Harry S. Wragge AM (1929-2023) A Major Contributor to Australian Telecommunications
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Keywords
Obituary, Australian telecommunications history, telecommunications research, University of Melbourne, yachting
Abstract
Harry Stewart Wragge (23 November 1929–31 July 2023), Director of the Telecom (later Telstra) Research Laboratories (TRL) in Melbourne from 1985 to 1992, was a leading Australian research engineer. He catalysed the evolution of the public switched telephone network in Australia from its analogue, electromechanical form in the 1950s and 1960s to the digital, computer-controlled circuit-switched network of the 1980s and 1990s. His own research work was famous for his IST (integrated switching and transmission) project, building the first computer-controlled, integrated digital switch in the world to handle commercial telephone traffic (from 1974 to 1978). He also provided major support to telecommunications research at several Australian universities.
His many contributions were recognized by honours from the Australian Government, Melbourne and Monash universities, the Pearcey Foundation, the Telecommunications Society of Australia and the City of Frankston.
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References
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Burry, M., Healy, T., & Spurling, T. (2020). A passionate contributor publicly and privately. Sydney Morning Herald, September 4, 2020. Available at https://www.smh.com.au/national/a-passionate-contributor-publicly-and-privately-20200904-p55set.html
Campbell, I. (2023). Email to Jim Holmes, 8 August 2023.
‘Champion of the cause’. (1990). Kernot Memorial Medal: Harry Wragge. Journal of the Institution of Engineers, Australia, 62(24), 38.
Cleland, M. (2023). Harry’s Life Story: Eulogy for Harry Wragge, 8 August 2023.
Coxhill, R. (2007a). ‘History of the Telecom Research Laboratories’ at http://www.coxhill.com/trlhistory/
Coxhill, R. (2007b). ‘Harry S Wragge ([at TRL from] 1985–Dec 1992)’ at http://www.coxhill.com/trlhistory/history/wragge.htm
Cranks & Nuts. (1951). [Journal of the MUESC]. Available from the Curator, Faculty of Engineering and Information Technology, University of Melbourne.
Cranks & Nuts. (1953). [Journal of the MUESC] Club Committee, p. 20; MUESC Secretary’s Report, p. 50; 4th Year Electrical Notes, p. 54; Rogues Gallery entry “Wragge, Harry S” within 4th Year Electrical Engineering, p. 66. Available from the Curator, Faculty of Engineering and Information Technology, University of Melbourne.
Cranks & Nuts. (1954). [Journal of the MUESC] Engineering School Exhibition, p. 27. Available from the Curator, Faculty of Engineering and Information Technology, University of Melbourne.
Crew, G. (2023). Email to Peter Gerrand, 10 August 2023.
Feenaghty, B. (2023). Email to Peter Gerrand, 9 August 2023.
Gerrand, P. (1996). Adios ATR. Telecommunication Journal of Australia, 46(2), 34–36.
Gerrand, P. (2007). Fred Symons – Highlights of his Career. Available at http://www.coxhill.com/trlhistory/miscell/PeteraboutFred.pdf
Gerrand, P. (2021). Emeritus Professor Reginald Paul (Reg) Coutts (1949–2021). Journal of Telecommunications and the Digital Economy, 9(3), 186–193. https://doi.org/10.18080/jtde.v9n3.448
Hill, A. (2023). ‘Thoughts on Harry from Anne’, a tribute to Harry Wragge from his sister, 8 August 2023.
Jellie, D. (2010). Pioneer in Communications: Melvyn Keith Ward, AO, Engineer, Businessman. Sydney Morning Herald, November 12, 2010. Available at https://www.smh.com.au/national/pioneer-in-communications-20101111-17pew.html
Loughnan, K. (2023). Email to Jim Holmes, 7 August 2023.
Moyal, A. (1984). Clear Across Australia. A History of Telecommunications. Melbourne: Nelson.
‘Our Contributors’. (1967). H. S. Wragge. Telecommunication Journal of Australia, 17(2), 171.
Packer, J. (1997). An official history of the Department of Electrical and Electronic Engineering. University of Melbourne: Department of Electrical and Electronic Engineering. Especially chapters ‘Crisis’ (pp. 33–36), ‘Difficult Times’ (pp. 37–39) and ‘Renewal’ (pp. 41–46).
Pearcey Foundation. (2009). 2009 Pearcey Hall of Fame: Harry Wragge AM. Available at https://www.pearcey.org.au/awards/national/pearcey-hall-of-fame/2009-pearcey-hall-of-fame/ (updated July 2023).
