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Rushden Echo, 5th May 1922, transcribed by Kay Collins
Rushden Canadian’s Success
The Barwick Company
Radiophone Music Carried over Hundreds of Miles

Wireless telephonists in Rushden and district will be greatly interested in a letter and enclosures which the Editor of the “Rushden Echo” has received from Mr. M. Barwick, of the Barwick Radio Company, Hamilton, Canada, and son of Mr. and Mrs. J. Barwick, of 21 Fitzwilliam-street, Rushden.

Writing about the boom in radio-telephony he says: “Often when I get home at night, instead of answering my business letters, I just sit down and listen to the Radiophone music and I hear some of the most beautiful. I can get it from Pittsburg (220 miles away), Newark (300 miles), Washington (500 miles), Madison (75), Indianapolis (800), Chicago, Detroit, Springfield, New York, and several others. Nearly every night I have quite a number in to listen—mostly prospective customers. People here have gone crazy over it. I have had about 20 people and firms after me, either to offer me a job or go into partnership. I have not known what to do, so another fellow and I are incorporating a Stock Company, and we are applying for a Charter to operate as the Barwick Radio Co. Ltd.

“There are so many crooks here that one does not know whom to trust, but I seem to have good friends who have been able to let me know the ‘history’ of all who have been after me, and I think I am doing right now. I shall be the president of the Company, and my business, name, stock, and experience, will give me the controlling interest. I am enclosing a programme of the concerts from P ittsburg and a photo of one of my sets. I look forward regularly with pleasure to receiving my ‘Rushden Echo’ every week, as I like to get all the Rushden news.”

The photograph which Mr. Barwick sends us shows a very fine specimen of a beautifully-finished instrument, typical of the wireless apparatus turned out by the Barwick Company.

The programme, which is a four-page illustrated leaflet, shoes aon the front page a party of American theatre and music hall stars, one of whom is giving a comedy turn “into” the Pittsburg Station radio transmitter. On page two is a list of divine services and scientific lectures, three each day, “sent out” by wireless telephony. These include service at Pittsburg Station Radio Chapel, Pittsburg Trinity Episcopal Church, and the Calvary Church; also musical services from these churches, and such lectures as “Modern Photography,” “Pittsburg: its Industrial Importance,” “Talks on dress,” etc. Concerts are also given for the children. One pathetic instance of the use of radio-telephony is an illustration of a blind lady of 90, whose days are brightened by the pleasure she derives from listening to music and lectures every day.

Rushden and district amateur wireless operators continue to get good results, the Chelmsford (Marconi) Concerts being heard very distinctly, but in the United Kingdom, owing to official restrictions, and the consequent lack of transmission, not a hundredth-part of the public concerts are received here, compared with the American radio transmission. It is confidently anticipated, however, that the British restrictions will before long be considerably modified.

Mr. Herbert Barwick, another son of Mr. and Mrs. J. Barwick, is a commercial agent for several British firms in San Paulo, Brazil. He also writes home expressing his appreciation of the “Rushden Echo” which he receives regularly, greatly to his pleasure.



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