Broadcast - 24 December 2023
As this weekly news is the last till that man in red arrives in just one more sleep, this is our final opportunity, to wish everyone a Merry and Safe Christmas. For those of us travelling over this period please take it easy. Enjoy your Christmas feast with family and friends, see you all next year.
And now for something completely different.
In the Examiner newspaper for the 3rd of December this year there was an article by Stephanie Dalton on a Launceston legend, Harry Lewis, or more commonly known by the moniker of “Harry the Jew”. His name was certainly recognised by many as he had a reputation of being a showman with a good heart. Harry certainly would have been known about by many local amateurs from Launceston.
If you had ever heard of him I am sure the mention of his name will bring back memories.
According to Stephanie and I quote he was a “Heavy weight boxer, demolition man, real-estate tycoon, entrepreneur, and notable businessman about Launceston” and that “Mr Lewis revolutionised the taxi industry after introducing the two-way radio in Australia in 1949” End quote.
My memory, from his name, is being told by many people over time that he always walked around carrying all his money in fat rolls of notes in his pockets. You remember strange things like that as a kid. HiHi It came as a surprise to me as I had never heard of the fact that he was the first to introduce two-way radios to his Taxi business in Launceston. I found no reference to him being an Amateur Radio operator which seemed a logical possibility to me. This warranted further investigation so “Trove, the place to explore all things Australian”, seemed like a good starting point. I managed to find a few relevant articles and I must admit I found them interesting reading.
On the 27th October 1948, that’s just on 75 years ago the Examiner newspaper in Tasmania had an article on Launceston’s “First to have Taxi Radio Phone.” Here is a short extract from the article and I quote:
“Launceston by the end of the year will have the first radio telephone communication system for taxis in Australia. A Frequency Modulation service with a range of between 20 and 30 miles is to be installed in the office and cars of one of the taxi-cab companies. This will make it possible for the office to contact any of the company's cars in or near Launceston and vice versa. There will also be communication between cars. The company's Launceston manager (Mr. A. J. Rushby) said yesterday that the service would be the first in Australia for taxis. A similar service would be used later in Melbourne.” “Mr. B. J. H Lutwyche (owner of Lutwyche Radio, George St. Launceston) said yesterday that the South Australian police had recently installed an identical system.” End quote.
Well they didn’t quite make the end of year deadline but they were very close by the date of the next article.
On the 27th April, 1949 the Mercury news paper reported:
“The first two-way radio system to be used by a taxi company in Australia is to be installed in a few weeks by the Plaza Taxi Service in Launceston.
The installation of a transmitting tower and station has just been completed on Bald Hill, and other equipment for the office control board and the cars is expected in about a fortnight from Adelaide, where it is being tested. The service manager (Mr. A. J. Rushby) said yesterday he had received inquiries from several Australian States about the system. He believed Launceston would be the first "place outside America where the service would operate. In England, two-way radio operated in police cars, but he believed it had not been installed in taxis. Mr. Rushby will also have the two-way radio installed in his private car, and in his motor launch. The installation will cost between £4,000 and £5,000.” End quote.
To give the amount of money some context, 4 to 5 thousand pound equates to about $278,000 today after inflation, according to the Examiner newspaper. I continued digging into Trove and also found:
On the 5th August, 1949 the Examiner reported that:
“First taxi service in Australia installed with two-way radio was inaugurated in Launceston yesterday. Plaza taxi service has fitted nine taxis and a control car with two-way frequency modulation sets which enable cars to be constantly on call from the company's office.
The radio hook-up will enable more efficient service to be given and will save a tremendous amount of running. Transmission station for the service is at Bald Hill. Spectators attending the inaugural ceremony outside the Town Hall yesterday saw a demonstration of how the taxis can be controlled either from the
control car or company's office. The Mayor (Ald. Henty) congratulated the company on its initiative in providing Launceston with the first radio controlled taxi service in Australia. The company's general man-ager (Mr. S Burke) and Mr. A. Rushby (Launceston manager) on behalf of the proprietor (Mr. H. Lewis) thanked those who had co-operated to make the service possible. The plant was made by Phillips Radio and installed by Lutwyche Radio. (of 69 George Street Launceston.)
Guests were entertained at the Brisbane Hotel after the ceremony.” End quote.
It certainly must have been a different type of first for Launceston considering prior to the introduction of the two-way radio, taxis used to line up on the street and answer the taxi phone that was mounted on a pole on the footpath. It would ring and give them where their next fare was to be. Remember this is a long time back in a technological progress time frame and there were only land lines and in this case you only had to dial a three digit phone number to contact Plaza Taxis which was 333 to book a taxi!
The statement: “it was believed in England, two-way radio operated in police cars, but he believed it had not been installed in taxis.” did however seem unlikely. Further Trove digging turned this article up dated the:
7th December 1949, the Herald Mercury reported that:
“London's first radio-taxi, recognisable by its roof aerial, is now on the streets after official passing by the police authorities. The idea is that anyone wanting a taxi telephones the owner's office, whence the driver is contacted by radio and directed to the fare. The police welcome the development because it may help to defeat crime, especially attacks upon taxi-men, of which there, has been a number recently. The radio-taxi driver could immediately call for help. The set has a range of 7 to 10 miles in Central London, and a much greater range in the suburbs. The owner is installing radios in his other taxis.” End quote.
So it looks like Launceston did indeed have the first Taxi two-way radio in Australia and indeed by the end of that year there was only one officially approved taxi testing the new technology in London.
The implementation was started just on 75 years ago and will celebrate it 75 birthday of commissioning in August next year.
So thank you Launceston legend, Harry Lewis, for your contribution to technological inroads into Australia. Harry Lewis 26th January 1912 to 5th November 1994.
P.S. Does anyone out there know if Lutwyche of Lutwyche Radio was an Amateur Radio Operator? I believe his first name was Bree. Please let me know.
Links to the Trove articles are included in the text edition of this broadcast.
27 Oct 1948 - Launceston to Have First Taxi Radio Phone - Trove (nla.gov.au)
27 Apr 1949 - RADIO TAXI SERVICE FOR LAUNCESTON - Trove (nla.gov.au)
05 Aug 1949 - Taxi Radio - Trove (nla.gov.au)
07 Dec 1949 - TAXI CALLS BY RADIO - Trove (nla.gov.au)
17 Jun 1952 - Phone Call Foils Shop-breaker - Trove (nla.gov.au)
Now back to the house keeping.
Club membership renewal - It’s that time of the year again - All club members should have received an e-mail with instructions on renewing their membership for 2024. For those that have not received a renewal please e-mail the secretary@ntarc.net This will allow us to update your e-mail address as there has been a large number of changes this year due to some internet providers divesting themselves of the bother of hosting e-mail.
UPCOMING EVENTS
The TestNet and TechNet session – is officially in recess. However, have a listen as there may still be ongoing activities on a Wednesday night on 3.567MHz.
The Club Technical night session - is in recess until January.
The Friday Coffee Morning – is in recess until January.
FINALLY - A reminder to all members that if you have any items of news you would like added to our weekly roundup, no matter how trivial, then please email them to the Secretary at the following address news@ntarc.net all items to be received no later than 5pm on the Friday prior to the Broadcast.
That’s all folks,
73 from Stefan, VK7ZSB, Secretary NTARC Inc.
