Morsecodians Messenger Vol 3 Issue 12 1/6/2009 - iiNet

John Morgan 1911 – 2009
President Terry Keays (08) 9279 4696
Vice-President John Meadowcroft (08) 9386 6636
Secretary Richie Bright (08) 9276 6936
Asst. Secretary Allan Greenslade (08) 9390 5410
Meetings are held on the 3rd Monday in February, June and
October each year in the Italian Club North Perth.
Postal Address: The Secretary Morsecodians Fraternity of Western
Australia (Inc.) 475 Crawford Rd Dianella WA 6059
Newsletter Editor: Larry Rice (08) 9255 2280
Club Email jarbright tadaust.org.au
Newsletter email oseagram iinet.net.au
Page 6
Jack Morgan was born in Moora on the 13 th September 1911 . He was one of eight children, whose Welsh parents ran a small
dairy. At the age of six he helped an older brother to deliver milk in Moora until the school bell chimed indicating it was time to
attend school.
On his 14 th birthday Jack started work at the Moora Post Office and with the help of Monty Taylor soon became proficient in
the art of Morse Telegraphy. Appointments were hard to obtain in those days and Jack did relief work for several years at
various town in WA before being accepted as a Telegraphist in Training in 1935. He then moved to Shenton Park from where
he would often cycle to work
Jack spent all his working life of 45 years in Telegraphs apart from a few years when he was an Instructor in the Postal
Training School. Known affectionately as ‗Black Jack‘ he was very methodical and meticulous in his ways and many of our
members can be thankful to him for his dedicated instruction on Traffic and Technical Telegraphy. He was also a first class
hand on the Morse key, something he never lost even when well into his eighties.
Jack rose through the ranks to Supervisor Grade 3 (later designated Traffic Officer) and under the Assistant Superintendant of
Telegraphs was responsible for the staffing and operation of the Chief Telegraph Office. He retired in 1971. In 1972 Jack was
invested with the Imperial Service Medal for service to the Commonwealth.
As a young man Jack was a good all round athlete and played football in Moora and later with the Postal Institute team in
Perth. Both Jack and his second wife Gwen were keen tennis players and golfers and played at the Onslow Park Tennis Club in
Shenton Park and Gosnells Golf Club. Later, they moved to Waikiki and joined the Rockingham Golf and Tennis Clubs. After
Gwen passed away, Jack moved to Tanby Hall Aged Care Facility where his love of music came to the fore , especially hymns
and Welsh songs, but he also had quite a collection of all types of music. After 4 years at Tanby, Jack passed peacefully
away early this year at the age of 97. He will be sadly missed by all who knew him. GB Jack.
Let us not forget who gave us telegraphy, the Telegraph Pioneers.
McGowan, Samuel Walker (1829 - 1887)
Born in Ireland, emigrated to Canada with his parents, gained practical experience with several telegraph
companies in North America. Sailed to Australia, arriving in Melbourne in 1853 intending to form a private
company to provide telegraphic linkage between Melbourne, Sydney and Adelaide as well as the goldfields
which fell through. In September 1853 tenders were called for the construction of an experimental line
between Melbourne and Williamstown and McGowan's was accepted. On 1 March 1854 he was appointed
general superintendent of the Electric Telegraph Department of Victoria and two days later the first telegraph
service south of the equator was opened. By December the experimental line had been extended to Geelong.
In 1857 all main centres were connected and lines radiated from Melbourne westwards to Portland and
northwards to the Murray River, and by the end of October telegraph communication between those three
capital cities flowed freely.
From Australian Dictionary of Biography.
Website: http://members.iinet.net.au/~oseagram/mfwahome.html
Harry Winchester transmits the last morse code message
from Sydney General Post Office October 1962.