Bruce Arundel

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Bruce Arundel

Postby cart_machine » Tue Jan 08, 2008 11:23 pm

It isn’t often we get requests here. But a request has come in for some information about Bruce Arundel, who was involved in the beginnings of radio in Vancouver. Unfortunately, there isn’t too much out there about him.

Arundel was born February 21, 1900 in Ripon, Yorkshire, England to George and Clara Arundel. The family picked up and came to Canada in 1903 and settled in Calgary, where Bruce’s two brothers were born. In late 1906, they moved to New Westminster and the following year were in Vancouver, where George Arundel (and his younger brother) worked as a carpenter and Bruce went to school.

Bruce became interested in radio as a teenager and became a marine wireless operator (he doesn’t appear to have served in World War One). At 18, he started teaching wireless telegraphy at Sprott-Shaw College, and continued to do so until four months before his death.

Sprott-Shaw also had its own radio station under several different sets of call-letters. One of Arundel’s obits says he and R.J. Sprott started the radio first station west of Winnipeg “about 1921.” The station was CJCE, run in conjunction with the Vancouver Sun. It eventually became CKMO and Arundel was a vice president of the station at the time of his death.

One obit also says he was “an original member of the Royal Vancouver Yacht Club.” That’s impossible, as the club was founded in 1903. It may refer to the opening of the club’s permanent clubhouse at Jericho in 1927.

He was married in Vancouver in 1929.

Arundel died on February 13, 1951; the death certificate reads “fibro-something-a” (it’s not fibromyalgia) as the cause.

cArtie.
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Postby Jack Bennest » Wed Jan 09, 2008 7:44 am

Hi Jack: I joined CKMO in December of 1944. Bruce Arundel and Anna Sprott owned Sprott Shaw School at the southwest corner of Robson & Howe Streets. The Radio Station CKMO, 1410 on the dial was located upstairs. The 100 Watt Transmitter was located on the 17th floor of the old Vancouver Sun Building
at Beatty & Pender St in Vancouver. Bruce was a big, burly guy, who loved his booze. I have a staff party picture, taken in May of 1946 at the Royal Vancouver Yacht Club. I didn't know he was one of the original members. In the picture, is Anna Sprott and her daughter, Kay Willis. Kay was another heavy drinker. She was involved in running the station, along with Dan Sheridan, then John Hunt etc. The Station in the early fifties became: CFUN, 1410 on the dial and was sold. I didn't know Bruce died so young. If he was born in 1900, then dying at 51 would have been 1951. If I knew where you're coming from, I may be able to remember more pertinent details.
Love Wilf


Wilf Ray (on the air first time at CKMO in 1944)
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Re: Bruce Arundel

Postby fklusmire » Tue Dec 18, 2012 8:53 am

Hello, I am trying to research on Bruce Arundel. He was married to my mother's oldest sister Lena, that would have been his second wife, I think. I find that he was the inventor of the Radio Telephone? Mostly because for my wedding my aunt gave me a silver serving spoon with Cleodoxa on it. She said that it was from their yacht. And as the story goes the radio telephone was developed to allow for untraceable communications for "rum running" during prohibition. Would like to have as much informaiton about Bruce, his yacht, and the radio telephone as possible. THX
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Re: Bruce Arundel

Postby fklusmire » Tue Dec 18, 2012 8:55 am

Jack, if you could scan the picture and post it, that would be wonderful. THX
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Re: Bruce Arundel

Postby fklusmire » Tue Dec 18, 2012 8:56 am

Sorry, Jack, you don't have the picture. A link to the Obits would be great too! THX
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Re: Bruce Arundel

Postby Jack Bennest » Fri Dec 21, 2012 8:52 pm

Image


Don't know which is Bruce and honestly I don't remember where I got this one.
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Re: Bruce Arundel

Postby fklusmire » Mon Dec 31, 2012 10:49 am

Jack, thank you so much for posting the picture. The Woman seated fourth from the left that you can just see her face, is, at least in my mind my Aunt Lena. Does that help you to determine which one might be Burce? Person number five perhaps???
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Re: Bruce Arundel

Postby Neumann Sennheiser » Mon Dec 31, 2012 1:40 pm

...and don't strain yourself looking for Jack Cullen anywhere here; in May 1945 he was either still in the navy or just starting classes at the Sprott-Shaw School of Commerce and Radio.
"You don't know man! I was in radio man! I've seen things you wouldn't believe!"
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Re: Bruce Arundel

Postby fklusmire » Tue Jan 01, 2013 9:06 am

My sister visited my aunt in Vancouver sometime in the 80's. She remembers a picture of my aunt and Bruce. He was a very tall imposing figure, she picked out the man at the head of the table as Bruce? Can anyone confirm? THX
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Re: Bruce Arundel

Postby Jack Bennest » Tue Jan 01, 2013 9:40 am

Wilf Ray could confirm - he sent the picture but I believe you are correct - it is the tall man to the right of Wilf in the back row.
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