Tweet

Sir John Ambrose Fleming & The History of the Telephone

Guest post by: Nicolas DAlleva

Article Overview: Sir John Ambrose Fleming, better known as John Fleming, worked to develop the first diode and triode vacuum tubes. Aming the tubes applications in early computers, they were also essential to early telephones.

Sir John Ambrose Fleming & The History of the Telephone

A look into the history of communication and the telephone could not be complete without a mentioning Sir John Ambrose Fleming. Everything computer related and radio related we use today, from the PC you are using to view this article to equipment used to run telephone answering services to modern day cellular phones can be traced back to his invention of the vacuum tube which was an essential element in the first primitive computer. Born in Lancaster and educated at University College School, John Ambrose Fleming started school at the age of ten, previously being taught by his mother. Fleming took an interest in geometry. It was while at school that he had decided he wanted to become an engineer. As a child, he built model boats and engines and took up a love for photography. His family was not wealthy and because of his ambitious future, he had to come up with his own financial means. While working, he became a chemistry student at the Royal College of Science and later at Cambridge. Fleming graduated with a degree in chemistry and physics. Later, he became the first Professor of Physics and Mathematics at the University of Nottingham. He married Clara Ripley in 1887 then later married Olive May Franks. After working as a professor for only a year, Fleming took up a job as electrician of the Edison Electrical Light Company. There he advised workers on lighting systems and alternating current systems. In 1884, Fleming became the Chair of Electrical Technology at University College London, but he was not thrilled with the job.

In 1904, Fleming invented the two-electrode vacuum-tube rectifier, called the oscillation valve. This invention is often considered to have been the beginning of electronics because this was the first vacuum tube. This invention was used in radio receivers and radars for many years after.

At the age of 77, Fleming retired. But in 1933 he was awarded the IRE Medal of Honor for "the conspicuous part he played in introducing physical and engineering principles into the radio art." Modern day telephone answering service and radio communications have roots with some great minds and their inventions including Fleming and his introduction of the Vacuum tube.

Related Articles
  Joint Ventures - What Goes Around, Comes Around
  Connecting With Others
  How To Make Reality Catch Up.
  Edward Christopher Wente and the Condenser Microphone
  Perspective
  Marketing Software
  Misconceptions About VoIP
  Your Focus Determines Your Direction
  On the Subject of Marketing Integrity
  Don't Be Slammed, Crammed or Scammed
  What’s a friend worth to you?
  How do you get to see a prospect who doesn’t want to see you?
  3 Secrets to Finishing Work Earlier
  Looking Back Planning Ahead
  Brief History of the Telephone
  Michael Faraday: A Chemist & A Physicist
  Wikipedia for Patents
  Tips for dealing with the media
  Raise The Bar
  A Brief History of Data Communications

Article Tags: ambrose fleming, john ambrose fleming, vacuum tube



Related Forum Posts
Re: Quote of the Day - "People are not lazy. They simply have im - Yesterday is History, Tomorrow is a mystery and Today is a gift –that is why we call it the present –Cherie Carter-Scott
Re: Greetings Hi from John Alexander at SearchEngineWorkshops - [quote="Mal Tindle":28os1n82]Hello John, Welcome to the forum, I hope you enjoy your time here. We are a friendly bunch and with your background you have a lot to bring to the table. I very much look forward to seeing you around the topics and sharing your experiences with us, best wishes, Mal.[/quote:28os1n82] Thanks so much Mal for the welcome. I'll hope to help where I can. Best wishes, John Alexander
Re: Q2 Triple Crown Winners! - [quote="Evan":1qcxir7y]We've never had a 3 time winner before in the forums though. History in the making?[/quote:1qcxir7y] GT never won three times in a row? It seemed to me like he won every time before he became an admin and got excluded from the contest.
Re: 40 cents per dollar is spent in a franchised business - Hi Kevin and John: I definitely agree that it's a personal choice, but what makes it hard is that it is in essence a business decision as well. the mixture of the two and the weighing of each aspect makes it a difficult choice for me to understand. John, what kind of things go into the due diligence part? i think there must be more beyond understanding the nature of each franchise...such as the fit of the franchise with respect to location etc. owning a no-frill pizza franchise in a ritzy lifestyle-conscious neighborhood might not be as good as say a healthy juice-bar type of franchise etc. any market research help available out there?
Re: Q2 Triple Crown Winners! - GT was the first two time winner in the forums and now we have Trent! We've never had a 3 time winner before in the forums though. History in the making?


Share this article with your friends. Fund someone's dream.

Leave a comment below or share on the left and you'll help support entrepreneurs in Africa through our partnership with Kiva. Over $50,000 raised and counting - Please keep sharing! Learn more.

Newsletter

Get advice & tips from famous business
owners, new articles by entrepreneur
experts, my latest website updates, &
special sneak peaks at what's to come!

Name:
Email:

Popular Articles

Top 7 Tips to Real Estate Agents’ Success

Using Social Media Marketing

Purchasing Real Estate using the SBA 504 Loan

Suggestions

Email us your ideas on how to make our
website more valuable! Thank you Sharon
from Toronto Salsa Lessons / Classes for
your suggestions to make the newsletter
look like the website and profile younger
entrepreneurs like Jennifer Lopez.