Edward S. Rogers, Sr.
| Edward S. Rogers Sr. | |
|---|---|
| Born |
Edward Samuel Rogers June 21, 1900 Toronto, Ontario, Canada |
| Died | May 6, 1939 (aged 38) Toronto, Ontario |
| Nationality | Canadian |
| Known for | Founder of Rogers Majestic |
| Spouse(s) | Velma Melissa Taylor (m. 1930–39) |
| Children | Edward S. Rogers Jr. |
| Parent(s) | Albert Stephen Rogers (1860-1932) Mary Ella Elsworth (1862-1946) |
| Relatives | Joseph Elsworth Rogers (1898-1960) |
Edward Samuel "Ted" Rogers (June 21, 1900 – May 6, 1939) was a Canadian pioneer in the radio industry and the founder of the Rogers Vacuum Tube Company and CFRB radio station. He is regarded as the founder of Rogers Communications, although it was established in 1967, almost three decades after his death.
Rogers was born on June 21, 1900, in Toronto, Ontario. His parents were Albert Stephen Rogers (1860-1932) and Mary Ella Elsworth (1862-1946). He had an older brother named Joseph Elsworth Rogers (1898-1960).
Rogers' father was a director with Imperial Oil Company and formerly a partner in Samuel and Elias Rogers Coal Company (later Elias Rogers and Company), founded in 1876 by his Quaker father, Samuel Rogers, and his uncle, Elias Rogers (d. 1920). Elias Rogers served as a Toronto alderman for St. Lawrence Ward in 1887. The family descends from Timothy Rogers, the founder of Newmarket, Ontario and Pickering, Ontario.
Rogers first became interested in radio when he saw a receiver at age 11. By 1913, he was noted in local newspapers for his skill at operating a radio station, which at the time was an impressive technical accomplishment. Rogers worked as a radio officer on Great Lakes passenger ships during the summers of 1916-1919 inclusive. In 1921, Rogers operated the only Canadian (and only spark-gap) station to successfully compete in the first amateur trans-Atlantic radio competition. Rogers held the amateur radio call sign 3BP, and joined the Canadian chapter of the American Radio Relay League in 1921.
In the early 1920s, radio transmitters and receivers ran on large and expensive batteries to provide the high voltages needed for the vacuum tubes used. Early attempts at producing a radio receiver to operate on household alternating current were unsuccessful, since tubes designed for the low current supply from batteries were unsatisfactory when operated on 25- or 60-hertz alternating current. The batteries were also extremely large and bulky.
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