History of wireless telegraphy and broadcasting in Australia/Topical/Biographies/Florence Violet Granville

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Florence Violet Granville

Potted Biography

Granville (nee) / Wallace / McKenzie, Florence Violet "Mrs Mac" [1] - 1890(Vic)-1982(NSW) - Licences: 2GA Receive Sydney (CBD, 1922-1924); 2GA Sydney (CBD, 1924; Greenwich, 1925-1939); 2FV Sydney (Sydney, 1946-1950; Circular Quay, 1954; Greenwich, 1955-1958) - Qualifications: cc; AOCP 109, 1925, No. ?? in NSW; AIR3 847, 1946; COCP3 559, 1947 - amateur receiver, amateur operator, amateur broadcaster, electrical engineer, business proprietor, signals instructor - Electoral Rolls: not stated (Lane Cove, NSW, 1930-1963; Greenwich, NSW, 1968-1977) - TroveTag: "2GA-2FV - Florence Violet Granville" - Links: Wikipedia; ADB; Dictionary of Sydney; ABC

Selected Biographies

Excellent biography of Violet as at 1922 in the Sydney Sun

ROYAL RAIMENT. ELECTRIC WOMAN. BREAKING NEW GROUND. Wires and Wireless.

There is an old saying that "if you know what you want life will give it to you." Miss F. V. Wallace, who has just won the first diploma for electrical engineering in Australia, is a living example of the adage. "I started my work as an electrical engineer with a five-pound note," she said when referring to the recent public distinction she has achieved. "Today the diploma doesn't mean very much to me, because I have been working steadily at my job for the last seven years. A great many people have never heard about the only woman in the business, but all the same I have had no trouble in getting all the contracts I could deal with. Before I took up this work I was a teacher of mathematics in Armidale. It suddenly occurred in church one night that I was wasting my time at that, and a strong feeling came over me that I ought to to study science. I didn't hesitate. I came back to Sydney, for although I belong to Austinmer I was educated at a Sydney high school, and I went to the 'Uni.' and studied science for a year. At the same time I attended the Technical College in the evenings and went through the engineering course." Miss Wallace's grey eyes flash with the enthusiasm that has made her — the only woman amongst hundreds of men — a success today. Petite and frail to look upon, she has obviously boundless energy and an indomitable will.

THE HELPING HAND. "Yes, naturally the men were curious about me at first. They used to peep at me over the partition and through the doors, but I just waved back at them, and very soon they were treating me as one of themselves. Perhaps it's because I'm little, but I've never had anything to complain of in that way. There has never been a hint of superiority nor of contempt. I have always found that men tire ready to help me with my work rather than criticise it. "I remember the first evening at the Tec. It was 'practical night,' and the instructor gave me some soldering to do, probably thinking it would finish my enthusiasm. But that was child's play to me — the sort of thing I'd been doing since I was a kid. And anyway the boys all came round and offered to show me the best way to do it. "I got my first job through an advertisement. Someone at Undercliffe wanted a house wired, and though I had only book knowledge at the time of that sort of work, I wasn't afraid I couldn't do it if I got the job. It was a fearfully hot day, and the house was about two miles from the tram. I got the job because I was the only 'contractor' to arrive there. I employed a lad to help me, and — well, there were no complaints when it was done. Since that day contracting has been so ridiculously easy for me that I have had as many orders as I could keep up with." Miss Wallace went on to tell how she started her office and workshop combined at Rawson Chambers, where she threw herself on the mercy of the manager to lend her a few chairs, a table, and a strip of oilcloth to make a show for the customers. She had no tools in the beginning, but bought them with her first earnings. The men from the Technical College used to bring her their odd jobs, or come to work themselves in her workshop which was open house to them. It is the same thing today. When she transferred to the electrical and wireless shop that she now presides over she bought the entire stock of the wireless vendor who preceded her and began to take an interest in wireless telegraphy beyond the mere selling of the apparatus.

DOTS AND DASHES. "The first man who came in for an iron pyrites crystal made me feel ashamed that I couldn't talk his language — he was a wireless operator from one of the boats — but I set about rectifying that, and very soon I was a keen convert to the radiograph. Today I could talk about wireless for hours and never get tired of it. Indeed I am so enthusiastic that I am giving up contracting altogether as soon as I can finish the orders I have on hand, and am going to devote myself entirely to wireless. We make the machines here. I have my own lathe upstairs, and we turn out the entire machines, both the crystal and the valve wireless apparatus. The connecting telephones come from America, but the ebonite and the crystals, and even the copper wire for the drums, are all produced locally. With this little machine that you can carry in your hand we are able to pick up Melbourne and all adjacent stations, while the valve machine puts us in touch with New York, the Eiffel Tower, Carnarvon, and all the big wireless stations abroad. There are five thousand amateur wireless enthusiasts in Australia, and supplying their needs is a trade — a growing trade — in itself." Through Miss Wallace having taken up a collection for the wireless operator of the Helen B. Sterling, who lost heavily in the wreck, and the pleasant social gathering that was convened for the presentation, has grown the establishment of the Metropolitan Radio Club, of which she has been elected the treasurer. There were at the first meeting, held a fortnight ago in the Persian Garden, one hundred members, all residents of Sydney. Again Miss Wallace was the only woman member. This enterprising woman pioneer of one of the most necessary branches of the world's work is one of those who says little and does much.

Excellent biography of Violet up to 1927 in the Sydney Daily Telegraph

University Women in the Business Life of Sydney. How Commerce is Linked With the Higher Education. (Written for the "Sunday Pictorial" by "Achernar.") . . . . SOME SYDNEY WOMEN GRADUATES. . . . A WOMAN ENGINEER. Of unusual interest is the career of Miss F. V. Wallace (Mrs. C. R. McKenzie), who was educated first at the Sydney Girls' High School. Then she took the first year's course in Science at the University, later securing the Technical College engineering degree (Diploma — Associate, Syd. Tech. College). "This diploma," she says, "took five years to get — four to five nights' work per week — and during those years I carried on business as an electrical contractor, installing electric motors and wiring buildings, rewinding and repairing electrical apparatus. Then, in 1921, I opened an electrical and radio shop in the Royal Arcade, specialising later in radio — always on my 'own.' In 1924 I attended the New York Radio and Electrical Exhibition, and saw something of America." In December, 1924, Miss Wallace married Mr. C. R. McKenzie (electrical engineer) — "My most successful undertaking," she says — and in February, 1926, she sold out her business and retired. But in January, 1927, tired of "retirement," she accepted a position in David Jones's radio department, demonstrating and selling radio sets, etc. "I have the most optimistic views regarding the opportunities for women who have qualified in engineering," says Mrs. McKenzie. "While carrying on business as an electrical contractor I never had the least difficulty in obtaining contracts. I never seemed to meet with any prejudice or opposition. For some years I was treasurer of the Metropolitan Radio Club, and a member of the committee of the Sydney Technical College Engineers' Association. "I am satisfied that there is a large demand in business for qualified women, possibly because of their capacity for loyalty to their firm, their enthusiasm, and their attention to detail." . . . .

Resources

A comprehensive biography of Florence Violet Granville has not yet been prepared for this Wikibook, however the following resources have been assembled in preparation:

• Research - Florence Violet Granville - Summary of research to date

• Transcriptions and Notes - Florence Violet Granville - More than 40 transcriptions and notes in chronological order (reads like a detailed biography)

• Photos, QSL cards and other graphics - Florence Violet Granville - Nothing uploaded as yet, but several photos identified

• Incubator of Wikipedia Article on Florence Violet Granville - Coming real soon now!

Key Articles

Some gems prospected from Trove: