Fraserburgh

GB5FHC

Here’s the QSL Card that you will receive if you work Fraserburgh !

In November 1903, Marconi dispatched George Kemp to the North East of Scotland to find a suitable site to establish an experimental station. Kemp toured the area with Lord Saltoun’s factor and agreed on a site at Broadsea Farm on the outskirts of Fraserburgh.   Here, Kemp ordered a wooden hut to be built and also commissioned the building of a mast at a shipyard in Aberdeen. During this time Kemp wrote frequently to Marconi at the London office informing him of his progress. The Fraserburgh Heritage Centre have copies of a number of these letters which are displayed in the centre. 

In January of the following year (1904), Marconi visited Fraserburgh, arriving by train and staying at the Bellslea Hotel (now a car showroom) where he remained for a week. It was  reported in the Fraserburgh Herald that he worked tirelessly at the station from dawn to dusk returning to his hotel well into the evening. Marconi also stated that he was keen to develop a station which would form a link to other planned stations in Norway and Iceland , being about the same distance as Poldhu was to Fraserburgh. These stations in turn would be able to relay messages to fishing vessels in the North Sea. 

The town dignitaries invited Marconi to a civic reception but on this occasion he declined the offer stating he had urgent business in London. However, during his stay he did attend church where a plaque  commemorating his visit remains to this day.

Marconi returned to Fraserburgh in April 1904 for a period of two weeks where again he conducted a number of experiments. On this occasion he did attend a civic reception which is well documented in the press of the day. I also have an original copy of the toast list and menu. At the end of his visit Marconi stated he was entirely satisfied with his work in Fraserburgh.

The following is the link to the Fraserburgh Heritage Centre

website:http://www.fraserburghheritage.com/default.asp?page=17