Ries, I. (1999). Farewell to Blount and ‘eight years of triumph’. Australian Financial Review, February 17, 1999. Available at https://www.afr.com/politics/farewell-to-blount-and-eight-years-of-triumph-19990217-jladd
Roberts, P. (1991). QPSX signs up first overseas customer. Australian Financial Review, August 5, 1991. Available at https://www.afr.com/companies/qpsx-signs-up-first-overseas-customer-19910805-k4jam
‘Teletraffic Research Centre at the University of Adelaide’. (1987). Information Transfer News, Telecommunication Journal of Australia, 37(1), 68.
‘Telstra’. (2021). Teletraffic Research Centre Case Study. Available at https://set.adelaide.edu.au/teletraffic-research-centre/case-studies/telstra
Tucker, R. (2023). Email to Peter Gerrand, 7 August 2023.
Wion, F. W. (1963). Transistor Circuits for Generation of Exchange Service Tones and Bell Ringing Current. Telecommunication Journal of Australia, 13(6), 490–493.
Wragge, H. S. (2004). An extract supplied by Kate Wragge in August 2023 from a private memoir written by Harry Wragge for his family in 2004. Unpublished.
Wragge, S., Wragge, J., & Wragge, K. (2023). Tribute to Harry Wragge from his daughters, 8 August 2023.
Wragge, H. S. (1960). The Design of Transistor Circuits. Telecommunication Journal of Australia, 12(3), 151–163.
Wragge, H. S. (1961). Electronic Telephone Exchanges. Telecommunication Journal of Australia, 13(1), 14–18.
Wragge, H. S., & Wion, F. W. (1962). An improved Transistor Ring and Tone Generator. PMG Department Research Laboratory Report, No. 5510. (quoted in Wion, 1963, p. 493).
Wragge, H. S. (1963). 20-Line Experimental Electronic Telephone Exchange. Telecommunication Journal of Australia, 13(6), 479–451.
Wragge, H. S. (1967). Recent Developments in Electronic Telephone Exchanges. Telecom¬munication Journal of Australia, 17(2), 84–89.
Wragge, H. S. (1968). Design Study – Proposed IST Project. PMG Research Laboratory Report, No. 6151, October 1968.
Wragge, H. S. (1969). Experimental PCM Switching System in the Melbourne Telephone Network. Proceedings, Conference on Switching Techniques for Telecommunications Networks, London, pp. 161–164.
Wragge, H. S. (2013). Obituary: John Henry (Jack) Curtis CB BE(Hons) BSc BA 1920–2013. Journal of Telecommunications and the Digital Economy. 1(1), 11.1–11.3. https://doi.org/10.18080/jtde.v1n1.215
Bolt, C. (2000). Packer backs QPSX float. Australian Financial Review, December 8, 2000. Available at https://www.afr.com/politics/packer-backs-qpsx-float-20001208-k9v4b
Brown, W. A. (Bill). (2023). Email to Peter Gerrand, 4 August 2023.
Burry, M., Healy, T., & Spurling, T. (2020). A passionate contributor publicly and privately. Sydney Morning Herald, September 4, 2020. Available at https://www.smh.com.au/national/a-passionate-contributor-publicly-and-privately-20200904-p55set.html
Campbell, I. (2023). Email to Jim Holmes, 8 August 2023.
‘Champion of the cause’. (1990). Kernot Memorial Medal: Harry Wragge. Journal of the Institution of Engineers, Australia, 62(24), 38.
Cleland, M. (2023). Harry’s Life Story: Eulogy for Harry Wragge, 8 August 2023.
Coxhill, R. (2007a). ‘History of the Telecom Research Laboratories’ at http://www.coxhill.com/trlhistory/
Coxhill, R. (2007b). ‘Harry S Wragge ([at TRL from] 1985–Dec 1992)’ at http://www.coxhill.com/trlhistory/history/wragge.htm
Cranks & Nuts. (1951). [Journal of the MUESC]. Available from the Curator, Faculty of Engineering and Information Technology, University of Melbourne.
Cranks & Nuts. (1953). [Journal of the MUESC] Club Committee, p. 20; MUESC Secretary’s Report, p. 50; 4th Year Electrical Notes, p. 54; Rogues Gallery entry “Wragge, Harry S” within 4th Year Electrical Engineering, p. 66. Available from the Curator, Faculty of Engineering and Information Technology, University of Melbourne.
Cranks & Nuts. (1954). [Journal of the MUESC] Engineering School Exhibition, p. 27. Available from the Curator, Faculty of Engineering and Information Technology, University of Melbourne.
Crew, G. (2023). Email to Peter Gerrand, 10 August 2023.
Feenaghty, B. (2023). Email to Peter Gerrand, 9 August 2023.
