Marconi honoured with plaque
Table Head station was a significant site of wireless communication
A historic site in Cape Breton and its founder, who advanced early wireless communication over 100 years ago, were honoured on Saturday in Glace Bay.
Guglielmo Marconi’s wireless station south of Glace Bay was a significant site of wireless communication in Canada in the beginning of the 20th century, and played a critical role in the development of wireless technology. Marconi, an Italian physicist, was the inventor of a successful wireless telegraph, which he patented and publicly demonstrated in Britain in 1896.
On Saturday in front of a full house at the Glace Bay Heritage Museum, Rodger Cuzner, MP for Cape Breton– Canso, and Nicole Neatby, the Nova Scotia representative of the Historic Sites and Monuments Board of Canada, unveiled a plaque honouring Marconi.
Of the people in attendance, there were people directly con-
nected to the history and legacy of Marconi, like Douglas Cunningham, who lived in Marconi’s original station at Table Head, near Glace Bay, after his father bought the property. Cunningham said he enjoys hearing about Marconi and his accomplishments.
“Any time there’s a pres-
entation for Marconi I feel pretty happy about it. I also really liked the unveiling of the plaque today,” said Cunningham.
People heard from historians and politicians who provided knowledge and praise of Marconi. Henry Bradford, a physicist who’s written many papers
and articles about Marconi, said he was happy that Marconi was honoured.
“I’m glad that the Historic Sites and Monuments Board has recognized this station and felt it desirable to make this plaque and commemorate this station — so this is really a step in the right direction,” said Bradford.
Nicole Neatby, who unveiled the plaque, said Glace Bay should be proud of the large impact it has made on the entire world.
“I think its true that Glace Bay should think more of itself — in Canada we tend to be modest and we don’t like to brag, but I think this is an opportunity to brag,” said Neatby.
Cuzner said learning about the acts of Marconi and how it shaped our modern world is something Canadians should take the time to learn more about.
“It’s in moments like this, as we celebrate the 150th anniversary of Confederation, that I encourage all Canadians to take an opportunity to learn more about this great place and its important role in our country’s history,” said Cuzner.
With the help of the federal government, Marconi established a permanent wireless station on Cape Breton in 1902 and made history.
Realizing that a bigger site was needed to accommodate for a larger antennae and a power plant, a second station was constructed and completed in 1905 south of Glace Bay. In 1908, the station, now called the Marconi Towers, began providing regular intercontinental service with a sister site in Clifden, Ireland.