LEMON, CHARLES (1834-1901) was born in London, educated there, and at the age of 13 entered the technical school at South Kensington, where he applied himself particularly to the study of surveying and electricity. His brother John having settled in Oamaru and prospered, Lemon came out to join him, worked for a short time at his own trade as a builder, and was then appointed postmaster at Oamaru (1863). When the telegraph line was opened (1865) he was appointed telegraphist, being instructed by John Bull in the Morse code. In 1867 he was General Manager of Telegraphs, which at that time was confined to 757 miles of line. Lemon showed unusual business capacity and energy in developing the service by erecting new lines all over the Colony. In 1881 he was superintendent of the telegraph branch of the Post and Telegraph department, and when he retired (in 1894) there were in New Zealand 5,513 miles of line. He installed a duplex system in 1874. When the Western Electric Co. of Chicago wished to introduce its telephones he persuaded the Government to exercise the sole right to operate the new instruments. In recognition of his assistance to the American expedition which came to New Zealand to observe the transit of Venus (1874-75), Lemon had conferred on him by Hamilton University, U.S.A., the degree of doctor of philosophy. After his retirement he farmed a property at Fitzherbert, Palmerston North, where he died on 6 May 1901. Though the postal and telegraph branches were amalgamated in 1881 Lemon, as superintendent of telegraphs, continued to be responsible to the minister.

Post and Telegraph dept. records; J. E. Green in P. and T. Guild Jour., Dec 1934; Evening Post and N.Z. Times, 7 May 1901; N.Z. Graphic, 25 Feb 1893 (p).

Reference: Volume 1, page 263

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