Gerrand, P. (1996). Adios ATR. Telecommunication Journal of Australia, 46(2), 34–36.
Gerrand, P. (2007). Fred Symons – Highlights of his Career. Available at http://www.coxhill.com/trlhistory/miscell/PeteraboutFred.pdf
Gerrand, P. (2021). Emeritus Professor Reginald Paul (Reg) Coutts (1949–2021). Journal of Telecommunications and the Digital Economy, 9(3), 186–193. https://doi.org/10.18080/jtde.v9n3.448
Hill, A. (2023). ‘Thoughts on Harry from Anne’, a tribute to Harry Wragge from his sister, 8 August 2023.
Jellie, D. (2010). Pioneer in Communications: Melvyn Keith Ward, AO, Engineer, Businessman. Sydney Morning Herald, November 12, 2010. Available at https://www.smh.com.au/national/pioneer-in-communications-20101111-17pew.html
Loughnan, K. (2023). Email to Jim Holmes, 7 August 2023.
Moyal, A. (1984). Clear Across Australia. A History of Telecommunications. Melbourne: Nelson.
‘Our Contributors’. (1967). H. S. Wragge. Telecommunication Journal of Australia, 17(2), 171.
Packer, J. (1997). An official history of the Department of Electrical and Electronic Engineering. University of Melbourne: Department of Electrical and Electronic Engineering. Especially chapters ‘Crisis’ (pp. 33–36), ‘Difficult Times’ (pp. 37–39) and ‘Renewal’ (pp. 41–46).
Pearcey Foundation. (2009). 2009 Pearcey Hall of Fame: Harry Wragge AM. Available at https://www.pearcey.org.au/awards/national/pearcey-hall-of-fame/2009-pearcey-hall-of-fame/ (updated July 2023).
Ries, I. (1999). Farewell to Blount and ‘eight years of triumph’. Australian Financial Review, February 17, 1999. Available at https://www.afr.com/politics/farewell-to-blount-and-eight-years-of-triumph-19990217-jladd
Roberts, P. (1991). QPSX signs up first overseas customer. Australian Financial Review, August 5, 1991. Available at https://www.afr.com/companies/qpsx-signs-up-first-overseas-customer-19910805-k4jam
‘Teletraffic Research Centre at the University of Adelaide’. (1987). Information Transfer News, Telecommunication Journal of Australia, 37(1), 68.
‘Telstra’. (2021). Teletraffic Research Centre Case Study. Available at https://set.adelaide.edu.au/teletraffic-research-centre/case-studies/telstra
Tucker, R. (2023). Email to Peter Gerrand, 7 August 2023.
Wion, F. W. (1963). Transistor Circuits for Generation of Exchange Service Tones and Bell Ringing Current. Telecommunication Journal of Australia, 13(6), 490–493.
Wragge, H. S. (2004). An extract supplied by Kate Wragge in August 2023 from a private memoir written by Harry Wragge for his family in 2004. Unpublished.
Wragge, S., Wragge, J., & Wragge, K. (2023). Tribute to Harry Wragge from his daughters, 8 August 2023.
Wragge, H. S. (1960). The Design of Transistor Circuits. Telecommunication Journal of Australia, 12(3), 151–163.
Wragge, H. S. (1961). Electronic Telephone Exchanges. Telecommunication Journal of Australia, 13(1), 14–18.
Wragge, H. S., & Wion, F. W. (1962). An improved Transistor Ring and Tone Generator. PMG Department Research Laboratory Report, No. 5510. (quoted in Wion, 1963, p. 493).
Wragge, H. S. (1963). 20-Line Experimental Electronic Telephone Exchange. Telecommunication Journal of Australia, 13(6), 479–451.
Wragge, H. S. (1967). Recent Developments in Electronic Telephone Exchanges. Telecom¬munication Journal of Australia, 17(2), 84–89.
Wragge, H. S. (1968). Design Study – Proposed IST Project. PMG Research Laboratory Report, No. 6151, October 1968.
Wragge, H. S. (1969). Experimental PCM Switching System in the Melbourne Telephone Network. Proceedings, Conference on Switching Techniques for Telecommunications Networks, London, pp. 161–164.
Wragge, H. S. (2013). Obituary: John Henry (Jack) Curtis CB BE(Hons) BSc BA 1920–2013. Journal of Telecommunications and the Digital Economy. 1(1), 11.1–11.3. https://doi.org/10.18080/jtde.v1n1.215
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Sep 30, 2023
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Gerrand, P. (2023). Harry S. Wragge AM (1929-2023): A Major Contributor to Australian Telecommunications. Journal of Telecommunications and the Digital Economy, 11(3), 195–211. https://doi.org/10.18080/jtde.v11n3.787
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