Some History

Dear Don,

May I add some more info to my earlier email? Sorry. It looks as though I misdirected you and Scott. I believe that the G6YL tribute page is incorrect in stating (note the future tense) that ‘In the 1930s Provincial District Meetings were localised meetings of The Society, later to become RSGB’. The RSGB came into being in 1922 so by the start of the 1930s the RSGB was already around eight years old. Saying, in the future tense, that The Society would later become the RSGB is surely incorrect.

Note that the WSL (Wireless Society of London) was formed in 1913 and changed its name to the RSGB (Radio Society of Great Britain) in November 1922. The RSGB celebrated its centenary in 2013, nine years ahead of the BBC.

I believe that both the WSL and the RSGB were referred to as ‘The Society’ and this may have caused some confusion in respect of the change from one name to the other.

For example, the RSGB’s World at Their Fingertips (written by John Clarricoats G6CL and published in 1967) includes a lot of history of the RSGB. One photo in this book is captioned ‘During the period of the ‘Great Names’ the Annual Dinner of the Society was held at the Waldorf Hotel, London’ whereas in the book’s list of Illustrations it is captioned ‘Annual Dinner of the Wireless Society of London, March 4, 1925’, which is clearly incorrect because the WSL changed its name to the RSGB in 1922.

By the way, World at Their Fingertips gives some information about the change of name from WSL (Wireless Society of London) to RSGB (Radio Society of Great Britain). ‘Radio’ replaced ‘Wireless’ because ‘Radio’ had been brought into official use and was more appropriate than ‘Wireless’. It was expected that it would take some time to ‘kill’ the word ‘Wireless’. ‘Great Britain’ replaced ‘London’ so as to extend the scope of the Society’s work. I had forgotten that the Old Old Timers Club existed. I thought its ‘40 years’ rule was the most stringent of any old timers organisation but the Old Old Old Timers Club has a ‘60 years’ (this club is a bit humorous as you will see from its website and it leaves open the oppor

tunity for someone to found the Old Old Old Old Timers Club).

I know of several Old Timer organisations (see the list below). Their rules for membership vary; for example, some are open only to licensed amateurs and some are open only to their own nationals. I am the general secretary of RAOTA and I am pleased to mention that membership of RAOTA is open to all amateur radio enthusiasts.

Radio Amateur Old Timers’ Association (UK, G2OT)

www.RAOTA.org

Radio Amateurs Old Timers Club Australia Inc (Australia, VK3OTN)

www.raotc.org.au

Quarter Century Wireless Association Inc. (USA W2MM, W2CVF)

www.qcwa.org

Nederlandse Old Timers Club (Netherlands PI4OTC)

www.oldtimersclub.info

Old Timers’ Club (ZL) (New Zealand)

https://tinyurl.com/4wvt5jzs

Old Timers Radio Club com (Canada VE1RT)

www.oldtimersclub.byethost31

Old Old Timers Club OOTC (USA)

www.ootc.us

The Old Old Old Timers Club (USA)

www.oootc.org

I hope that PW will have more history articles by Scott.

Ian Brothwell G4EAN 9H3YI Nottingham