The Tellurometer from Dr Wadley to the MRA7

"The Tellurometer: from Dr Wadley to the MRA7" by J R Smith, B Sturman and A F Wright is dedicated to all those who worked on the Tellurometer, especially at the Telecommunications Research Laboratory of the CSIR, the Trigonometrical Survey Office (Mowbray), and Tellurometer (Pty) Ltd. The book was sponsored by Tellumat.

Thoughts on an electromagnetic instrument that might be used for geodetic purposes crystalised after a definite request in 1954, from the Director of Surveys at the Trigonometrical Survey of South Africa.

The target of the request was the South African Council for Scientific and Industrial Research (CSIR) and there Dr. Wadley was put on to the task. By early 1957 a prototype had been tested and was ready for demonstration to an international audience.

The development of the Tellurometer from then through all its models up to 2005 is traced in the book, The Tellurometer: from Dr Wadley to the MRA7, together with reminiscences from people who were involved in some way with the early models.

The book came to be written as a result of a meeting with Mary von Hirschberg, one of the sisters of Trevor Wadley, who was keen to have some written memorial to her famous brother.

The publication was compiled by J R Smith, B Sturman and A F Wright. The term "compilers" has been used as it was very much a three-way collaborative exercise in unearthing references and illustrations from various sources. So no one section can be said to be by any one of the compilers.

Brian Sturman has long been associated with the firm of Tellurometer, now known as Tellumat. His knowledge of most of the models and collection of manuals, leaflets and papers about them was drawn upon to a considerable extent. He also still consults for Tellumat.

Alan Wright was for some time with Tellurometer as a technical sales liaison engineer and over the years has accumulated a vast collection of photographs and written material about the different models. His career also included a period surveying in the Antarctic when he gained valuable experience about the use of Tellurometers in extreme conditions. Subsequently he formed Global Surveys Limited.

Jim Smith sifted all the material that the others supplied and supplemented it with the help of comments and material from many other individuals as listed in the acknowledgements. He is at present Honorary Secretary to the History of Surveying group within the International Federation of Surveyors (FIG) and has written several books on different aspects of the history of surveying.

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