# British School of Telegraphy



## kittijay (Nov 20, 2009)

I read all the posts for 'lecturers we knew' and didn't see any ref. to the BST. This was in Penywern Road Earls Court and run by father and son the Mr's Evans. It was sponsored by Marconi as far as equipment and they hoped to recruit most 'graduates' from the school. A lovely old chap 'Mr Ash' was their link man. There was a spark tx in the basement and a very old chap who was a pioneer sparks, used to turn up morse key knobs down there. I was there 196/63, the only names a readily remember on my course were Dave Ainsworth and .... Watkins? I went for PMG 1 and joined Elder Dempsters. Old man Evans was a lovely chap, he came to visit me in hospital while I was there and gave me a ten bob note to cheer me up. Martin Waterman. ps I always liked the Aureol's call sign. Dah Dah Dit Dah Dah Dah Dah Dit DiDahDahDah I think it was.


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## kittijay (Nov 20, 2009)

BST again, that morse came out wrong on the webpage, I knew I shouldn't have tried it. Its GMGJ anyway.


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## IMRCoSparks (Aug 22, 2008)

The British School of Telegraphy was located in Plaistow ( East Ham) London in 1959 when I started my PMG. Mr Evans was in charge. BST may have moved there from somewhere in South London in the early 50's. I'm not sure.

There were four of us in the class. Two ex servicemen, who resigned half way through the course. The fourth one was George Druce who, I believe, became a Marconi depot manager.

In early 1960 we were suddenly told that the school was re-locating to Earls Court. This was quite an upheaval for me as I was living only a short distance away from Plaistow.

I can see why Mr Evans brought out the London Telegraph Training College. When we arrived there, it was an absolute shambles. No organized instruction and no discipline at all. It was a failing organization. 

It did not take him long to remedy this sad situation . Two instructors were let go and at least three unruly students were dismissed.

Mr Evans generously refunded me two months tuition fees ( I did complain) and he even compensated the difference in the tube fare between Plaistow and Earls Court.

Glad to see that the BST seemed to have become reestablished there

Ken


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## mike N (Nov 13, 2007)

Did my PMG at BST . Started in Stockwell in 1958 and relocated to Plaistow. Passed in 59 and was snapped up by Mr Ash for Mimco at East Ham. About a dozen or more students in our class then. Only remember the morse instructor, name of Lee ,ex RN CPO., good bloke. Happy Days


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## kittijay (Nov 20, 2009)

nice to hear from two other ex students,earlier than my 62/63 time. Mr Evans snr's son was morse and regs instructor when I was there, I think he had been a sparks himself in the NZ shipping line. We had an instructor for equipment operation, and a red headed chap for radio theory. sorry can't remember their names. I do remember the excitement after getting tickets when students were getting their first ships, (Andes and Southern Cross I recall two). Mr Evans Snr must have made a success of it because at my time there were about 20plus students. and some years later I visited and found it had become the London Electronics school or college, run by Mr Evans Jnr. I think that next door was a brothel. Never sampled its delights! Kiwi was another student, he had been a seaman before and had exciting yarns about shoreside in Japan etc. Martin.


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## znord737 (May 1, 2006)

*British School of Wireless Telegraphy Earls Court*

I enrolled at The British School of Wireless Telegraphy during 1958 and left in 1960 after obtaining two PMG Certificates. 

The Lecturers there during my time were Maurice Childs the Proprietor and also a Mr Bell who had retired from the Post Office. Both of whom adequately covered the PMG Theory Syllabus

A Mr Ivor Savage undertook the Practical instruction on radio equipment, which was located in a Cabin down the garden at the back of the premises.

Morse Instruction was shared between Mr Savage and Mr Bell.

I believe that when I joined the establishment, in my opinion it was in the first stages of foundering, the first year examination results were horrendous, only about 3 passes and the 2nd year I believe it was 5. Thankfully I was amongst the 3 and the first 5.

There were some students who had been there for 4 or more years
And regarded the place as somewhat similar to Butlins.

To be unbiased, it would be a fair statement of fact to say that perhaps the distractions in and around Earls Court at that time were somewhat responsible for the poor examination results. Frankly I don’t think a lot of the students had their studies as their priority. 

