History of wireless telegraphy and broadcasting in Australia/Topical/Biographies/Ernest Kilburn Scott

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Ernest Kilburn Scott[edit | edit source]

In 1904 P. N. Russell left a £100,000 bequest to the University of Sydney for the establishment of the electrical engineering department. A prominent English researcher and engineer, Ernest Kilburn Scott was brought to Australia to head the department and place it on a sound footing.

As well as his University work, Scott became a popular commentator on matters of topical engineering importance, including wireless telegraphy. Famously entered into a war of words in 1905 through letters to the editor, with John William Ormsby Hamilton, then Australian representative for the International Telegraph Construction Co who was promoting the Shoemaker System of wireless telegraphy for a scheme to link Australia, New Zealand and the Pacific Islands.

Evidence of Scott experimenting in wireless telegraphy in Sydney has not yet been identified, but given his extended experience and knowledge of the Marconi system in England, such experiments are almost certain.

Scott returned to England in 1910, but kept in touch with his former colleagues and students, a number of the latter completing their education in England as a result.

A comprehensive biography of Ernest Kilburn Scott has not yet been prepared, however the following resources have been assembled in preparation:

In the National Library of Australia's Trove website, more than 50 articles (Newspapers & Gazettes) have been tagged as "Ernest Kilburn Scott" (search publictag:Ernest Kilburn Scott)

A search in Trove on "Ernest Kilburn Scott", "E. Kilburn Scott", "Kilburn Scott Wireless" identifies more than 200 articles, the majority of which refer to Ernest Kilburn Scott. Those tagged to date are a quick review to identify the most important for this Wikibook. Articles transcribed for Notes are tagged: "!Wikibooks - EK Scott". Articles reviewed and considered either duplicates of other articles or not of sufficient importance for inclusion are tagged: "!Wikibooks - EK Scott Not"