Marconi's Wireless Telegraph Stations in Essex: The Centenary of Brentwood and Ongar Radio Stations

A hundred years ago Guglielmo Marconi was busy setting up telegraph links between the UK and countries across the world and was operating wireless stations in the west of Ireland and in Wales. After WW1 new advances in valves and electronic technology enabled wireless stations to be built closer to London. With the engineering and manufacturing facilities of the Marconi Company already set up in Chelmsford it was logical to build new wireless, or radio as it was becoming known, stations in Essex and Brentwood and Ongar were the chosen locations for the establishment of new European and Worldwide links. This book tells the story of these two radio stations from their establishment in 1921 until new technology and other factors saw their demise, Brentwood in 1967 and Ongar in 1985.

Paul Hawkins

Paul Hawkins spent his whole career working in radio communications. He joined the British Post Office International Telecommunication service in 1967 working at Dorchester Radio Station, then Goonhilly Satellite Station and Bearley Radio Station. From 1980-83 he worked in the USA and from 1983 until his retirement in 2013 he worked for the Thales Company in England, where he was involved in the design of antennas and communication systems for Naval vessels. Radio and its history is a personal interest of Paul and he has published a number of articles in the vintage wireless press, conference papers for the IEE and a book concerning the history of radio communications. He has also given lectures to various groups about radio telecommunications history and at one of these he was fortunate enough to meet Princess Elettra Marconi, the daughter of Guglielmo Marconi.

Paul Reyland

Paul Reyland was brought up and educated in Brentwood. After leaving school in 1965 he started working at Brentwood Radio Receiving Station as an apprentice. When the station closed in 1967, he was transferred to Ongar Radio Transmitting Station at North Weald to complete his training. He was employed by the Post Office International Telecommunication service, later to become British Telecom International (BTI), for nearly 30 years working mainly in radio and satellite operations. From 1995 Paul worked for the International Maritime Satellite organization (INMARSAT), retiring in 2002. After writing an article about Brentwood Radio Station for the Essex Journal magazine in 2019, it was suggested by his friend Paul Hawkins that they should produce a book to mark the centenary of both Brentwood and Ongar radio stations. This book is the result of their collaboration and research.