Definitely Not A Wind-up

[#1]

Very sad to read today that Trevor Bayliss, the man who invented the wind up radio has died.

He was a most interesting character havig lived a very varied and interesting life.Sadly he had no living relatives and died alone in what can only be described as poverty.

[#2]

It's a sad end to a great man, and just goes to show, men in sheds can invent the world...

[#3]

I was shocked to read that he made so little money from his inventions, apparently losing out on his windup radio due to a redesign which let the people mass producing it work around his patent.

A while back for a course I was on I had to look at patents, the general recommendation now is to be as vague as possible about your idea while spelling out what it does so that other people cannot work around your specifications.

[#4]

Sad news indeed, and a real character.

We need more of his, type but did he die in poverty? A quick check show he died at Eel pie island - not that it should matter but it does not look like a cheap place to live.

A clock stopped that's for sure. 

[#5]

Even though the wind up radio was a bit of a gimmick around here, it must have been a real boon in some far flung places.

[#6]

Yeah thats the point it was a gimmick but out in areas where the nearest shop can be 30 miles away it would be a massive hit.

[#7]

I've got a small wind-up LED torch which I keep on top of the consumer unit. It's invaluable when I need a light to search for candles during a power cut.

So definitely not a gimmick.

[#8]

They are if its only an aid to find the candles lol.

[#9]

I had one some twelve years back and it was pretty rubbish to be honest - and it was not cheap either so yes they are or were a bit of a gimmick in some situations. Nowadays most people use there mobiles which are much brighter and better than a wind up torch - although I'll take nothing away from that amazing wind up radio invention.  

[#10]

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@Minivanman wrote:

We need more of his, type but did he die in poverty? A quick check show he died at Eel pie island - not that it should matter but it does not look like a cheap place to live.

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I seem to remember that he lived there when the radio first came out so his house would probably have been more affordable when he acquired it.  Quite a few people are millionaires on paper simply because their house or even flat is worth a lot while their disposable income is quite low.

Anyway, RIP Dr Baylis CBE.