Charles Todd, Government Electrician

Monday 18 May 2015

Charles Todd, Government Electrician

Presented by Richard Venus

Sir Charles Todd is best known for the Overland Telegraph, but this extraordinary engineer and scientist had a significant impact on the development of not just the Colony of South Australia but the nation as a whole – an influence that persists to the modern day. Todd’s pioneering achievements in fields other than telegraphy can be well illustrated by his contributions in the field of electrical engineering – from Adelaide’s first demonstrations of electric lighting (using equipment Todd had made himself) to the defence of the Colony. It all amounts to a truly electrifying tale (a pun so bad that even Sir Charles himself might have smiled).

Richard Venus himself is an electrical engineer and has been a great admirer of Todd for many years. Richard is chairman of Engineering Heritage SA, a member of the national board of Engineering Heritage Australia, and currently vice president of the History Council of SA.

Record of Meeting

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No.*BTddocDateTopic, Speaker, Detail
381*d18/5/2015

Charles Todd, Government Electrician

Presented by Richard Venus

Sir Charles Todd is best known for the Overland Telegraph, but this extraordinary engineer and scientist had a significant impact…

Legend

B: Burnside topic

T: tape

d: disc

doc: pdf document

*: on location

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