[Wireless Telegraph] Five items relating to Horton's application for permission to operate a wireless telegraph, including his 'Licence to establish wireless telegraphy station for experiments in wireless telegraphy'.

jJohn Laurence Horton (1915-1997), British analytical chemist and radio ham [Wireless Telegraphy Acts, 1904-1926; Post Office Telegrams; Postmaster General; General Post Office]

Published by All, 1939

About this Item

All five items in good condition, with a little rust spotting from a staple. A little wear to the edge of item two, not affecting text. Four of the five stamped with Horton's call sign '2AHN'. Item One: a printed leaflet (4to, 2 pp), dated GENERAL POST OFFICE, | London | March, 1939.', headed 'B | EXPERIMENTS IN WIRELESS TELEGRAPHY | [.] | AUTHORITY FOR SENDING AND RECEIVING | SUMMARY OF CONDITIONS OF ISSUE | NOTE. - All sending stations must also be equipped for reception'. Item Two: Typewritten copy of Horton's 'Application for Experimental Licence 25th. March 1939', giving personal and technical details (his address is given as 103 Colworth Road, Leytonstone, London E.11) and his reason for the application ('so that eventually I may qualify for consideration for a "radiating" licence to conduct further experiments in particular with regard to propagation as affected by atmospheric conditions, particularly temperature changes'). Stapled to item two is a piece of paper carrying a pencil circuit diagram. ITEM THREE: Horton's printed licence (4to, 3 pp, printed '4/38'), dated 18 May 1939, signed on behalf of the Postmaster General. ITEM FOUR: Typed communication (8vo, 1 p) from the General Post Office, dated 31 August 1939, directing Horton's attention 'to the Notice published in the London Gazette'. ITEM FIVE: Typed copy (8vo, 1 p) of a notice 'To the Sectional Engineer', 'on behalf of the Postmaster General', dated 1 September 1939, announcing that 'an emergency has arisen in which it is expedient for the public service that His Majesty's Government shall have control over the transmission of messages by the Stations mentioned in the Schedule': 'I HEREBY AUTHORISE AND DIRECT you to take possession of each of theh said Stations'. According to one web authority Horton was 'born in East London in 1915. An analytical chemist by occupation, and a lifelong bachelor, he had a thirst for knowledge which led him down many different paths he was a linguist (Danish, Gaelic), a radio ham, a photographer of great enthusiasm though little talent, an expert on beer and on many other things. A lifelong churchman, he became on his retirement a Lay Reader in the church of England, and a Parish Councillor, roles which he fulfilled with both conscientiousness and delight. [.] A natural hoarder, he died in 1997 leaving a bungalow crammed with memorabilia of all his journeys tram and bus tickets, railway timetables, photographs, slides, a home-made wind-up gramophone, many records and cassettes.'.

Seller Inventory # 6585

Bibliographic Details

• Title: [Wireless Telegraph] Five items relating to Horton's application for permission to operate a wireless telegraph, including his 'Licence to establish wireless telegraphy station for experiments in wireless telegraphy'.
• Publisher: All
• Publication Date: 1939
• Signed: Signed by Author(s)