P000836 revised AU-VU:EOAS Encyclopedia of Australian Science and Innovation

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 English AACR2 Anglo-American Cataloguing Rules Person created 1993-10-20 human Gavan McCarthy [P004098] and Helen Cohn updated 2026-03-05 human https://www.eoas.info/biogs/P000836b.htm person Todd Charles KCMG FRS AACR2 7 July 1826 29 January 1910 Place of Birth Islington, England Place of Death Semaphore, South Australia, Australia Astronomer Meteorologist Electrical engineer Charles Todd was an astronomer, meteorologist, and electrical engineer who, as South Australia's Superintendent of Telegraphs and Postmaster-General, made significant contributions to the development of South Australia. He worked for 14 years at the Royal Observatory, Greenwich, and the University of Cambridge observatory, as computer and gaining experience the use of telegraphy. He became fascinated by telecommunications. On being selected as observer and superintendent of electric telegraph for the South Australian government, Todd arrived in Adelaide in November 1855. One of his first projects, proposed in conjunction with his Victorian counterpart William McGowan, was the first national telecommunications system connecting South Australia, Victoria and New South Wales, and ultimately internationally. He also proposed a network of meteorological observing stations for which telegraph connections were vital. Todd's largest undertaking was the building of an overland telegraph between Adelaide and Darwin, the work accomplished by 1872 despite inadequate survey and labour problems. In parallel with his telegraph work, Todd continued his meteorological and astronomical work. By the time he retired 510 rainfall stations had been established in South Australia and the Northern Territory. Todd was actively involved in the local scientific societies, serving as President of the Royal Society of South Australia and the Astronomical Society of South Australia.

Todd became Superintendent of Telegraphs and Government Astronomer and Meteorologist in South Australia in 1855 at the age of 30. By 1858 he had completed telegraph links to Victoria and New South Wales and, by 1872, the overland telegraph to Darwin. As Superintendent of Telegraphs, he made it a duty of all his telegraph operators to make and transmit meteorological observations and he had soon established extensive observing networks throughout South Australia and the Northern Territory, and into Western Australia. Elected a Fellow, Royal Society of London in 1869, he played a leading role in the scientific life of South Australia, even after his formal retirement, until his death in 1909. A Hundred Years of Science and Service, Bureau of Meteorology, 2001.

From 'The Overland Telegraph Line: A transcultural history':
"Superintendent of Telegraphs Charles Todd shared the dominant Victorian view of relentless British expansion, inevitably expanding and sweeping across indigenous landscapes, and there is no doubt that he gave little thought to the effects on Aboriginal people of his technological installation penetrating and crossing their countries. It is worth noting then, that Todd thought it important to gather a vocabulary of Arabana words at the Peake telegraph station." [See reference below]

1841 1847 Career position - Astronomical Computer, Royal Observatory, Greenwich, United Kingdom 1847 1854 Career position - Assistant Astronomer, Cambridge Observatory, United Kingdom 1854 1855 Career position - Superintendent of galvanic apparatus, Royal Observatory, Greenwich, United Kingdom 1855 1870 Career Position - Astronomical Observer and Superintendent of Telegraphs, South Australia 1856 1880 Career event - Member, Adelaide Philosophical Society 1869 1869 Award - Fellow, The Royal Society, London (FRS) 1870 1905 Career Position - Postmaster-General, South Australian Post and Telegraph Department 1872 1872 Award - Commander of the Order of St Michael and St George (KCMG) 1873 1910 Career position - Member, Society of Telegraph Engineers, United Kingdom 1881 1882 Career Position - President, Royal Society of South Australia 1885 1885 Career event - Delegate, International Telegraphic Conference, Berlin 1886 1886 Award - Master of Arts (MA), honoris causa, University of Cambridge 1888 1888 Career event - Original [founding] member, Australasian Association for the Advancement of Science 1892 1910 Career Position - President, Astronomical Society of South Australia 1893 1893 Award - Knight Commander of the Order of St Michael and St George 1895 1910 Award - Fellow, Royal Astronomical Society, United Kingdom 1895 1910 Award - Fellow, Royal Meteorological Society, United Kingdom 1905 1905 Life event - Retired Royal Society of South Australia (1880 - )

President 1881 - 1882

 Adelaide Philosophical Society (1853 - 1880)

Member 1856 - 1880

 South Australian Post and Telegraph Department, Colony and State of South Australia (1870 - 1975)

