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William Henry Preece (b. Feb. 15, 1834, Bryn Helen, Caernarvon, Wales d. Nov. 6, 1913, Penrhos, Caernarvon), Welsh electrical engineer who was a major figure in the development and introduction of wireless telegraphy and the telephone in Great Britain.

His graduate studies at the Royal Institution of Great Britain, London, under Michael Faraday aroused Preece's interest in applied electricity and telegraphic engineering. For 29 years, from 1870, he was an engineer with the Post Office telegraphic system and contributed many inventions and improvements, including a railroad signaling system that increased railway safety.

An early pioneer in wireless telegraphy, he originated his own system in 1892, but his most important contribution in this field was his encouragement of Guglielmo Marconi by obtaining assistance from the Post Office in furthering Marconi's work. Preece also introduced into Great Britain the first telephones, patented by Alexander Graham Bell. Preece was knighted in 1899.

Britannica Online

In 1885, William H. Preece and Arthur West Heaviside (Oliver's brother) sent signals to one another at a distance of 1,000 yards with two parallel telegraph lines and an unwired telephone receiver in the middle. This was the discovery of induction, or crosstalk.

B. Eric Rhoads

comment from David L. Quinlan

"Preece was the chief engineer of the British government telephone service in the 1890's. Sir Oliver Lodge was also active at that time and the two engineers had a correspondance. The main problem at that time was the improvement of submerged cables. Lodge proposed "Loading coils", which were the correct solution. Preece said he couldn't understand how "Earthing" the cables could possibly have any good effect. But of course it did. Preece was rather old fashioned."

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