The life and times of Alan Dower Blumlein

562 Pages·1999·53.4 MB·English

by  Burns

IET History of Technology Series 24
The Life and Times oT The Life and Times
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Alan Dower Blumlein was a genius and has been described as the Russell Burns held various md
greatest British electronics engineer of the twentieth century. Although appointments in higher education
htoe thwea sf ietrladgsi coafl ltye kleilplehdo nayt tahned a eglee cotfr ic3a8l , mhee acsounretrmibeuntetsd, emnoonrmopohuosnlyi c breesfeoarerc hreintirgin agn idn w19rit8in6g. Hone thhaes hbiesteonry of le T
electrical engineering for more than 25 i
and stereophonic recording and reproduction, high definition television, im
years. His publications include the three n
electronics, antennas and cables, and radar systems of various types.
books British Television: the formative
His accidental death in June 1942 was described by an Air Chief years, Radar Development to 1945 and e
Marshal as ‘a catastrophe’, and the Secretary of State for Air said that Televisions: an international history of s
‘it would be impossible to over-rate the importance of the work on the formative years, as well as over 50

which [Blumlein was] engaged’: his loss was a ‘national disaster’. He papers. An IET fellow, Professor Burns is
was responsible for saving many thousands of lives during the Second a past chairman of the IET’s History of
World War, and his endeavours in peacetime led to pleasure being Technology professional group, Archives Russell Burns
Committee and Science Education and
given to millions of people.
Technology Divisional Board.
This meticulous, extensively researched and well-referenced book
presents a balanced account of the life and times of a brilliant
engineer. It is certain to be the major biographical source on Blumlein
for all historians of technology and science.
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The Institution of Engineering and Technology
www.theiet.org
0 85296 773 X
978-0-85296-773-7
IET HIsTory of TEcHnology sErIEs 24
Series Editor: Dr B. Bowers
The Life and Times
of A.D. Blumlein
Other volumes in this series:
Volume 4 The history of electric wires and cables R.M. Black
Volume 6 Technical history of the beginnings of radar S.S. Swords
Volume 7 British television: the formative years R.W. Burns
Volume 9 Vintage telephones of the world P.J. Povey and R. Earl
Volume 10 The GEC research laboratories 1919–1984 R.J. Clayton and J. Algar
Volume 11 Metres to microwaves E.B. Callick
Volume 12 A history of the world semiconductor industry P.R. Morris
Volume 13 Wireless: the crucial decade 1924–34 G. Bussey
Volume 14 A scientists war – the diary of Sir Clifford Paterson 1939–45 R.J. Clayton
and J. Algar (Editors)
Volume 15 Electrical technology in mining: the dawn of a new age A.V. Jones and
R.P. Tarkenter
Volume 16 Curiosity perfectly satisfied: Faraday’s travels in Europe 1813-1815
B. Bowers and L. Symonds (Editors)
Volume 17 Michael Faraday’s ‘Chemical Notes, Hints, Suggestions and Objects of
Pursuit’ of 1822 R.D. Tweney and D. Gooding (Editors)
Volume 18 Lord Kelvin: his influence on electrical measurements and units
P. Tunbridge
Volume 19 History of international broadcasting, volume 1 J. Wood
Volume 20 The early history of radio: from Faraday to Marconi G.R.M. Garratt
Volume 21 Exhibiting electricity K.G. Beauchamp
Volume 22 Television: an international history of the formative years R.W. Burns
Volume 23 History of international broadcasting, volume 2 J. Wood
Volume 24 Life and times of Alan Dower Blumlein R.W. Burns
Volume 26 A history of telegraphy: its technology and application K.G. Beauchamp
Volume 27 Restoring Baird’s image D.F. McLean
Volume 28 John Logie Baird: television pioneer R.W. Burns
Volume 29 Sir Charles Wheatstone, 2nd edition B. Bowers
Volume 30 Radio man: the remarkable rise and fall of C.O. Stanley M. Frankland
Volume 31 Electric railways, 1880–1990 M.C. Duffy
Volume 32 Communications: an international history of the formative years R. Burns
Volume 33 Spacecraft technology: the early years M. Williamson
The Life and Times
of A.D. Blumlein
Russell Burns
The Institution of Engineering and Technology in association with The Science Museum
Published by The Institution of Engineering and Technology, London, United Kingdom
First edition © 2000 The Institution of Electrical Engineers
Reprint with new cover © 2006 The Institution of Engineering and Technology
First published 2000
Reprinted 2006
This publication is copyright under the Berne Convention and the Universal Copyright
Convention. All rights reserved. Apart from any fair dealing for the purposes of research
or private study, or criticism or review, as permitted under the Copyright, Designs and
Patents Act, 1988, this publication may be reproduced, stored or transmitted, in any
form or by any means, only with the prior permission in writing of the publishers, or in
the case of reprographic reproduction in accordance with the terms of licences issued
by the Copyright Licensing Agency. Inquiries concerning reproduction outside those
terms should be sent to the publishers at the undermentioned address:
The Institution of Engineering and Technology
Michael Faraday House
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Herts, SG1 2AY, United Kingdom
www.theiet.org
While the author and the publishers believe that the information and guidance given
in this work are correct, all parties must rely upon their own skill and judgement when
making use of them. Neither the author nor the publishers assume any liability to
anyone for any loss or damage caused by any error or omission in the work, whether
such error or omission is the result of negligence or any other cause. Any and all such
liability is disclaimed.
The moral rights of the author to be identified as author of this work have been
asserted by him in accordance with the Copyright, Designs and Patents Act 1988.
British Library Cataloguing in Publication Data
A catalogue record for this product is available from the British Library
ISBN (10 digit) 0 85296 773 X
ISBN (13 digit) 978-0-85296-773-7
Printed in the UK by Bookcraft Ltd, Bath
Reprinted in the UK by Lightning Source UK Ltd, Milton Keynes
Alan Dower Blumlein (1903-1942)

