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History of wireless telegraphy and broadcasting in Australia/Topical/Biographies/Alan Owen Burrows

< History of wireless telegraphy and broadcasting in Australia‎ | Topical‎ | Biographies

Alan Owen Burrows

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Potted Biography

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Burrows, Alan Owen [150] - 1901(NSW)-1933(NSW) - Licences: Nil yet identified - Qualifications: cc; Nil yet identified - radio correspondent (Sydney Morning Herald, Sydney Sun); proprietor Miss F. V. Wallace (Wireless Shop), 1927-1933; president Waverley Radio Club - Electoral Rolls: radio dealer (Waverley, 1930-1933) - Comment: Gone too soon

Brief Biography

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Alan Owen Burrows was born 5 February 1901 at Windsor, NSW to Parents Richard Burrows and Eveline Mary Georgina Burrows nee Barraclough. Little is known of his young life, but clearly he had an early interest in journalism, and from 1922 occasional articles appeared in the Sydney Sun on a variety of domestic and radio topics, such as "Jewellery as an Art", "The Public Library", "Jewellery by Auction", "Wireless School at Work", "Everyday Surnames", "The Amateur Bushranger" and "Making it Yourself".

On 5 May 1924, he commenced a regular weekly column with the Sun exclusively devoted to radio and adopted the name "Ad Astra". The column focused upon the practical aspects of listening in, such as construction of sets and choices to be made in part selection.

From 6 August 1924, the name of the column was changed to "Wireless & Radio", together with a fancy graphic masthead, still staying with the Sydney Sun. Like most journalists of the day, he fell in line with the regulator and voiced opinions against inexperienced operators using regenerative sets and unlicensed listers poaching broadcasting programmes. He saw the need for programmes variety being fulfilled by the amateur broadcasters but did not promote individual operators. In November 1924 he was quick to announce two-way communication between Australia & England.

From 12 June 1925, Alan swung his allegiances to The Sydney Morning Herald, initially changing the name of his column to "Wireless Notes and News", but likely after complaint from similarly named columns in NSW, to just "Wireless" (3 July 1925). This column continued, largely unaltered to 20 July 1927.

On 2 August 1927, after more than two years with the SMH, he returned to the Sydney Sun, with the column name returning also to "Wireless & Radio", including even the original masthead graphic. The column continued uninterrupted until the final copy of 30 September 1930.

Resources

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A comprehensive biography of Alan Owen Burrows has not yet been prepared for this Wikibook, however the following resources have been assembled in preparation:

Key Articles

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Some gems prospected from Trove:

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