Postmaster General 1870 - 1905

 South Australian Observatory and Telegraph Department, Colony of South Australia (1856 - 1869)

Astronomical Observer and Superintendent of Telegraphs 1855 - 1870

 Australasian Association for the Advancement of Science (1888 - 1930)

Original [founding] member 1888 -

 Dodwell, George Frederick (1879 - 1963)

Assistant astronomer to Charles Todd 1899 - 1909

Wikidata

VIAF - Virtual International Authority File

 Todd, Charles (1826-1910)

Trove

 'Todd, Charles', in Encyclopedia of Australian Science and Innovation, Centre for Transformative Innovation, Swinburne University of Technology Todd, Charles Swinburne University of Technology, Centre for Transformative Innovation Encyclopedia of Australian Science and Innovation Book Section: Todd, Sir Charles (1826-1910), astronomer, meteorologist and electrical engineer Symes, G. W. Todd, Sir Charles (1826-1910), astronomer, meteorologist and electrical engineer Melbourne Melbourne University Press 1976 Australian dictionary of biography, volume 6: 1851 - 1890 R - Z Bede Nairn 280-282 Resource Section: Todd, Charles Todd, Charles Australian Science Archives Project 1995 Physics in Australia to 1945 R.W. Home, with the assistance of Paula J. Needham Resource Section: Engineering Heritage : Biographies Engineering Heritage : Biographies Engineering Heritage Australia 2024 Engineering Heritage Australia : wiki website Resource Section: Charles Todd - supervised construction of Overland Telegraph Line Charles Todd - supervised construction of Overland Telegraph Line 1997 The 1997 Australian Science Festival Journal Article: The Overland Telegraph Line - Its early history Richards, J. B. The Overland Telegraph Line - Its early history 1915 South Australian Institute of Engineers: Biennial proceedings 1913 - 1915 94 - 115 Book: The Origins of Australian Meteorology, Metarch Papers No. 12 Gibbs, W. J. The Origins of Australian Meteorology, Metarch Papers No. 12 Bureau of Meteorology 1998 Resource Section: The Origins of Australian Meteorology Gibbs, W. J. The Origins of Australian Meteorology 2001 Federation and Meteorology Australian Science and Technology Heritage Centre Journal Article: The Overland Telegraph and Undersea Cable: Australia's First Electronic Information Network McCarthy, Gavan The Overland Telegraph and Undersea Cable: Australia's First Electronic Information Network 2001 Australasian Science 22 10 46 Edited Book: Anything is possible: 100 Australian engineering leaders Engineers Australia Anything is possible: 100 Australian engineering leaders Barton, A.C.T. Institution of Engineers, Australia 2019 Journal Article: A Review of Meteorological Work in Australia Todd, C. A Review of Meteorological Work in Australia Australasian Association for the Advancement of Science 1894 Report of the fifth meeting of the Australasian Association for the Advancement of Science 5 246-270 Journal Article: "Telegraph" Todd and the Semaphore time ball Abell, Lesley; and Kinns, Roger "Telegraph" Todd and the Semaphore time ball 2010 Journal of the Historical Society of South Australia 38 42-57 Journal Article: From Outback Icon to Imperial Time Lord: "Reinventing" Sir Charles Todd (1910-2010) Cryle, Denis From Outback Icon to Imperial Time Lord: "Reinventing" Sir Charles Todd (1910-2010) 2011 Journal of Australian Studies 35 65-82 Journal Article: "And now the biography": 150 years of "Telegraph" Todd Cryle, Denis "And now the biography": 150 years of "Telegraph" Todd 2018 Australian journal of telecommunications and the digital economy 6 1 84-106 Review: The weatherman from Greenwich: a new book "about" Charles Todd Campbell, Leith H. The weatherman from Greenwich: a new book "about" Charles Todd 2018 Australian journal of telecommunications and the digital economy 6 1 115-7 Book: The weatherman from Greenwich: Charles Todd 1826 to 1910 Rogers, Tony and Ferrante, Judy The weatherman from Greenwich: Charles Todd 1826 to 1910 Adelaide Australian Meteorological Association 2017 Journal Article: Charles Todd: powerful communication technocrat in colonial and federating Australia Livingston, Kevin T. Charles Todd: powerful communication technocrat in colonial and federating Australia 1997 Australian Journal of Communication 24 3 1-10 Book: Behind the legend: the many worlds of Charles Todd Cryle, Denis Behind the legend: the many worlds of Charles Todd North Melbourne Australian Scholarly Publishing 2017 Book: An End to Silence: the building