Sculpture of Morse Code heroine has a new home
Sheltered Housing residents at Carpenter Court celebrated the acquisition of one of the ‘Raise the Roof’ wire sculptures which will now receive pride of place in their courtyard garden.
Perth City Centre councillor, Peter Barrett, delivered the sculpture as residents gathered for their regular Tuesday coffee morning.
The sculpture is in tribute to Perth native, Lady Margaret Watson-watt, considered to be ‘The Mother of Radar’ and expert Morse Code transcriber.
Cllr Barrett said: “It was tremendous to present the sculpture of Lady Margaret Watson-watt today and to meet the Garden Committee at the official handover.”
Secretary of the Carpenter Court Garden Committee, Mary Whyte, said. “We had all really enjoyed seeing the wire statues in the city centre during the ‘Raise the Roof ’ sculpture trail.
“They were really interesting and uplifting, they made us smile.”
Cllr Barrett explained: “I found out that there was a plan to put the sculptures up for auction after the end of the sculpture trail. Mary was worried that the residents might not be able to compete in the bidding.
“It was clear to me that the sculptures had made a big impression, and this could be a brilliant example of art improving well-being and providing a tremendous longer lasting impact beyond the exhibition.”
Cllr Barrett was able to secure the sculpture of Lady Margaret Watson-watt.
Born in 1886, she lived in Perth and attended Perth Academy where she was an accomplished student. During WWI Margaret transcribed messages in Morse Code from Paris to the British High Command in Aldershot.
It was her duty to listen to the time signals of Paris and Berlin and give the word to ‘Go’ to the British headquarters at the exact moment they needed to sound the air raid sirens.
Whilst studying at the University College of Dundee, she met Robert Watson-watt, her future husband. Margaret’s assistance with Robert’s invention of radar was so crucial that she has been named the ‘Mother of Radar’.
She used her jewellery-making skills to solder and repair the equipment and she was responsible for recording and observing the radio experiments.
Margaret is recognised for the part she played in developing the radar that proved invaluable in saving lives during the Second World War.