Thursday 7 December 2006

Last Monday at St Ives

 

 

    

Thankyou for the Graphic ,Donna .Donna called this one' by the fireside' and yes tonight that is the place to be ,today has been very cold with blustery winds ,I put out two loads of washing as the day started  bright and windy ,but soon turned rainy ,so in it all  came, a minor detail ,considering at lunch time a tornado hit a street in London and caused a lot of damage to homes ,causing hundreds to be homeless this evening .

  

Do you remember, I told you Maurice and I ,went to St Ives on Monday , though it was cold we had a lovely day ,looking around the town and shops ,there is a great market there each Monday ,before we went my friend Debbie commented, when I told her where we were going ,'the home of much of the technology that we use today , inventor Sir Clive Sinclair had a company in St Ives' ,and Debbie found me this info on Sir Clive ....                                                                                                             

Sir Clive Sinclair is an inventor who was born in London in 1940.  He left school at 17 having completed his secondary education at St George’s College, Weybridge and became a technical journalist for four years.

In 1962, in Islington, London, he founded his own company, Sinclair Radionics.  First products included radio and amplifier kits sold by mail-order advertising and, from this base, Sinclair rapidly developed a reputation as a pioneer in the field of consumer electronics – particularly in miniaturization. In 1967, when company turnover reached £100,000 and the product range included hi-fi systems, Sinclair moved to Cambridge – so setting a trend for many other high technologies companies.  Continued expansion took the company to neighbouring St Ives in 1972.  Later that year, Sinclair launched the ‘Executive’, the world’s first truly pocket calculator – initial selling price a then revolutionary £79 – which was to win numerous design awards and earn over £2.5 m in export revenue.  Introduction of the ‘Cambridge’ range took Sinclair to the number one position in the UK calculator market. From 1973, the company invested heavily in R&D for other products, notably digital watches, a pocket television and instruments.  As a result, late 1975 saw the introduction of a low lost digital multimeter, the DM2, and the digital wrist watch, the ‘Black Watch’, which used a new chip (integrated circuit) technology –I2L. In 1976, following 15 years of strong turnover and profit growth, Sinclair Radionics sustained moderate losses due to difficulties with supplies of chips for the Black Watch.  Accordingly, additional funding was sought from the then National Enterprise Board (NEB) to support the final stages of the pocket TV project.

I do hope you enjoy the pictures we took, whilst  we were down on the quay looking at the swans and the ducks ,I couldnt post earlier ,for obvious reasons ,Fingers crossed all seems to be well again ..Have  Lovely Evening Everyone

      

24 comments:

Anonymous said...

Yes, I heard about the tornado & was wondering how close it got to my friends over there.
TY for sharing your pics, & the history lesson! Love it!
Have a nice day.
Hugs, Sugar

Anonymous said...

Thanks for the mention, his factory was in the big mill you can see from the bypass and Dave's sister worked there making those calculators.
Deb

Anonymous said...

I heard about that tornado in Guido's journal!  Wow!  I didn't even know they HAD tornados in England!  See... I learn something new all the time, here in Jland!  I loved the pictures, as always, and the info about this ingenious gentleman.  Thanks for sharing, and teaching me, yet again! :)

Hugs
Jackie

Anonymous said...

Those were great pictures. That was bad about the tornado. I saw where Guildo had posted warnings earlier. The history on Sir Clive Sinclair was very interesting. Wonder if that company is still in business. Hugs, Helen

Anonymous said...

Nice pics Jan. You could have popped in to See Jayne (Funnyface) while you were in Cornwall.
I think we got a little bit of the tail end of that tornado around here today. Didn't last long but I thought the mail van was gonna turn over. B. x

Anonymous said...

Thankyou for that Jan it was very interesting.The pics were very good to say it was a poor day weather wise.Loved the last one of the old birds LOL!! You looking as glamerous as ever love your coat.Glad you got to post at last.Take care have a lovely day tomorrow.Goodnight and Godbless.
Astoriasand http://journals.aol.co.uk/astoriasand/MYSIMPLERHYMES

Anonymous said...

nice pics, your cards in the post!
luv bella xx

Anonymous said...

We saw your weather on the news, glad you people are ok,,,,,,,,,,,diane

Anonymous said...

Lovely pictures. Who were you calling an old pump? lol. We lit a nice big log fire tonight and I wrote some Christmas cards.

Linda x.

http://journals.aol.co.uk/lindaggeorge/GeorgeMansions/

Anonymous said...

I love the pictures, It's wonderful to be able to see places that I would love to visit. Blustery is the word here.  Snow wind and very cold.  I'm in for the evening and so glad I don't have to go out anywhere.  'On Ya' - ma

Anonymous said...

Great pictures, lovely graphic!  How wonderful it is to be living in this country and be able to visit places I've only ever heard of in fairy tales and children's rhymes...."As I was going to St Ives...I met a man with seven wives...." You didn't did you?  haha  Thanks for sharing!  
Marie
http://journals.aol.co.uk/mariealicejoan/MariesMuses/
PS.  Have you got your ruby slippers on the standby, just in case!  More wind happening today I hear!

Anonymous said...

Hi Jan,what an interesting entryI enjoyed reading all about the Sinclair company.You look lovely in your new coat,glad you had a good day out at St Ives,funny how all those years ago we went to the bank holiday market there and bought things for my "bottom draw".That Tornado in London was awful,poor people,it said some of the houses were so badly damaged they would have to be pulled down and rebuilt......Loved the pictures.........Love Jeanxx

Anonymous said...

Jan you look nice and cosy all wrapped up against the weather ~ and love the photo's of the swans and ducks and Maurice of course ~ that was an interesting read about Sir Clive Sinclair I really enjoyed it ~ Ally

Anonymous said...

Looks a lovely place for a day out. There still seems to problems with picture.  LOve Joan.

Anonymous said...

Aw Jan - where are the photos???
That part of St Ives is so lovely, isn't it?
Didn't know Sir Clive used to work from St Ives, but I was a bit further away in Hertfordshire in 1972.
Hope the photos come back, would like to see them.
Freda

Anonymous said...

Beautiful pictures Jan.  I love your coat!!  
Pam

Anonymous said...

Great pics Jan - glad you enjoyed yourself there :-)

Jen

http://journals.aol.co.uk/jmoqueen/MyLife

Anonymous said...

Great photos, glad you had a good day out.
I'm getting really fed up with blusteryness....it's been like that up here for days now.
Hugs,
A xxx

Anonymous said...

Very interesting Jan, thank you for all the Clive Sinclair info... lovely pics too :o)
Sara   x

Anonymous said...

Lovely pictures, Jan!  I'm glad AOL is cooperating again with that function, anyway.  Fascinating lessons you teach us.  I've always loved history.  Have a good Saturday evening.  xx  Chris

Anonymous said...

lovely pics Jan, you do find some lovely places. That is a stunning old bridge. what do you mean 'more old birds' lol ! you looked very cosy in that coat! Linda xx
http://journals.aol.co.uk/lindachapmanuk/metamorphing

Anonymous said...

Yes. . I do remember clive sinclair. . especially in the little car. . thats a few years ago now isnt it.I love your photos. . you do go to some nice places Jan

Anonymous said...

Yay - the photos came back! and very nice they are too.
You must take some more in the Summer, as it's so much prettier then.
Love your coat Jan, looks very cosy.
Freda

Anonymous said...

What an interesting entry!  I've always admired inventors.  I see them as visionaries!  Oh to have that gift!

Susie
http://journals.aol.co.uk/susanebunn/ItAllStartsAfter50/