Guglielmo Marconi

Diagnoses

Vocation

Notable

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Family

Italian scientist and physicist who invented wireless telegraph and radio signal transmission in 1895. In 1902, he discovered the radio magnetic detector. Along with Carl Braun, Marconi was awarded the 1909 Nobel Prize for physics for their separate, but parallel, development of the wireless. Marconi’s father, Guiseppe, was a well-known and respected landowner in the district. His mother, Anna Jameson, from an eminent Irish family and her husband’s second wife, nearly died the night that Guglielmo was born. He spent the first three years of his life near Bologne, then three years in England, after which the family went to live in Livorno, Italy. From the time he was a small boy he was extraordinarily interested in physics. In Livorno he attended the first national Technical Institute. In 1892 his mother arranged for him to study physics under the supervision of a professor. Spurred on by the work of Benjamin Franklin, in about 1892 he designed and installed on his house a rooftop mechanism that set off a bell whenever there was an electrical storm nearby. This was the first example of the aerial-to-earth system that later became essential to radio-telegraphy. After moving to Bologne he often visited the University physics laboratory and attended lectures, reinforcing his urge to experiment. At twenty, while on a summer holiday, he read a detailed description of Hertz’s experiments, inspiring his greatest work. He continued to improve upon others’ earlier designs of tubes between 1894 and 1895. His work was so original that on 7/07/1897 he was issued an Italian patent for "improvements in the transmission of impulses and of the relative apparatus." Marconi applied for patents in all the principal nations of the world. Eager to develop and apply his work on a large scale, Marconi went to England, accompanied by his mother. Sir William Peece, Chief Engineer of the Post Office, made enthusiastic mention of Marconi’s experiments in a postal conference on 12/11/1896, thus clearing the way for experiments in Post Office laboratories. The first aerial transmissions were done between the Post Office building and the Savings Bank, a distance of some hundreds of meters. Soon after, the first demonstration of overseas radio transmission took place. This opened up the possibility of regular communications between land and sea. Around 1897 Marconi had to enter military service. He arranged for a transfer to the navy, so he could be attached as a Marine to the Embassy to continue his work. Marconi was invited to go to Italy and repeat his experiments in the Gulf of Spezia, where he successfully transmitted across 18 kilometers between a ship and the island of Palmaria. He also gave demonstrations for the King and Queen and leading political men. Marconi returned to London, where he formed the Wireless Telegraph and Signal Company on 7/20/1897 to capitalize on all Marconi’s patents (except those ceded to the Italian government for military use). This powerful organization changed its name to Marconi Wireless Telegraph Company in 1900 to more precisely credit the origin of the invention. Obsessed with the idea of sending messages across the Atlantic, he built a powerful transmitter and receiver. On 12/12/1901, he received signals from across the ocean. News of this achievement spread around the world, and his work was applauded by outstanding scientists, including Thomas Edison. Marconi received many honors including the Nobel Prize for Physics in 1909. He was sent as a delegate to the Peace Conference in Paris in 1919 and signed the peace treaties with Austria and Bulgaria. On 3/16/1905, Marconi married Beatrice O’Brien, daughter of Lord Inchiquin, in Saint George’s Square, London. His three children from this union were: Degna, born 9/11/1908; Giulio, born 5/21/1910, and Gioia, born 4/10/1916. At Marconi’s request, his first marriage was dissolved by the court on 2/12/1924 and on 4/30/1927, the Church declared the first marriage null. On 6/12/1927, Marconi married the Countess Maria Cristina Bezzi-Scali in Rome in a civil ceremony performed by the governor of Rome. The religious rite was celebrated on 6/15/1927. His adored daughter Elettra was born on 7/20/1930, in Civitavecchia. Her majesty, Queen Elena, was the godmother. Marconi was known for demanding punctuality from his family and friends. He had a marvelous memory and was immensely proud of the fact that he never suffered seasickness. He never wanted to work late, doing his best work in the morning. He had the pure soul of a child, enjoying the company of young folks and a good laugh. He insisted on speaking Italian even though the custom was to speak French in society. This demand caused strains in several of his relationships. For some years Marconi suffered from angina pectoris. In December 1935, while returning with his family by train from Rome, he had an attack but he recovered immediately and the incident was not made public. He wanted to continue his work and during the summer and fall of 1936, he dedicated himself to secret experiments. In the first months of 1937 he was very interested in work conducted between his Radioelectric Experimental Center with the National Council of Research at Torre Chiaruccia (Santa Marinella), and the papal microwave station at Castel Gandolfo. It was to celebrate this program of research that Marconi was to be honored at the Palazzo Venezia at 6:00 PM on 7/19/1937. But at 4:00 PM he had a severe angina attack in his home on Via Condotti. It was to his daughter Elettra that he turned his last thought, when finally struck down by illness on her seventh birthday. A few hours before dying, Marconi asked his father-in-law to send her a birthday telegram. He died peacefully at 3:45 AM on 7/20/1937. In his honor, wireless telegraph and telephone stations all over the world interrupted their services for a few minutes of silence during the funeral at 6:00 PM on 7/21/1937. Link to Wikipedia biography