It is not always possible with certainty to link designs from BOP with designs as they appear in the offshoot publications. BOP Offshoot Publications
Until the Second World War, each year’s editions of Boy's Own Paper had been available bound together as The Boy’s Own Annual.   From 1957 to 1966, under Lutterworth Press auspices, Jack Cox produced several compendiums under the titles The Boy’s Own Book of Hobbies (two editions) and The Boy’s Own Companion (five editions).   Many of these included articles by Gilbert Davey.


Welcome and introduction, contact details, disclaimer, rights notice, BVWS link, site map.
The man who introduced radio construction to several generations of boys, many of whom became radio or communications professionals.
The history of the famous one-valve circuit, 1948-78.
The Studio 'E' 1-valver and the Focus Transistor radio: downloads for these famous designs, and lots more!
This portable receiver clearly became very popular, as it was published seven times from 1962 to 1981.
A growing resource for those who built Davey designs years ago, or who simply wish to know more about them.
Davey's forgotten pre-war writing for Practical Wireless and other journals. Downloads for seven pre-war articles.
The Boy's Own Paper - a complete listing of Davey's designs and articles.
(This page) Davey's articles in the compendium books produced by BOP's Editor, Jack Cox.
Davey's most well-known book, which ran to six editions.
The other titles introduced young constructors to every aspect of the radio and electronics hobby.
Davey sets built by contributors - including designs that could have been lost but for some prolonged detective work.
Two home-made coils to use in place of the all-too-scarce commercial types, suppliers for other components, and other sources of useful information.
Latest news, links to other sites of interest, and news archive.
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They clearly viewed the Companion as the practical beginning of the revived Annual.
    Dust jacket of Boy's Own Companion No.4, 1962.

    Image courtesy Graeme Zimmer.
    Copyright © Lutterworth Press; reproduced by kind permission.

Meanwhile in May 1963, the Boy's Own Paper had been taken over from Lutterworth Press by Purnell & Sons.   Under Purnell's auspices, the Annual title was revived in 1964 and, like the Companion that preceded this revival, featured reprints of popular articles and stories from BOP (as long as the parent publication lasted).   Unlike the Companion's small fabric hardback format, the new Annual was in large format with glossy illustrated boards.

It is often asserted, notably by Davey and Cox themselves, that the Annual was revived in 1959; however the 1964 edition as below is referred to as "the first of its kind since 1939" on the Editor's page (borne out by subsequent numbering).   They clearly viewed the Companion as the practical beginning of the revived Annual.

In 1966, a second Boy's Own Book of Hobbies appeared from Lutterworth Press, entitled thus on the spine, but as the Boy's Book of Hobbies on the title page and page headers.   This appears to be an incomplete implementation of an agreed - or forced - title change, presumably because Lutterworth Press no longer owned the rights to the Boy's Own titles.   In February 1967, the last edition of Boy's Own Paper appeared, and the Annual remained as the sole embodiment of the Boy's Own title.

Gilbert Davey's designs were often revised between their first appearance in BOP and re-appearance later.   This means that it is not always possible with certainty to link designs from BOP with designs as they appear in the offshoot publications.

Before using the list, please read the caution and usage notes on this section's introductory page.

  The Boy’s (Own) Book of Hobbies, Lutterworth Press
The anomaly in the title for the 1966 edition has been noted above.

Edition:   Article: Construction and key components:
Coils: A = aerial winding;
          MW = medium wave winding;
          LW = long wave winding;
          SW = short wave winding;
          R = reaction or reflex winding

1957
The Boy's Own Book of Hobbies 		  The Boy's Own Radio Den -
    History, circuit symbols, tools, workspace, aerials, earths.
    Facets of hobby: construction, hi-fi, short-wave listening/operating,
    periodicals, kits.   Transistors mentioned as needing developmemt.
    Crystal receiver:
    Circuit and build similar to front end of "Cold Valve Set",
    BOP January 1957.
    Two-valve receiver:
    Similar circuit to 2-valve portable, Chap 4,
    Fun with Radio, 1st edition, 1957.
(A three-valve loudspeaker set is illustrated with a
heavily re-touched photograph, but is not described.)


Square plywood panel;
Teletron HAX (A, MW, & coupled winding to detector);
OA60 or GEX35; phones.
Wood or metal chassis with ply front panel;
Wearite coil PHF7 (MW, R), Wearite Hyperloy interstage transformer;
DAF91, DL94;   phones or output transformer and speaker.
1966
The Boy's Book of Hobbies 		  The Boy's Own Radio Den -
    Revised article notes decline of valves and impact of transistors
    upon industry and the hobbyist.   Comprehensive survey of all
    facets of the hobby.
    Crystal receiver:


    2-transistor receiver:



Paxolin, ply or hardboard panel;
Repanco DRR2 (MW tapped, LW, R not used)
OA81, phones or earpiece.
Paxolin, ply or hardboard panel; double 6-way tag-board;
Crystal front end as above built on one end of panel;
other end carries amp on tag-board.
2 x OC71; speaker 75Ω or earpiece.
 
