Oliver's reputation as a clever worker had probably preceded him to Newcastle, coupled with the knowledge that he was Wheatstone's nephew. First impressions were favourable: one of his new colleagues remembered him as 'a very gentlemanly looking young man, always well dressed, of slim build, fair hair and ruddy complexion'. He was quiet and often wrapped in his own thoughts but by no means insular: he was always ready to explain the workings of the apparatus to newcomers and to discuss technical matters with anyone who had a genuine interest. Writers about Heaviside have generally commented that he didn't make much of a mark during his four years with the Great Northern in Newcastle. This is broadly true, but he did his duty well and, as we shall see, saved the company money with some ingenious trouble-shooting. Looking at things the other way, these four years of telegraph work certainly made a mark on him.

Inspec keywords: telegraphy

Other keywords: Oliver Heaviside; telegraph work

Subjects: Biographical, historical, and personal notes