Watson's Radio Club

SK - G6AF - William Anderson, M.A., F.R.S.E.

(Died 14 August 1948)

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Mr William "Bill" Anderson was the first person to hold an Amateur Radio callsign  - G6AF - at Watson's. He was the Head Science Master for 35 years from 1902 until his retirement in 1937 but we don't yet know when he got his licence. His earliest days there were when Marconi was developing spark transmission! His time included the years that your scribe's late father attended the school at Archibald Place. Mr Anderson's callsign does not include an "M" for Scotland as the secondary geographical indicator letter was not introduced till later. He must have been an accomplished scientist, to gain a Fellowship from the Royal Society of Edinburgh (as did Bill "Cappy Dick" Dickson, Head Chemistry Master, years later). Anderson's obituary in the Watsonian of Autumn 1948, p.87 makes no mention of his radio hobby and there is no photograph.The R.S.E. will be approached for a possible biography and photograph.