Contents
List of illustrations IX
Foreword xv
Preface xvii
Acknowledgements xix
Abbreviations xxi
Chronology xxiii
1 Early life 1
2 Long lines 47
3 Monophonic recording and reproduction 85
4 Stereophonic recording and reproduction 123
5 Pre-EMI television history 151
6 EMI and high-definition television 165
7 The London Station 209
8 Personality 227
9 Blumlein's technical achievements in electronics 247
10 Air defence 277
11 EMIV60 MHz job' 297
12 The battle against the night raiders and AI Mark IV 323
13 The Blitz and AI Mark VI radar 349
14 Miscellaneous wartime activities 371
viii Contents
15 The Battle of the Atlantic 419
16 The crash and its aftermath 459
17 Genius 483
Appendices 1 A D Blumlein and stereo sound recording
(J A Lodge) 497
2 AD Blumlein's patents 513
Index 523
List of illustrations
Frontispiece Alan Dower Blumlein (1903-1942)
1.1 Semmy Joseph Blumlein (1863-1914) 3
1.2 The Reverend William Dower and his wife Jessie (Edward), with
their daughters Mary Isabella, Jessie Edward and Alice Elaine 5
1.3 S J Blumlein and J E Dower, photographed at the time of their
marriage in 1889 9
1.4 AD Blumlein and his sister Mina photographed in 1904 12
1.5 AD Blumlein, c. 1906/7 15
1.6 (a) The timetable of Abbotsholme School, c. 1889/90. (b)School
rules, 1900-1919 21
1.7 Ovingdean Hall School 26
1.8 AD Blumlein, c. 1915 27
1.9 The antecedents of the Imperial College of Science and Technology 36
1.10 AD Blumlein at a Chelsea Arts Ball with Enid Marks 41
2.1 Connaught House, Aldwych, London 50
2.2 Connaught House staff, c. 1924-29. A D Blumlein is the third
person from the left in the back row 54
2.3 In 1927, Collard (standing outside the car) and Blumlein carried
out search-coil tests on the level of interference in Switzerland,
following the route of power lines and electric railways 58
2.4 Development of the phantom circuit: (a) phantom circuit based
on concepts of F Jacob, intended for the simultaneous operation of
three telephone circuits over two metallic circuits; (b) phantom
circuit (scheme ofj J Carty) using induction or repeating coils
instead of resistors. A, B, and C are telephone sets 61
2.5 Bell System standard method of loading phantom circuits and their
side circuits 63
2.6 (a) The distributed capacitances associated with a quad; (b) the
equivalent circuit 64
2.7 Illustrations from Blumlein's patent no. 323 037 of 13th September
1928 71