The Boy’s Own Companion, Lutterworth Press
Numbers 1 (1959), 2 (1960), 3 (1961) contain no articles by Davey.

1962
The Boy’s Own Companion No 4 		  Make a One-valve Receiver -
    Reprint of BOP article, June 1961.
    Two errors in circuit diagram; for correction, see
    Davey coil download on CONSTRUCTION RESOURCES page.
Metal chassis, one flange as front panel;
Homebrew coil A, MW, LW, R;
1T4 (or DF91, DF92, DF96).

1963
The Boy’s Own Companion No 5 		  Make a Pocket Transistor Radio Set -
    Reprint of set in BOP Oct 1962 Gift Supplement.


    Details of 2-inch homebrew coil (BOP Jan 1961) repeated. 		Plywood or hardboard panel, 4-way tagstrip, plastic case;
Homebrew coil, (MW tapped, R,) on ferrite; RF choke;
OC44 or OC45, OC71, OC72, 2 germanium diodes;
Earpiece, high resistance.
 
The Boy's Own Annual, Nos. 1 - 4: Purnell & Sons; No. 5 onward: BPC Publishing/Purnell
Note: the numbering and naming of successive editions of the new Annual was erratic, and the safest course is to look at the year appearing next to the copyright (©) symbol, usually on the front endpaper or flyleaf.   These are the years quoted in bold type on the left in the list below.   I have also briefly described each Annual's front cover as a further aid to identification.   The Annuals published in 1970, 1971, 1973, 1974, and 1975 contain no articles by Davey.

1964
The Boy’s Own Annual
(Boy with dog) 		  Make this Super Crystal Set for 20/- [£1] -
    Reprint of BOP Nov 1963 article, with
    "Lady Jayne" heat sink idea.
Paxolin or plywood panel; 2 x 4-way tag strips;
Homebrew coil (MW tapped) on ferrite;
OA81, OC72; Crystal earpiece.
1965
The Boy’s Own Annual
(Racing cars) 		  The BOP Ether Ranger -
    Reprint of BOP Feb 1965 article.

Wood/hardboard chassis & front panel, foil covered;
Denco Maxi-Q plug-in coils (A, R, and tuned);
EF80 (lantern battery for 6v LT); headphones.
1966
The Boy’s Own Annual
(The Sub-plane -
underwater "aeroplane") 		  Build the BOP Electronic Guitar -
    Reprint of BOP Apr 1964 article.


Paxolin panel, 5-way tagstrip, built into guitar;
High res. headphone adapted as transducer;
2 x OC71, 2 x OC72 (matched push-pull);
Driver and output transformers, speaker.
1967
The Boy’s Own Annual
(Moto-cross cyclists -
numbered 4: 1968 on title page) 		  Pegasus short wave transistor radio -
    Combined reprint of BOP Jul 1966 and Oct 1966 articles.






Aluminium chassis, plywood front panel;
Repanco coils XSA34 (A), XOS36 (osc);
Repanco IFTs XT27, 2 x XT26;
OC170, 2 x OC45, OA81;
Crystal earpiece or headphones.
Wavechange:
Add Repanco coils XTA31, XOT33, XSA37;
Rotary wafer switch 2 x 3-pole 3-way.
1968
The Boy’s Own Annual
(Bullet train -
numbered 5: 1969 on title page) 		  Make this Transistor High-Fidelity Amplifier -
    10-watt transistor amplifier kit with mains power supply,
    Features Audiokits from Martin Electronics Ltd:
    Use with Pegasus receiver suggested.





Suitable enclosure required for protection from mains.
Unit No. 5 - main amp, transformerless output to 3Ω;
Unit No. 8 - Mains power supply;
Unit No. 4 - Pre-amp/tone control;
Unit No. 1 - Input Selector
1969
The Boy’s Own Annual
(Space rocket taking off) 		  Photo-electric burglar alarm –
    Unattributed, author unverified.
    A further circuit using two relays is given, but is not described.
ORP90 photocell; 2kΩ d.p. relay (PO type 3000)


1971   Missing from British Library collection.   Checked by purchase.
-
1972
The Boy’s Own Annual
(Photo-montage with racing cars,
footballers, and power-boat) 		  Article: “Practical Science” -
    Includes circuit for a transistor tester.
    Unattributed, author unverified. 		Uses 5mA meter, resistors, battery.

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CONTACT ME 		As far as I know, the Boy's Own Annual carrying the copyright year 1975 was the last to appear, so this list of BOP offshoot publications should now be complete.   Unless you know otherwise . . .