Net Work December 2024

This month’s feature continues our 60^th anniversary celebration with a historian’s look at the life of F.J. Camm.

I hope readers enjoyed last month’s retrospective feature celebrating 60 years of Practical Electronics magazine. I described how a range of popular ‘Practical’ magazines sprang up to meet the needs of post-war householders, mechanics and hobbyists who eagerly tackled hands-on projects or home repairs with great enthusiasm.

In this month’s magazine column I recount the story of the legendary Frederick James Camm who worked for George Newnes, the original publishers of Practical Wireless and, subsequently, Practical Electronics.

I managed to obtain a copy of a rare book entitled “F.J. Camm, The Practical Man 1895-1959” written in 1996 by the late Gordon G. Cullingham, a respected local historian and highly-regarded president of the Windsor Local History Publications Group, Windsor being the English city where F.J. Camm was raised.

< An appraisal of F.J. Camm’s life history was privately published by the late Gordon G. Cullingham of Windsor.

Drawing on the contents of the book, I described FJ’s fascination with hobbies and all things ‘practical’ as well as the work of his elder brother, Sydney Camm, who would go on to design the Hurricane fighter plane. They were very likely influenced by Patrick Alexander, a distinguished English aviation enthusiast and balloonist who knew the American Wright brothers personally. His own fascinating life is portrayed at https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Patrick_Young_Alexander.

Wikipedia has more on Sir Sydney Camm at https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sydney_Camm and a blue commemorative plaque appears on the Camm family home, a non-descript row of Victorian terraces in Windsor that can be seen today at https://maps.app.goo.gl/sFChp6EA8qaWgmRr6

The advent of Morse code wireless transmission doubtless piqued FJ’s interest too, notably when the Titanic was lost in 1912. A Marconi telegraph boy from Windsor, named Owen Allum, had perished on the Titanic. He was repatriated to England, so “all Windsor knew of the tragedy”, as George Cullingham wrote. There is more background at https://windsorlocalhistorygroup.org/drowned-at-sea-owen-george-allum/

F.J. Camm would eventually have to learn Morse code when applying for a radio license anyway, which probably co-incided with his interest in early radio design.

Gradually, all these elements of hands-on engineering, theory, inventiveness, design, drawing and publishing skills gained in aeronautics, mechanics and radio would form the core of F.J. Camm’s unrivalled portfolio of practical expertise and know-how.

The Windsor Local History Group website provides more information about the late George G. Cullingham online at https://windsorlocalhistorygroup.org/gorgon-cullingham/

In next month’s magazine article, I explore the history of the one single product that enabled hobby electronics to flourish (no, I don’t mean solder!). See you next month!