GUTTA PERCHA PENCIL TRAY, 1880's

The Gutta Percha Company was founded in Stratford London in 1885 by Henry Bewley and Samuel Gurney, eventually moving to Wharf Road London. Gutta Percha is a Latex substance and is also Thermoplastic, it originates from the Gutta Percha or Isonandra tree in Malaysia, like Rubber it is collected from the trees weeping exterior and processed into a hard black substance that can be formed into any shape required, when cooled it becomes hard and solid and was used in the making of many objects such as, drinking mugs, buckets or washing bowls, and other items. It was discovered by Michael Faraday that it was an ideal insulator of electricity and was subsequently used for undersea cables in 1850/1 continuing for the next 80 years until being replaced by Polythene in the 1930's. It is of interest to note that the first undersea cables failed due to many reasons, among them was that Gutta Percha was being eaten or damaged by living creatures (Teredos Marine worms), later cables were protected from this problem. See Items A0570-A0571-A0572- A0573-A1316 and A1317.

Nortel Collection

A1788

THE GREAT EASTERN STEAMSHIP REPRINT OF 1860's, circa 1970

A Limited edition print of the Great Eastern Steam Ship. The original painting from which this is taken dates from the 1860's and was probably painted by Henry Clifford 1821-1905, a Telegraph Engineer who also served on this vessel. This limited edition could have been made anywhere between 1900 and the 1960's. Printed on the back: -. ''This reproduction is number 228 of an edition limited to four hundred and forty copies''. The original was in the possession of Sir Kenneth. G Corfield, Managing director of Standard telephones and Cables London.'' Kenneth Corfield was Director of STC from 1970 to 1985, so this print was probably commissioned during this period. Kenneth Corfield is better known for the 'Periflex' camera that he designed and introduced in 1953. Isambard Kingdom Brunel designed the Great Eastern. Built in 1858 it was the largest Steam ship in the World, unfortunately there was no dock big enough for her, subsequently she never became the great passenger liner for which she was intended. She was eventually used to lay the first successful Transatlantic Telegraph cable in 1865, and was broken up in 1888.

Nortel Collection

A1782

WIRELESS TELEGRAPHY LICENSE 1923, 1923

Paperwork relating to an application for a wireless license in 1923 under the Telegraphy Act of 1904 it was necessary to have a license to receive wireless messages by Telegraphy and a separate licence to transmit telegraphy messages. Francis Leslie Freeland was under 21 in April 1923 so his father had to apply on his behalf J.H.Freeland. The licence obtained was for the reception of telegraphy signals and also to experiment with equipment of his own. The Aerial had to be no more than 100 feet high and no more than 100 feet long; the use of a heterodyne oscillator directly connected to the aerial was not permissible between the hours of 9PM and 11PM weekdays and Sundays and not between the wavelengths of 300 to 500 metres. Also supplied at the time by the Controller and Accountant General Mr H.N. Bunbury of the General Post office was an application form for transmitting equipment. This does not appear to have been used.

Donated by Joan Freeland

A1587

TELEGRAPH RELAY, 1899

Removed from the South Western House Hotel, built in 1830, by Peter Silett a radio engineer for Radio Solent. Identified as a telegraph relay, however the three contacts are too large for Telegraph Transmission, and it may have been used in a supervisory mode such as power control.

A1583

1965/6 TELEGRAMS, 1965

Two examples of machine printed tape on Telegrams. See Item A0098 in Sounders and Stations section.

A0197

BRASS BASE SINGLE CORE CABLE, 1900's

Single core Telegraphy cable with steel armour for under ground use.
Insulation may be Gutta Percha.

A0573

SINGLE CORE ARMORED CABLE, 1900's

Early under ground or under water telegraphy cable.
Insulation may be Gutta Percha. Gutta percha was obtained from a variety of guttiferous trees throughout the Pacific Rim although different varieties produce materials of differing quality. The differences generally reflect the quantity of resin in the product with that from Pahang having the lowest resin content. Balata has one of the highest resin contents and was obtained from trees in the tropical regions of South America.

There is much confusion in the literature, and amongst collectors, as to what gutta percha is. In practical terms, and when addressing collectors' items, the material is probably the whole residue from the latex, dried after collection from whichever tree was its source. This material tends to range from dark yellow through red to black. It is possible that it has undergone some degree of purification but, given the variations in initial composition, it would be extremely difficult to confirm this, even by detailed chemical analysis.

A0571

SAMPLE OF CABLE LAID BY GREAT EASTERN, 1865

The transatlantic telegraph cable was the first cable used for telegraph communications laid across the floor of the Atlantic Ocean. It crossed from the Telegraph Field, Foilhommerum Bay, Valentia Island, in western Ireland to Heart's Content in eastern Newfoundland.
The transatlantic cable bridged North America and Europe, and expedited communication between the two. Whereas it would normally take at least ten days to deliver a message by ship, it now took a matter of minutes by telegraph.

