Message to Mars

So many messages, so many communications, so many firsts… Radio Station Rugby’s history is rich and varied. However, two messages do stand out from all of the rest. Perhaps because these messages were sent to Mars!

The first was sent as a private telegram from Dr Mansfield Robinson, a London lawyer and ex-town clerk of Shoreditch. The message, which read ‘Love from Earth to Mars’ was sent on the morning of 24th October 1928. Despite the distance, the Post Office only charged the normal rate of 1/6d a word as it cost no more to transmit than a normal message. However, he was charged extra for monitoring for a reply at the GPO’s St Albans Receiving Station. No reply was ever received.

The second message was sent by Mrs AMB St. Vincent-Jaxon of New Zealand on 26th January 1929 and was repeated on 19th June 1929. Her rather curious message read ‘OSIRIS, ANUBIS, FACE, TEN, EIGHT, FIFTEEN, THIRTYONE – JAXON.’ Once again, there was no reply.