Henry Christopher Mance

In 1879, he was appointed electrician to the Department, which position he held throughout his working life.

An inventive man, he was responsible for a number of important developments in the field of cable laying, testing and usage.

In 1869 he invented the heliograph, a wireless solar telegraph that signals by flashes of sunlight using Morse code reflected by a mirror.

[4] Frustrated by Government lack of interest, he sent a number of his instruments to Lord Roberts for use during the second Afghan War, where the practical value of the invention was realised.

It was subsequently adopted by military services worldwide and was still being used in World War II.