Its like most things in life, you have to put something in to get something back, and if individuals did not study and take the course seriously then they bore the consequences of failing the exams. Perhaps they should not have been put up for taking the exam in the first instance, that is an imponderable question.

Eighteen or twenty-four months after I left I went back to find that the whole establishment had been bought out by Mr Evans. I could not believe my eyes; it was very well organised and very professionally run.

I related my earlier unfortunate experience that I had with the Marconi Depot in East Ham to Mr Evans and after some discussion he spoke on the telephone with the then Head of the East Ham Depot and within 24 hours I became a Marconi Employee after being Free Lance.

I kept in touch with Mr Evans for some years afterwards, and concluded that his well-earned reputation as a thorough gentleman was not understated. 
It was a pleasure to have known him.

Znord737


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## Drunkensailor (Dec 19, 2007)

I went to the London Electronics College in Penywern Road, Earls Court (formerly the British School of Telegraphy) from 1974 to 1976. I left with MRGC and Radar Maintenance and joined P&O Cruises as trainee R/O. During my time at LEC, Dave Evans was the Principal and he also took us for morse training in the second floor front morse training room. When I was there, the college did TV training courses on the lower floors. I have attached an image of the class of 75 standing on the front steps.

73's Tony Clarke.


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## Moulder (Aug 19, 2006)

Ah I see Roger Pragnell was still instructing then - he's peering out from the back. 
I'd imagine quite a few photos were taken on those steps - I'll see if I can dig mine out.

Steve (Thumb)


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## Drunkensailor (Dec 19, 2007)

Yes you are quite right Moulder, that is Roger Pragnell standing at the back of the group. Roger was a very popular lecturer and I remember occasionally having an after college coffee with him at the Italian cafe by Earls Court tube station. I have heard that Roger was tragically killed in a drowning accident whilst on holiday in the late 70's.
Putting names to the guys standing outside the London Electronics College, going clockwise from front left we have Alan Mackenzie, Tony Clarke, Kim Thompson, Roger Pragnell (lecturer), Tony Gibson, Kevin Lamb, John Wood, Eric Shepherd, Steve Dunn (sitting on wall), the guy in white jeans was Paul, surname forgotten and guy in red sweater we can't remember. 
If anyone remembers sailing with any of these guys as Radio Officers,I would be interested to hear where they ended up.

73's Tony Clarke
with thanks to Alan Mackenzie for helping me out with some names.


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## Moulder (Aug 19, 2006)

I am sorry to hear about Roger - he was a student when I was at BST in 69/70 - he passed his 1st Class - did his first trip then Dave Evans took him on as a lecturer. 
Were students still using the 'Spanish Pot' restaurant on the other side of Penywern Road during your time? They had an excellent lunch menu and I believe, gave good deals to us over the road.

Cheers,

Steve.
(Thumb)


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## Drunkensailor (Dec 19, 2007)

I don't remember the 'Spanish Pot' being opposite the college. Maybe it had closed down by the time I was there. Interestingly there did seem to be one or two hotels opposite which rented out rooms by the hour. We used to sit practicing our morse and watch the curtains being drawn across the road with a few comments about what was likely to be happening ! I do remember a pub further along Earls Court Road which used to have topless go-go dancers performing during the lunchbreak. Needless to say, a few students used to have a pint or two there. 
I believe that this was all part of our training to prepare us for the fleshpots we would encounter once we started sailing the seven seas. 

Tony.


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## marconiwireless (Sep 29, 2013)

*Marconi spark transmitter*



IMRCoSparks said:


> The British School of Telegraphy was located in Plaistow ( East Ham) London in 1959 when I started my PMG. Mr Evans was in charge. BST may have moved there from somewhere in South London in the early 50's. I'm not sure.
> 
> There were four of us in the class. Two ex servicemen, who resigned half way through the course. The fourth one was George Druce who, I believe, became a Marconi depot manager.
> 
> ...


I cam across your post whilst doing some research on a Marconi ships 10 inch spark coil I recently acquired which was being sold by the owner who acquired it along with a number of other early Marconi wireless items which belonged to the British School f Telegraphy an lo and behold I notice in your post mention of it being in the basement of the college, see attached image.


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## Moulder (Aug 19, 2006)

marconiwireless said:


> I cam across your post whilst doing some research on a Marconi ships 10 inch spark coil I recently acquired which was being sold by the owner who acquired it along with a number of other early Marconi wireless items which belonged to the British School f Telegraphy an lo and behold I notice in your post mention of it being in the basement of the college, see attached image.



