The History of REVO Lighting: A British Industrial Icon

The story of REVO lighting

Few names capture the character of British industrial lighting quite like REVO. Recognised by its distinctive cast markings, substantial construction and functional designs, the company helped illuminate factories, streets and public buildings throughout much of the twentieth century.

Today, original REVO lights are increasingly sought after by collectors, interior designers and anyone who appreciates authentic British manufacturing. Their appeal lies not only in how they look, but also in the working history carried by every worn enamel surface and aged metal fitting.

A national name

REVO’s origins can be traced to the Cable Accessories Company, established in the early twentieth century by F. H. Reeves. Historical accounts differ slightly on the precise founding year, although the company’s roots are generally placed between 1907 and 1910. The business later became the REVO Electric Company Limited around 1930.

The company was based in Tipton, then part of Staffordshire and now within the West Midlands. This placed REVO at the heart of the Black Country—an area internationally known for metalworking, foundries, engineering and heavy industry.

From its extensive Tipton works, REVO manufactured far more than decorative lamps. Its output included electrical control equipment, domestic appliances, industrial fittings, traffic signals, lamp columns, brackets and complete street-lighting systems.

The expansion of electric street lighting

As Britain moved from gas lighting towards electricity, REVO became an important supplier to municipal authorities.

At the 1932 public-lighting exhibition in Blackpool, the company displayed street-lighting fittings, lamp standards, brackets and a REVO traffic signal. By the middle of the decade, it was developing lanterns specifically for the new sodium and mercury-vapour lamps appearing on British roads.

REVO’s 1930s designs used technology such as silvered reflectors, prismatic glass and carefully controlled light distribution. These features allowed local authorities to illuminate wider areas more efficiently while reducing unwanted glare.

The company was also willing to produce bespoke equipment for individual towns and cities. REVO columns, wall brackets and lanterns could be found in locations including Birmingham, London, Cambridge and Eastbourne. Its decorative cast-iron brackets were particularly distinctive, combining practical engineering with a sense of civic pride. 

REVO factory and industrial lights

Alongside its municipal lighting, REVO produced the industrial pendants for which the name is especially admired today.

These lights were designed for demanding environments such as factories, workshops, warehouses and railway buildings. They typically featured strong steel shades, heavy cast galleries and hard wearing vitreous enamel finishes.

The familiar dark green exterior and white enamel interior were practical choices. The coloured outer surface protected the shade and suited an industrial environment, while the white interior reflected more light downwards onto the working area.

Some larger models used more than one bulb to deliver the high output required in production spaces. Surviving examples often retain embossed or cast REVO and TIPTON markings, providing a direct connection to their British manufacturing history.

Unlike many modern products created to imitate an industrial appearance, these lights were genuine working equipment. Chips, worn edges and small areas of oxidation are evidence of decades spent illuminating real workplaces.

Innovation after the Second World War

Although product development was restricted during the Second World War, REVO returned to public-lighting innovation during the post-war rebuilding period.

In 1947, the company introduced its Sol-Etern fluorescent street lantern, designed around two five-foot fluorescent tubes. REVO also produced mercury, sodium and tungsten lanterns, illuminated bollards, floodlights and a variety of reinforced-concrete, steel and cast-iron columns.

Several column designs were approved by the Royal Fine Art Commission, demonstrating that street lighting was considered part of the wider architectural environment rather than simply a piece of electrical equipment.

By the 1950s and 1960s, REVO was competing with some of Britain’s largest electrical manufacturers. Its lighting could be found throughout the country, and a number of original installations remain in place.

The Richardson Candles of Cambridge

One of REVO’s most important commissions came in 1957.

Cambridge wanted to replace much of its ageing gas lighting without introducing modern fittings that would overwhelm the city’s historic architecture. Architect Sir Albert Richardson was asked to create a bespoke design, which REVO was commissioned to manufacture.

Known as the Richardson Candle, the finished lamp featured a tall, slender illuminated tube mounted on a fluted cast-iron column. Its proportions were intended to complement the vertical lines of Cambridge’s historic buildings.

Only 120 Richardson Candles were produced, and the design never appeared as a standard item in a REVO catalogue. A significant number survive, with groups now protected at Grade II. ⁠

The end of REVO manufacturing

REVO became part of the Duport industrial group in 1956. During the restructuring and consolidation that transformed British manufacturing in the 1960s, the business was gradually divided.

The street-lighting operation was eventually transferred and its products continued under the Relite name. The remainder of REVO appears to have been absorbed into the wider Duport organisation during the following years. ⁠Reflecting how many established British manufacturers disappeared through mergers and factory closures.

Although the original REVO company did not continue, its products were built with such durability that many remained in service long after manufacturing ended.

Why original REVO lights remain desirable

Original REVO lights offer something that reproduction lighting cannot fully recreate: genuine provenance.

Each surviving fitting represents an important period in British engineering, when even practical industrial objects were made from substantial materials and designed for repair rather than replacement.

Collectors particularly value examples with:

• Clearly visible REVO or REVO Tipton markings
• Original vitreous-enamel shades
• Heavy cast-metal galleries and brackets
• Unusual proportions or scarce model designs
• Honest patina and evidence of their previous working life

Any reclaimed electrical fitting should be professionally inspected, correctly earthed where required and rewired before installation. Originality is important, but electrical safety must always come first.

A lasting British lighting legacy

The history of REVO is closely connected to the electrification and rebuilding of twentieth-century Britain. Its lights illuminated factory floors, public roads, railway buildings and civic spaces during a period of enormous technological change.

Today, a restored REVO shade can feel equally at home above a kitchen island, dining table or commercial bar. Removed from its original industrial setting, its strong proportions and aged finish become even more noticeable.

At Vintage Electrical, we believe the continued appreciation of manufacturers such as REVO proves that practical objects can possess lasting character. These lights were engineered to perform, made to endure and designed with an understated confidence that remains relevant generations later.

Explore our collection of (vintage lighting from the 1920s to the 1960s)

(https://www.vintage-electrical.com/collections/vintage-lights-1920-1961),

Featuring restored pieces from renowned makers including Benjamin Electric, Revo, Holophane and G.E.C.