F. Higgins

F. Higgins ( -1915)

1915 Died. 'The Exchange Telegraph Company announces the death of its chief engineer, Mr F. Higgins, which took place at his residence in Stamford Hill on the lst inst. Mr. Higgins commenced his career at the Post Office telegraph department, and after passing through the junior rank was made superintendent of telegraphs in the Island of Mauritius. After being there some years he returned home, and entered the service of the Exchange Telegraph Company in the year 1873, devoting his inventive genius henceforth in the development of the type printing telegraph in the various forms now familiar to the public as tape instruments. In this he was particularly successful, besides perfecting various forms of relays, very largely increased the speed the instruments. The original form of tape machine, which brought over from America, known by the name its inventor, Mr T. A. Edison, when first worked in this country printed the rate of six words a minute only, but, thanks Higgins's skill, various important alterations and improvements were from time to time effected, resulting in the present form of the apparatus, which prints in tape form at the speed of from 35 to 45 words per minute, according to the individual skill of operator. In addition, he invented an instrument printing on broad bands of paper, known as the column printer, now largely in use in the principal clubs and hotels in London and the chief provincial towns. Mr Higgins was also the patentee of numerous inventions electrical fire alarms, and the author of many papers read before the Institute Electrical Engineers, of which he was a member. He leaves a widow and family, and several of his sons are now serving their country.'

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