Donal William Morphy (12 December 1900 – 25 May 1975) was a British electrical engineer from Kent who formed Morphy Richards in July 1936 with engineer Charles Richards.
Family His father worked for a shipping company. His parents were Arthur Morphy (7 October 1876 - March 1956) and Gwendolyn Pilcher (26 April 1877 - 11 March 1966). Arthur's sister, Elenora Ruth Morphy (25 April 1879 - 4 August 1973) married Gwendolyn's brother Victor George Pilcher (28 April 1870 - 12 September 1928), on 29 December 1898.
His parents married at the English Church, in Athens in Greece, on March 19 1900.Times Thursday March 19 1925, page 1
Early life He was born in Patras in Greece.
He attended the independent Bedford School.Times Saturday June 3 1939, page 15 From 1917 to 1920 he studied electrical engineering at the City and Guilds College (now part of Imperial College London).
At university, he rowed competitively.Times Monday July 26 1920, page 7 From 1920 his father, Arthur, financially donated a rowing cup to the university, to be competed on the River Thames, the Morphy Cup. The annual college sports day was called Morphy Day.Imperial College 1928
Career Morphy Richards He formed Morphy Richards with Charles Richards on 8 July 1936. Charles Richards died aged 64 on Sunday 15 November 1964.
Personal life In the 1920s he lived in East Sheen. He married Margaret Clare Sherring (born 12 May 1900) on 3 August 1923 at Christ Church, East Sheen, in Surrey, by Rev E.H. Tupper.Times Saturday August 4 1923, page 1 His wife was the eldest daughter of Charles Atmore Sherring, of Sheen Mount, in East Sheen.Westminster School From the 1950s he lived at Peasons Lodge on Holbrook Lane in Chislehurst,Times Saturday March 8 1958, page 7 and by the 1960s he lived at 'Upper Mead' in Byworth in West Sussex.Times Wednesday June 30 1971, page 15
His wife's mother, Florence, died, suddenly, on July 27 1939, aged 71; she originated from Banham, Norfolk, where she is buried.Times Friday July 28 1939, page 1 His wife's father died on October 9 1940, aged 72; he attended Westminster School and Trinity College, Cambridge.Times obituary Tuesday October 22 1940, page 7
His wife's sister Enid Joyce Sherring married the Hertfordshire tennis player Teddy Higgs on December 10 1931 at Christ Church, East Sheen.Times Friday September 4 1931 His wife's mother's sister, Beatrice Clara Rixon, married Sir Henry Eggar on September 5 1923, at Christ Church, East Sheen; Henry Eggar was the father of Sir Arthur Eggar.Times Saturday July 21 1923
They had a daughter on 22 September 1928. Their daughter Helen Margaret attended Stratford House School in Bickley, and later at Godolphin School. Helen, aged 24, married Patrick Dyas (April 30 1917 - January 16 2002), aged 35, at St Nicholas, Chislehurst, on Saturday June 26 1953.Times Monday January 5 1953, page 8Times Wednesday July 1 1953, page 1Family tree Patrick was the son of Samuel Robert Dyas (1877-1942); Helen and Patrick had met at the Royal Corinthian Yacht Club on the Essex coast; Patrick Dyas was awarded the OBE in the 1984 Birthday Honours, and was the chairman of the Robert Dyas retail chain.West Sussex County Times Friday 6 August 1982, page 14 Patrick and Helen had four daughters,West Sussex County Times Friday 1 May 1981, page 11 and moved to Broadbridge Heath in Sussex. Aged 49, Helen was elected to West Sussex County Council, as a Conservative councillor for Itchingfield, later for Hurst.West Sussex County Times Friday 6 October 1978, page 2 Helen died in Surrey in December 1994.
Granddaughter Nicola married Major Robert Gillespie Parsons, son of Brigadier Frederick Gillespie Austin Parsons, who was the grandson of Dorina Neave, of Chittlehamholt, Devon, in 1983, divorcing in 1986.Times Friday September 24 1982, page 14 Granddaughter Mary-Anne married Toby Stevenson, son of Patrick Stevenson, of Tavistock, Devon.Times Saturday July 28 1990, page 14 Granddaughter Dinah married Toby Priestley, son of Martin Priestley.Times Saturday July 9 1994, page 20
In the late 1950s and early 1960s he took part in many yachting competitions, across the North Sea. He died in West Sussex aged 74 in May 1975. His wife died on 20 May 1982.
See also Peter Hobbs (engineer), former Morphy Richards employee, who formed Russell Hobbs in 1952
References Times obituary, Tuesday 27 May 1975, page 14
External links Grace's Guide Morphy Richards