"As a young boy in the 1930s, I visited the transmission station in Rhyd Ddu, from where the first wireless transmission was sent. I remember looking around open-mouthed at the huge masts and machinery which were necessary to transmit signals before new technology took over. I went on to work as an engineer, and formed the Friends of Marconi, to remember his great achievement the first wireless transmission.
In 1896, a letter was sent to Sir William Henry Prys of Bryn Helen, head of the Caernarfon Post Office, from a company called Swinton. They brought to his attention a young and gifted Italian engineer. Sir William Prys invited Marconi up to North Wales and donated £600 to his research into wireless transmissions - that is, transmissions of information that did not need wires! Unfortunately Sir William Prys died in 1913, and didn't get to see the fruits of his investment. There is a commemorative plaque in Caernarfon post office, and he is buried in Llanbeblig cemetry.
Marconi lived somewhere in Anglesey off and on between 1900 and 1918, when the first ever wireless transmission was made between Rhyd Ddu and Warunga, Australia. This first transmission was a message in morse code to the Prime Minister of Australia, William Morris Hughes of Llandudno, asking for more ANZAC troops to be sent over to Europe. There are some stories that Lloyd George and William Morris Hughes sent morse messages to each other in Welsh, to keep them secret.
This first ever long-distance transmission was very technical. The morse message was sent down the telephone lines from London to a lady called Margaret Jones, in Towyn. She in turn used a piece of equipment called a morse key to send the message down the line to Rhyd Ddu. There, a series of large and complicated machinery and masts transmitted the spark of information all the way over to Australia.
Each year, some local amateur radio enthusiasts try and recreate this transmission. So far, they've only reached Australia via a relay between Rhyd Ddu, America and down under as transmitting sound remains far more difficult than transmitting a spark of information..
Marconi's work on transmitting signals was ground-breaking at the time, though his contribution has been somewhat forgotten because the BBC used a different form of technology to broadcast their first radio programmes.
Nevertheless, we at the Friends of Marconi feel that his contribution was very important, and would like it to be commemorated properly. I was lucky enough to meet his daughter a few years ago, and she was very interested in learning about her father's links with Wales."
your comments
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Eifion Patchett, Waunfawr Caernarfon
The station is definately situated where the Beacon climbing centre is now at the very top of Waunfawr. If you take a walk above the climbing centre you will even see the old concrete blocks on which the masts stood.
Mon Mar 3 12:58:56 2008
Alan Smith Rotherham
I remember being told about the Marconi station near Ceunant. It conjoured up such exciting imaginings. Later joined the RAF as a radio engineer. I was born in Marvista Ceunant in 1961 (don't know if it's still called that) next door to two old ladies, the Griffiths sisters.
Thu Jan 31 08:33:47 2008
Nerys Haqq nee Preece from Richmond, BC
Information re Sir William Preece not quite correct. He was born in Bryn Helen, Caernarfon but family moved to England. He was head of the British Post Office not Caernarfon. During his working life he lived in Southampton and Wimbledon. He retired to and died in Penrhos, Caeathro.
Fri Oct 5 09:54:56 2007
Robert Davies, Newport, South Wales
I have been led to understand that my maternal grandfather, Charles Francis Williams, from Caernarfon, on being demobilized from the army (The Royal Welsh Fusiliers) at the end of World War I, was employed at the Marconi site at Rhyd Ddu/Cefn Ddu. While working there (in what capacity I do not know) he was involved in an accident, which necessitated the ampuation of one of his legs. For several years he lived in Mountain Street, Caernarfon, prior to his death in 1935. I am anxious to know whether there are any records pertaining to this accident.
Tue Jul 25 11:56:49 2006
Julian Thomas from Rhyl
I have a close association with Waunfawr and the radio station, as my great grandfather worked there; I'm not too sure what he did there, but I think he was in management. His name was William Thomas; my auntie has a photograph of him sat with a group of people.
Mon Jan 23 02:10:33 2006
Cynthia Minnock (nee Jones), Sydney Australia
I was very intrested in your article about Marconi. I used to live at Tan-y-Merddyn Ceunant. next to Marconi. I don't think it's Rhyd Ddu that Marconi is at, it's nearer to Cefn Du. Could you please find out more about the location.
Mon May 16 01:36:05 2005
Dic Trefor from Canada
I’ve read somewhere that Sir William Prys sent some radio signals across Llyn Tegid before Marconi. There’s a plaque on Caernarfon Post Office commemorating Sir William Prys – and another on his home in Cae Athro, outside Caernarfon.
Tue Aug 31 16:13:58 2004
Chris Simpkins from Waunfawr
Interesting article, but I am a little confused! I assume that the transmission station referred to as being in Rhyd Ddu is the building now known as the Beacon Climbing Centre - and that is definitely in Ceunant, near Waunfawr. Rhyd Ddu is quite some distance away! Incidentally there is an interesting display board with photographs of the marconi equipment etc to be seen at the climbing centre.
Mon Aug 18 13:20:31 2003
Roy Allen Waunfawr. Caernarfon.
The article is very interesting but I believe the references to Rhyd Ddu should be Cefn Ddu Waunfawr where the transmitters were.
Thu Aug 7 22:43:59 2003
John F. Cotter from Dublin
My Grandfather, William James Cotter, a Scot, was the Marconi operator on the Virginian when the Titanic sunk. He received the absolutely last message from the Titanic. In 1913 he was transferred to Clifden in Ireland and then, during the First World War, to Towyn in Wales. There is a photograph of him supervising the staff there. My father, Albert Cotter, was born in Towyn in 1917.
My grandfather went on to a senior position in Cable $ Wireless whilst my father, who also joined the C&W, became a wireless operator and electrical officer on the cableships Cambria and Norseman during the Second World War. As a result I had the good fortune to be born in Rio de Janeiro after my father married my English mother in Recife, Pernambuco in 1942!
Thu Jul 31 14:52:41 2003
Gerard Yates previously of Beaumaris
Great article, especially of interest to me as my father John C Yates was one of the original Marconi operators in the Merchant Navy during WWI.
We lived in Beaumaris for many years and Dad often recalled the levels of expertise he and his fellow operators achieved with Morse. He was able to tell who was "speaking" in his crackly headset as each operator had a unique "hand".
We never knew that Marconi actually lived in Anglesey, that was long before our family moved there. We are now living in Australia.
Thanks.
Tue Jul 8 00:43:21 2003
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Dafydd Francis Jones of Tregarth is a former electronic engineer and wireless enthusiast. He is a member of the 'Friends of Marconi' group, and tells us about the first wireless transmission made between Rhyd Ddu, nr Caernarfon, and Australia.
