Madigan's Telegram
Cecil Madigan, whom Mawson knew as a science graduate from the University of Adelaide, was desperate to be part of Mawson’s band.
But his mother had other ideas, admitting in a letter to Mawson that she had sent him to England to take up his Rhodes scholarship to Oxford "hoping he give up the idea of joining the Expedition". (To which Mawson replied that judging by her letter, Madigan owed much to his mother’s qualities, and assured her that she would always be glad he decided to accompany the Expedition.)
Madigan postponed his scholarship to become the AAE’s Cape Denison meteorologist.
The paragraph above is taken from the AAD website. The ANARE Club acknowledges AAD's generosity in allowing us to reproduce it.
But his mother had other ideas, admitting in a letter to Mawson that she had sent him to England to take up his Rhodes scholarship to Oxford "hoping he give up the idea of joining the Expedition". (To which Mawson replied that judging by her letter, Madigan owed much to his mother’s qualities, and assured her that she would always be glad he decided to accompany the Expedition.)
Madigan postponed his scholarship to become the AAE’s Cape Denison meteorologist.
The paragraph above is taken from the AAD website. The ANARE Club acknowledges AAD's generosity in allowing us to reproduce it.
Looking for Madigan's Telegram - Update No. 1
Some of you may recall that Bill Burch wrote in with an interesting suggestion for the AAE celebrations
‘...Make every effort to find the original telegram from Mawson’s deputy Madigan telling his fiancée he would have to stay another year!’ The full text of Bill's suggestion is copied below.
Well we haven’t had much luck with tracking down the telegram, but there have been some interesting developments.
We have been able to make contact with two of Madigan’s direct descendents through information supplied by several ANARE Club members. Unfortunately neither they, nor their immediate families have any knowledge of the telegram as described above. But now they are interested, and looking for it, so the telegram may turn up yet!
However in a nice twist, Joe Johnson (C81, D98) provided the following story.
‘...The Madigan family historian is Mrs Julie Butler ...I think she's the grand-daughter - Madigan's surviving daughter who is quite old lives in Yass. The only reason I know this is that a few weeks ago on StateLine (ABC TV) here there was a brief segment on Ms Madigan's home and a mention made of her link with the Antarctic.
‘...Make every effort to find the original telegram from Mawson’s deputy Madigan telling his fiancée he would have to stay another year!’ The full text of Bill's suggestion is copied below.
Well we haven’t had much luck with tracking down the telegram, but there have been some interesting developments.
We have been able to make contact with two of Madigan’s direct descendents through information supplied by several ANARE Club members. Unfortunately neither they, nor their immediate families have any knowledge of the telegram as described above. But now they are interested, and looking for it, so the telegram may turn up yet!
However in a nice twist, Joe Johnson (C81, D98) provided the following story.
‘...The Madigan family historian is Mrs Julie Butler ...I think she's the grand-daughter - Madigan's surviving daughter who is quite old lives in Yass. The only reason I know this is that a few weeks ago on StateLine (ABC TV) here there was a brief segment on Ms Madigan's home and a mention made of her link with the Antarctic.
Looking for Madigan's Telegram - Bill Burch
Bill Burch wrote in with an interesting suggestion for the AAE celebrations, and I’m hoping that one of you may have some more information.
Bill wrote:
‘...Make every effort to find the original telegram from Mawson’s deputy Madigan telling his fiancée he would have to stay another year! It represents the first paper evidence of radio transmission from Antarctica. Madigan’s son, Russell, was the head of ConZinc Rio Tinto and was a keen ‘home from the blizzard’ fan. He had been going through his Mother’s things after she died and found the telegram. He showed it to me in Canberra many years back, and I urged him to ensure it was kept in the National archives somewhere. Sadly he also died and ...no one seems to know where it is. He allowed me to make a photocopy that day in Canberra and I sent it to Malcolm Kirton with an accompanying story for “Aurora”. Now the photocopy has also vanished, but at least it got into our journal. What I am leading up to is to reproduce the radio links by Morse code between Commonwealth Bay and Australia. That telegram went from Mawson’s Hut to Macquarie Island to Hobart Radio to Glenelg in SA for delivery. Using the MHF folks down there over summer, and simulating the frequencies and antennae of those times, we could re-enact their frustrations with communications....’
The Morse code radio link is one issue, and is being followed up separately with the Australian Antarctic Division, Mawson’s Hut Foundation and visiting tourist ships.
But it would be good to locate the original telegram as described above. Does anyone have any knowledge of the telegrams whereabouts? If not, is anyone interested in a treasure hunt? Bill has already checked out the National Library and Tasmanian Museum and Art Gallery with no luck.
Photocopy of original telegram by Bill Burch.
Note from the AAD website:
Cecil Madigan, whom Mawson knew as a science graduate from the University of Adelaide, was desperate to be part of Mawson’s band. But his mother had other ideas, admitting in a letter to Mawson that she had sent him to England to take up his Rhodes scholarship to Oxford ‘hoping he give up the idea of joining the Expedition’. (To which Mawson replied that judging by her letter, Madigan owed much to his mother’s qualities, and assured her that she would always be glad he decided to accompany the Expedition.) Madigan postponed his scholarship to become the AAE’s Cape Denison meteorologist.
posted 10/09/2010
Cecil Madigan, whom Mawson knew as a science graduate from the University of Adelaide, was desperate to be part of Mawson’s band. But his mother had other ideas, admitting in a letter to Mawson that she had sent him to England to take up his Rhodes scholarship to Oxford ‘hoping he give up the idea of joining the Expedition’. (To which Mawson replied that judging by her letter, Madigan owed much to his mother’s qualities, and assured her that she would always be glad he decided to accompany the Expedition.) Madigan postponed his scholarship to become the AAE’s Cape Denison meteorologist.
posted 10/09/2010
