Edward Edwin Glanville facts for kids

Edward Edwin Glanville (1873 – 21 August 1898) was an Irish engineer. He is best known for helping Guglielmo Marconi with his early experiments in wireless telegraphy. This was a new way to send messages without wires!

Early Life and Education

Edward Edwin Glanville was born in 1873. His hometown was Blackrock, County Dublin, in Ireland.

In 1891, he started studying at Trinity College Dublin. He focused on mathematics and experimental science. Edward worked hard and graduated in 1895 with excellent grades. He even won a special scholarship that year. This allowed him to continue his studies. He finished his advanced studies in 1898.

Working with Marconi on Wireless Signals

In July 1897, Glanville joined Marconi's company. This company later became famous as the Marconi Wireless Telegraph Co..

First, Edward worked in London. Then, he was sent to Salisbury Plain to test different types of antennas. These antennas helped send and receive wireless signals.

First Paid Wireless Message

In January 1898, Glanville worked with George Kemp. They tested sending signals between Bournemouth and Alum Bay on the Isle of Wight.

A famous scientist, Lord Kelvin, visited their setup in June 1898. He was so impressed that he paid one shilling to send a message. This was the very first time someone paid to send a wireless telegram!

Wireless at a Sporting Event

In July 1898, Marconi sent Glanville and Kemp to Ireland. Their job was to set up a wireless link. This link connected Rathlin Island and Ballycastle. They sent their first test signals on July 6.

On the same day, Marconi sent them to a big boat race event. This was the annual regatta in Kingstown, County Dublin. Over two days, Glanville and Kemp sent more than 1,700 updates about the yacht races to the shore. This was the first time wireless telegraphy was used at a sports event! It also showed how useful wireless communication could be for ships at sea.

Tragic End on Rathlin Island

After the regatta, Glanville went back to Rathlin Island. Kemp returned to Ballycastle. They were going to continue their wireless experiments.

On August 21, 1898, Glanville went on a trip. He was exploring the cliffs on Rathlin Island, looking at rocks and birds. Sadly, he fell from the cliffs and was reported missing. His body was found the next day, on August 22.

Edward Edwin Glanville's body was sent back to Dublin. He was buried on August 26. Guglielmo Marconi himself attended Glanville's funeral.