrance at Lowfield street  and Kidd was presented with a silver key to unlock the gates. Dartford Volunteer Silver Band performed on the original bandstand in celebration. In 1910 the park grew when Bank House on the high street was converted into council offices.  A large part of its garden was added to the park.  In 1915 the council expanded the grounds further purchasing 16 acres of meadows bordering the river Darent.  It opened to the public in May 1916 but closed shortly after d...
Post a Comment
Read more