of the Overland Telegraph Line from Adelaide to Darwin Taylor, Peter An End to Silence: the building of the Overland Telegraph Line from Adelaide to Darwin Sydney Methuen Australia 1980 Journal Article: Charles Todd's observations of the transit of Venus Edwards, P. G. Charles Todd's observations of the transit of Venus 2004 Journal of Astronomical History and Heritage 7 1-7 Journal Article: Charles Todd, the Government Electrician Venus, Richard Charles Todd, the Government Electrician 2020 Journal of the Historical Society of South Australia 48 [1-16] Journal Article: Charles Todd and the Adelaide Observatory Edwards, P. G. Charles Todd and the Adelaide Observatory 1993 Proceedings of the Astronomical Society of Australia 10 349-54 Book: Telling Tennant's story: the strange career of the great Australian silence Ashenden, Dean Telling Tennant's story: the strange career of the great Australian silence Collingwood, Vic. Black Inc. 2022 Review: Journal of the Royal Australian Historical Society Waterhouse, Richard 2025 Journal of the Royal Australian Historical Society 111 1 119-21 Book: Charles Todd's magnificant obsession: the epic race to connect Australia to the world Dufty, David Charles Todd's magnificant obsession: the epic race to connect Australia to the world Crows Nest, N.S.W. Allen & Unwin 2024 Review: Charles Todd and the overland telegraph Holmes, Jim Charles Todd and the overland telegraph 2024 Journal of telecommunications and the digital economy 12 1 94-9 Book: Mr Todd's marvel: how one man telegraphed Australia to the modern world Courtenay, Adam Mr Todd's marvel: how one man telegraphed Australia to the modern world Warriewood, N.S.W. Woodslane Press 2023 Thesis: Measuring the stars and observing the less visible: Australia's participation in the Astrographic Catalogue and Carte du Ciel Stevenson, T. Measuring the stars and observing the less visible: Australia's participation in the Astrographic Catalogue and Carte du Ciel University of Sydney 2015 Journal Article: The story of the Overland Telegraph Line - Part 2 Cameron, A. R. The story of the Overland Telegraph Line - Part 2 Postal Electrical Society of Victoria 1945 Telecommunication Journal of Australia 5 5 283-9 Edited Book: They built South Australia : engineers, technicians, manufacturers, contractors and their work Cumming, D. A.; Moxham, G. C. They built South Australia : engineers, technicians, manufacturers, contractors and their work Adelaide D.A. Cumming and G.C Moxham 1986 Resource: The Overland Telegraph Line: A Transcultural History Nettelbeck, Amanda (and others) The Overland Telegraph Line: A Transcultural History South Australia South Australian Government 2023 Journal Article: The story of the Overland Telegraph Line - Part 1 Cameron, A. R. The story of the Overland Telegraph Line - Part 1 Postal Electrical Society of Victoria 1945 Telecommunication Journal of Australia 5 4 189-98 Journal Article: Charles Todd and the Overland Telegraph Symes, G. W.; and Ward, B. J. Charles Todd and the Overland Telegraph 1980 Proceedings of the Royal Geographical Society of Australasia, South Australian Branch 81 71 59-73 Journal Article: The subversive and the manager: organizing knowledge in a hard place - the Charles Todd Oration Lamberton, D. The subversive and the manager: organizing knowledge in a hard place - the Charles Todd Oration Telecommunication Society of Australia 2001 Telecommunication Journal of Australia 51 1 65-72 Journal Article: Aboriginal interactions with the Overland Telegraph Line, 1870 - 1880 Jones, Philip Aboriginal interactions with the Overland Telegraph Line, 1870 - 1880 2023 Journal of telecommunications and the digital economy 11 1 1-17 Book: Overland telegraph: the story of a great Australian achievement and the link between Adelaide and Port Darwin Clune, F. Overland telegraph: the story of a great Australian achievement and the link between Adelaide and Port Darwin Sydney Angus and Robertson 1955 Journal Article: Time balls and standard time in Australia Lomb, Nick Time balls and standard time in Australia 2025 Journal and proceedings of the Royal Society of New South Wales 158 1 5-15 Resource Section: Museums Victoria collections - Items Museums Victoria collections - Items Museums Victoria 2026 Journal Article: A century of telecommunications in the Northern Territory, part 2: the subsequent development of the route Woodrow, B. E. A century of telecommunications in the Northern Territory, part 2: the