John Logie Baird

He was born on the 13th August, 1888 born at The Lodge, 121 West Argyle Street, Helensburgh. At the age of 11 he attended Larchfield (now part of Lomond School).

Baird demonstrated a keen interest in science and technology from an early age. Whilst at school he designed a remote control for a camera, installed electricity in The Lodge and also built a glider. He also created a telephone network with his friends. One of whom, Jack Buchanan , become a star of stage and screen and a financial backer of Baird’s pioneering television development.

His studies at Glasgow University were interrupted by the outbreak of World War One. He served as superintendent engineer of the Clyde Valley Electrical Power Company as he had been declared unfit for the forces. He became a business man after the war’s end.

Baird moved to the south coast of England and began to apply himself to the creation of television.

Key Facts:

1924 – Transmitted a flickering image across a few feet
1926 – Gave world’s first demonstration of true television in London’s Soho
1927 – Demonstrated his Television over 438 miles of telephone line between London & Glasgow
1927 – Created Baird Television Development Company
1928 – Achieved 1st transatlantic TV transmission between London & New York,
1928 – First transmission to a ship
1928 – First demonstration of both colour and stereoscopic television
1929 – German Post Office backs his mechanical television system and commissions a TV service
1930 – Simultaneously transmits sound and vision
1935 – BBC selects Marconi all-electric TV system over Baird’s mechanical variant
1937 – Baird’s mechanical system dropped

John Logie Baird died on 14 June 1946 in Bexhill-on-Sea in Sussex.