Just sent you a PM marconiwireless.

(Thumb)


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## marconiwireless (Sep 29, 2013)

*Marconi keys*



kittijay said:


> I read all the posts for 'lecturers we knew' and didn't see any ref. to the BST. This was in Penywern Road Earls Court and run by father and son the Mr's Evans. It was sponsored by Marconi as far as equipment and they hoped to recruit most 'graduates' from the school. A lovely old chap 'Mr Ash' was their link man. There was a spark tx in the basement and a very old chap who was a pioneer sparks, used to turn up morse key knobs down there. I was there 196/63, the only names a readily remember on my course were Dave Ainsworth and .... Watkins? I went for PMG 1 and joined Elder Dempsters. Old man Evans was a lovely chap, he came to visit me in hospital while I was there and gave me a ten bob note to cheer me up. Martin Waterman. ps I always liked the Aureol's call sign. Dah Dah Dit Dah Dah Dah Dah Dit DiDahDahDah I think it was.



Herewith image of the keys.


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## Robert M Hughes (Oct 16, 2010)

It was named London Telegraph Training College when I got my PMG in 1951 - Mr. Evans was the Principal, Mr. Savage who had eyebrows like the drummer in the Muppet show tried to keep some order, but some blokes didn't want to study. We tried our luck with the young ladies at the nearby LAMBDA (music & dramatic art) but since we were all broke didn't get too far ! Only 3 of about 16/17 of us passed! Didn't know about the activities next door - otherwise we might had a bit more success!. Cheers.


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## marconiwireless (Sep 29, 2013)

I recently acquired a number of Marconi Wireless Telegraph Company early radio items which had been on display in a glass case in the foryer of the BST and amongst them was the accountsCash Book which contains the names of students and the fees they paid from September 20th 1966 to August 23 1974. If any members who attended during this period would like a copy of the page showing their payment then please provide your name and a email address and I will scan the page and forward it to them. I am attaching an image of the Marconi spark transmitter which used to be kept in the basement and is referred to in a post by kittijay and moulder.


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## Moulder (Aug 19, 2006)

marconiwireless said:


> I recently acquired a number of Marconi Wireless Telegraph Company early radio items which had been on display in a glass case in the foryer of the BST and amongst them was the accountsCash Book which contains the names of students and the fees they paid from September 20th 1966 to August 23 1974. If any members who attended during this period would like a copy of the page showing their payment then please provide your name and a email address and I will scan the page and forward it to them. I am attaching an image of the Marconi spark transmitter which used to be kept in the basement and is referred to in a post by kittijay and moulder.


Oh this is brilliant nostalgia - have emailed you.

(Thumb)


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## Varley (Oct 1, 2006)

I wonder if the transmitter might have been removed from a vessel ('upgrade'?). If so is the ship's name recorded?


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## marconiwireless (Sep 29, 2013)

*BST Marconi spark coil.*

Hello,

No there is no ship's name recorded on the coil.


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## Varley (Oct 1, 2006)

Thank you for the response. David V


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## gordonarfur (May 27, 2018)

IMRCoSparks said:


> The British School of Telegraphy was located in Plaistow ( East Ham) London in 1959 when I started my PMG. Mr Evans was in charge. BST may have moved there from somewhere in South London in the early 50's. I'm not sure.
> 
> There were four of us in the class. Two ex servicemen, who resigned half way through the course. The fourth one was George Druce who, I believe, became a Marconi depot manager.
> 
> ...


Hi Ken I joined in Sep 1959 at Plaistow and then moved to Earls Court but I am pretty certain we started at Earls court in Jan 1960 and the alterations at Earls Court had been done during the Christmas break. I got my PMG2 in Dec 1960 having messed up a fault on the AA gear during the Aug 60 exams so I had to wait for the next exam Dec 60 .. Can you remember John Reynolds, Charlie Mays both east London guys who became long time friends of mine and both of them did very well after their short sea careers. Also remember Dave Absolom, Pete Richardson and a bloke called Timmins who went to Union Castle. John and Charlie both went to East Ham Macs, I went direct employ and Dave had some medical issues and may not have gone back to sea. cheers Gordon


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