Robert Portelli
Robert Portelli (c1841-1909)
1909 Obituary [1]
ROBERT PORTELLI died at Malta on March 30, 1909, at the age of 68, after a severe attack of pneumonia lasting only a few days.
He was for the greater part of his life in the service of the Eastern Telegraph Company, on whose staff he became a superintendent.
He established, in 1881, at his own expense, the telephone service of the Island of Malta, with exchanges at Malta and Gozo; and later on, at the suggestion of the military authorities, linked up the system with the Military Telephone Service.
During the cholera epidemic of 1887 he gratuitously provided telephone communication at the isolation hospitals.
In 1896 the late King Humbert conferred on him the distinction of Knight of the Order of the Crown of Italy.
He was elected an Associate of the Institution in 1874, and a Member in 1886.