Harry Cheetham's Radio Operator License

National Museum of American History

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Object Details

Description
Harry Cheetham was one of the pioneers of early radio in the United States. His 1911 radio operator's license was issued shortly before Titanic sank, and the Boston Globe newspaper hired him to listen for and intercept radio communications messages from Carpathia while it steamed back to New York with the Titanic survivors aboard. Although Carpathia's captain had imposed a general radio blackout, it did communicate the names of survivors for the benefit of the families ashore who were anxiously awaiting news of their relatives' fates. Cheetham intercepted one of the survivor messages and sold the information to the Globe for $175.00.
Location
Currently not on view
Credit Line
from Harry R. Chetham
1911-1929
ID Number
EM.310187
catalog number
310187
accession number
112399
Object Name
radio licenses
See more items in
Work and Industry: Electricity
Communications
Titanic
National Museum of American History
Record ID
nmah_1351258
Metadata Usage (text)
CC0
GUID (Link to Original Record)
http://n2t.net/ark:/65665/ng49ca746ac-96ba-704b-e053-15f76fa0b4fa
Image of Harry Cheetham's Radio Operator License (front)
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