David E. Hughes (1831-1900),British-born US inventor,physicist and electrical engineer. Hughes emigrated with his family to the USA in 1838. His machine for printing telegraph messages,invented in 1855,became widely used throughout the US and Europe. Hughes,who was an accomplished musician,harpist and professor of music,also invented a carbon microphone. He was elected Fellow of the Royal Society in 1880,and awarded the Society's Royal Medal in 1885. He was President of the UK's Institution of Electrical Engineers in 1886. Portrait from 'History of the Institution of Electrical Engineers 1871-1931' (Appleyard,1939) |