Actually, awarded very posthumously for the invention of raster scanning, as used in his facsimile telegraph system in 1843!

http://www.bbc.com/news/uk-scotland-35103773

This was a very nice thing to read! Thanks for posting it!

When you tell people that fax was invented well before the phone they tend not to believe you.

Not sure when fax first became a real and usable service and whether this was before phone services.

A lot of younger folks probably aren't familiar with the Wirephoto facsimile service which began circa 1921..
http://www.bing.com/search?q=wirephoto&qs=n&form=QBLH&pq=wirephoto&sc=8-9&sp=-1&sk=&cvid=192DDD35E2494FCC9FD395A96520D619

A lot of younger folks probably aren't familiar with the Wirephoto facsimile service which began circa 1921..
http://www.bing.com/search?q=wirephoto&qs=n&form=QBLH&pq=wirephoto&sc=8-9&sp=-1&sk=&cvid=192DDD35E2494FCC9FD395A96520D619

I remember seeing a 30's-40's era machine of that type at a radio swap meet....Beats the second oldest fax machine (phone based with a mic/speaker equipped cradle to rest a phone hand set on for communication) I've seen by a good margin.

When you tell people that fax was invented well before the phone they tend not to believe you.

Not sure when fax first became a real and usable service and whether this was before phone services.

Bain's invention was actually implemented by the French railroads.