William George Pye

Who was William George Pye?

William George Pye founded W G Pye in 1896, a company which manufactured scientific and optical equipment.

The firm prospered during World War I by manufacturing specialist equipment such as gun sights. After the war new products needed to be found and the company started to manufacture radio parts such as thermionic valves and eventually a radio. Harold John Pye, who was the son of William then joined the firm and helped to develop a new radio which proved so successful that the radio manufacturing side of W G Pye and the rights to the name Pye Radio was bought. William and Harold continued to operate W G Pye making optical equipment. World War II again brought an increase of business until 1947 when Pye Radio approached Harold with a substantial offer that would reunite the radio and optical divisions. The offer was accepted and Harold retired to become a farmer at Burnham on Crouch, Essex.

William died at Bexhill, Sussex on 13 October 1949.