The grumpy small town lawyer

Constantin Senlecq (1842-1934) was a lawyer living in the sleepy small town of Ardres, northern France, close to the English Channel. The cities in the Département Pas-de-Calais are small and the sky is often grey. It is as far as you can possibly get, in 19th century France, from the posh Parisian hot spots of science and lively intellectual debate. Senlecq was an educated amateur with a passion for science. And he was up to date on his topic. In 1878 he wrote an article on the mechanics of "seeing by electricity" that was widely reprinted in European and American newspapers. Yet, the constant grey sky hoovering over the northern cities had a deplorably displeasing effect on Senlecq's character. When more and more reports on Portuguese, British and American inventions appeared, Senlecq wrote cantankerous letters to Parisian newspapers vociferously claiming his priority in the invention, pretending everybody else had copied his ideas, which was not true. In 1880, he published a brochure with newspaper clippings on "seeing by electricity" - imitating Portuguese inventor Adriano de Paiva who had published such a brochure three months earlier. Many years later, in 1907, he got a patent for an advanced model of his invention which was not put into commercial use. Let us believe it made him happy. Constantin Senlecq spent his whole life in Ardres which looks like a terribly boring place on the picture above and probably really was.

Exercise: How do you think Senlecq kept himself up to date on electrical science? a) By subscribing to international electric and scientific magazines which the very efficient 19th century post office system brought to his house b) over the internet. Explain what you would do if you were forced to live in a tediously tiresome, dull and quintessentially dreary place like Ardres? Did you know how to pronounce "vociferously" and "cantankerous"? Listen to the examples!

Four residents of Ardres, France, discussing science in 1878:

Gentlemen scientists and engineering professionals

The 19th century was the last period of time when educated amateurs had a chance to contribute real scientific insight or to make a breakthrough invention. So "gentlemen scientists", engineering academics and business professionals all had their share in the invention of television. How was their working environment? Laboratories at universities were completely new. That is why the Cavendish Laboratory in Cambridge, founded in 1873, attracted the best young physicists from all over the world including, from 1882, women students. For the first time, students and teachers could build mechanisms and try out combinations of substances. No more learning by heart of unquestioned authorities, but fresh, empirical insight. Businessmen in the booming new industry of electricity built their own laboratories and workshops. Have a look at the picture below. These are the highly professional laboratories entrepreneur Thomas A. Edison set up for his numerous employees. The equipment was so excellent it would have made every "gentleman scientist" jealous. You wonder why Edison and his staff never invented a television device.


Exercise: Explain why it is important to have a huge laboratory in order to do good science. If you are unsure if women are allowed to study in your country look it up in the UNESCO global education digest. What do you think when Jewish and Muslim students were first allowed to attend Cambridge University? a) 1789 b) 1848 c) 1856. And the Berlin University? And the Sorbonne University in Paris? Look it up. You will be astonished.

Places of television history

In the 19th century, Europe was the center of technical progress throughout the world. America was slowly beginning to contribute to the world of science, and Japan just founded its Imperial College of Engineering in 1873. So where did the early television inventors live? Find out more on this interactive map! For a better viewing click here: THE PLACES OF TELEVISION HISTORY.

 
View The Places of Television History in a larger map