Five attempts to lay it were made over a nine-year period one in 1857, two in 1858, in 1865, and in 1866 before lasting connections were finally achieved by the SS Great Eastern captained by Sir James Anderson with the 1866 cable and the repaired 1865 cable. Additional cables were laid between Foilhommerum and Heart's Content in 1873, 1874, 1880 and 1894. By the end of the 19th century, British-, French-, German- and American-owned cables linked Europe and North America in a sophisticated web of telegraphic communications.
The sample is held together by three steel wires wrapped around it

Nortel Collection

A1317

CENTRE SECTION OF 1st TRANSATLANTIC CABLE, 1860's

The transatlantic telegraph cable was the first cable used for telegraph communications laid across the floor of the Atlantic Ocean. It crossed from the Telegraph Field, Foilhommerum Bay, Valentia Island, in western Ireland to Heart's Content in eastern Newfoundland.
The transatlantic cable bridged North America and Europe, and expedited communication between the two. Whereas it would normally take at least ten days to deliver a message by ship, it now took a matter of minutes by telegraph.

Five attempts to lay it were made over a nine-year period one in 1857, two in 1858, in 1865, and in 1866 before lasting connections were finally achieved by the SS Great Eastern captained by Sir James Anderson with the 1866 cable and the repaired 1865 cable. Additional cables were laid between Foilhommerum and Heart's Content in 1873, 1874, 1880 and 1894. By the end of the 19th century, British-, French-, German- and American-owned cables linked Europe and North America in a sophisticated web of telegraphic communications.
A card Attached Reads: "A scrap- the centre portion of the first Atlantic Cable ever thought to be laid and this was I believe ???in laying of common coatingsand coverings wre used - bringing the full cable up to a large size= but this shows the wires.C.E.N. has kept this from about the time of laying - but which year- cannot now say." C.E.N. refers to C.E.Neate who died in 1907 and was Mr H.G.W. Reilly's Grandfather. Donated by H.G.W.O'Reilly ITT Business Systems - Private Communications Division Maidstone Sidcup Kent.

Nortel Collection

A1316

COHERER DEMONSTRATION BOARD, 1920's

The first radio transmissions were made using a spark transmitter and a receiver known as a 'Coherer'.
In 1890 Edouard Branley found that if high frequency oscillating currents were passed through a series of metal fillings in a glass tube, the fillings tended to coherer and become more conducting.
Without the influence of the radio frequency currents, the fillings passed very little current.
Later this arrangement gave place to a device called a crystal detector
The coherer was a primitive form of radio signal detector used in the late nineteenth and early twentieth centuries, consisting of a capsule of metal filings in the space between two electrodes.
It was a key enabling technology for radio, and was the first device used to detect radio signals in practical spark gap transmitter wireless telegraphy. Its operation is based upon the large resistance offered to the passage of electric current by loose metal filings being decreased under the influence of radio frequency alternating current.
The coherer became the basis for radio reception around 1900, and remained in widespread use for about ten years. The coherer saw commercial use again in the mid 20th century in a few primitive radio-controlled toys that used spark-gap transmitter controllers.

A1284

COMMUTATOR KEY, 1930's

Polarity reversing key known as a "Commutator Key".
Used with Double plate sounder item A0227 and Wheatstone needle item A0228.

A0237

TRANSATLANTIC CABLE IN PENDANT AND LETTER, 1866

Detail of Letter
"Mr Cowburn, Thanks for the trouble you have taken regarding the piece of Submarine Cable. It's history so far as I can state is as follows: About 60 years ago my Granfather(sic) kept the Victoria Hotel, Grimsby, and the cable was given to him. recently my Mother came across it amongst other curios my Granfather(sic) had collected and handed it to me thinking that I would be interested. The only information my Mother could give me about it was that it was a piece of a Submarine cable laid between Grimsby and Holland. Sorry I cannot furnish more definite information". (Sgd) E. Stanhope, Male Clerical Officer, Telephone Manager's Office, Liverpool. 14.6.39

• Detailed view of the Cable Pendant
  

A0567

SINGLE CORE POST OFFICE TELEGRAPHY CABLE, 1900's

Early armour protected cable for under ground use. Insulation may be Gutta Percha. Gutta percha was obtained from a variety of guttiferous trees throughout the Pacific Rim although different varieties produce materials of differing quality. The differences generally reflect the quantity of resin in the product with that from Pahang having the lowest resin content. Balata has one of the highest resin contents and was obtained from trees in the tropical regions of South America.

There is much confusion in the literature, and amongst collectors, as to what gutta percha is. In practical terms, and when addressing collectors' items, the material is probably the whole residue from the latex, dried after collection from whichever tree was its source. This material tends to range from dark yellow through red to black. It is possible that it has undergone some degree of purification but, given the variations in initial composition, it would be extremely difficult to confirm this, even by detailed chemical analysis.

A0572

4 CORE ARMORED TELEGRAPHY CABLE, 1900's

Telegraphy cable heavily armoured and further protected with layers of hemp saturated in a water proof compound, for under sea use. It is possible of course that this could have been used for Telephony.

A0576

SINGLE CORE TELEGRAPHY CABLE, 1900's

Early Telephone or Telegraphy cable possibly for under sea use.
The insulation may be Gutta Percha. The Brass bands hold the sample together.
See Item A0572

• THIS IS AN EXAMPLE OF A TELEPHONE CABLE
  

A0570

4 POLE SWITCH WITH PEGS, 1920's

Early method of switching circuits using removable pegs.
Probably for bench testing in the Telegraphy or Electronics industry.

A0805

4 WAY SWITCH WITH CRANK, 1930's

School Laboratory Switch supplied by Griffin & George for Universities and Colleges.

A0806