subsequent development of the route Telecommunication Society of Australia 1972 Telecommunication Journal of Australia 22 3 167-73 Resource: Technology in Australia 1788-1988 Academy of Technological Sciences and Engineering Technology in Australia 1788-1988 Online Melbourne Australian Science and Technology Heritage Centre 2000 Conference Paper: Australia's Overland Telegraph Line 1870-1872 Leybourne-Ward, N. Australia's Overland Telegraph Line 1870-1872 Barton, Australian Capital Territory Institution of Engineers, Australia 1994 First Australasian Conference on Engineering Heritage 1994: Old Ways in a New Land; Preprints of Papers 103-113 Resource: Federation and Meteorology Australian Science and Technology Heritage Centre Federation and Meteorology 2001 Edited Book: Wonders never cease: 100 Australian engineering achievements Engineers Australia Wonders never cease: 100 Australian engineering achievements Barton, Australian Capital Territory Institution of Engineers, Australia 2019 Journal Article: The early years of international telegraphy in Australia: a critical assessment Putnis, P. The early years of international telegraphy in Australia: a critical assessment 2008 Media international Australia 129 140-8 Journal Article: A century of telecommunications in the Northern Territory, part 1: the Overland Telegraph Todd, R. M. A century of telecommunications in the Northern Territory, part 1: the Overland Telegraph Telecommunication Society of Australia 1972 Telecommunication Journal of Australia 22 3 174-82 Book: Dictionary of Australian biography Serle, Percival Dictionary of Australian biography Sydney Angus & Robertson 1949 Resource: Science and the making of Victoria Australian Science and Technology Heritage Centre Science and the making of Victoria 2001 Charles Todd - Records State Library of South Australia, Mortlock Library of South Australiana Charles Todd - Records PRG 630 1855 - 1881 Papers of Sir Charles Todd, comprising letter of appointment, family correspondence, public testimonial and toast list relating to completion of the Overland Telegraph, congratulatory messages, certificate of membership of the Montevideo Philatelic Centre, letter book, lectures and letter from Richard Randell Knuckey re the surviving member of Leichhardt's expedition. 0.6 m Charles Todd - Records Geological Survey of South Australia Charles Todd - Records 1893 - 1899 Letters to H.Y.L. Brown c1893-99. Charles Todd - Records State Records of South Australia Charles Todd - Records 1852 - 1901 Letterbooks of correspondence written while in his official positions in South Australia including regular letters to R.L.J. Ellery and his suppliers in England c1852-1901. Melbourne Observatory - Records Public Record Office Victoria, Victorian Archives Centre Melbourne Observatory - Records VPRS 775 1859 - 1919 Outward letter books - colonial 1859-1919. 19 volumes Melbourne Observatory - Records Public Record Office Victoria, Victorian Archives Centre Melbourne Observatory - Records VPRS 869 1859 - 1862 Early historical inward correspondence 1859-62. 1 volume Melbourne Observatory - Records Public Record Office Victoria, Victorian Archives Centre Melbourne Observatory - Records VPRS 780 1852 - 1943 Inward Correspondence - Melbourne Observatory, 1852-1943 Melbourne Observatory - Records Public Record Office Victoria, Victorian Archives Centre Melbourne Observatory - Records VPRS 779 1859 - 1863 Outward correspondence - Geodetic Survey 1859-63. 1 volume Melbourne Observatory - Records Public Record Office Victoria, Victorian Archives Centre Melbourne Observatory - Records VPRS 776 1857 - 1880 R.L.J. Ellery's Letter Book (Melbourne Observatory) 1857-80. Includes Charles Todd's correspondence with the Victorian Government Astronomer c1857-1906. 1 volume Royal Society of South Australia - Records State Library of South Australia, Mortlock Library of South Australiana Royal Society of South Australia - Records SRG 10 1853 - 1969 Records of the Royal Society of South Australia, comprising minutes, correspondence, membership lists, annual reports, papers presented to the Society, rules, financial papers, photographs, membership list for 1939, papers relating to the Verco estate, notes to assist treasurers, cash book, papers relating to the Howchin estate, petty cash, stamps and letterbook (3 in 1), membership/subscription book and other papers. 3.55 m Sir Charles Todd Sir Charles Todd

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