§ 159. Mr. Peter Freemanasked the Assistant Postmaster-General whether he will consider erecting a suitable memorial to Marconi at the spot on the Penarth cliffs where the first official wireless message was transmitted by him to the Island of Flatholme, about 40 years ago; and, in view of his friendship for animals, whether he will take steps to maintain this island as a bird sanctuary in perpetuity.
§ Mr. Burke:The first messages transmitted by wireless between Penarth and Flatholme were sent in 1892, under the auspices of the Post Office, by Sir William Preece, its then Engineer in Chief. Marconi did not arrive in Britain until 1896 and his experimental transmissions from Penarth, made with the aid of Post Office resources, were not carried out until 1897. It would hardly be appropriate therefore to dedicate a memorial to Marconi at Penarth.