The Memorial to Marconi and Kemp - This memorial was apparently brought to the island by helicopter and positioned unceremoniously upon its fabricated steel base on the site where the historic first telephonic message across water was received by George Kemp. Only four years later, in 1901, Guglielmo Marconi established a radio link across the Atlantic Ocean and the global wireless communication system was born!
Why does the monument appear to have just been dumped on the island without mention of Marconi or Kemp? The story goes that Marconi was a Fascist and used his position against a group of Jewish scientists. There was, therefore, resistance from certain quarters to honouring the man and his achievements and the council decided to limit the opposition by lack of publicity. Well, that is my best attempt to interpret the background!
I covered the story in the Chapter entitled 'A Technological Development of Great Value to Mariners of All Nations'.
The monument is situated a little off the main track and as it had just started raining at the time, well, the above photograph is borrowed from 'A Lifetime of Islands' website. Maybe next time!
The 'A Lifetime of Islands' website has the comment : 'Rather ugly monument to commemorate Marconi's historic visit in 1897 In May 1897 Guglielmo Marconi and George Kemp successfully transmitted the first ever wireless messages over sea from Flat Holm to Lavernock Point on the Welsh coast.' [1325]
|
