Working History — C. 1851
Telegraph, single-needle telegraph
The electric telegraph was patented by William Fothergill Cooke and Charles Wheatstone in 1837. Early telegraphic instruments were developed for use on London's new railway network. Telegraph wires ran alongside the railway tracks between stations. The use of telegraphy by the railway companies prompted wider interest from other businesses and government.
This single-needle telegraph was made by the Reid firm. William Reid began his career as a scientific instrument maker and his company went on to become one of the principal telegraph manufacturers in Britain exhibiting at the Great Exhibition in 1851. He worked closely with Cooke and Wheatstone manufacturing many of their early telegraphic instruments.
- Category:
- Working History
- Object ID:
- 2003.2/265
- Object name:
- telegraph, single-needle telegraph
- Object type:
- Artist/Maker:
- William Reid and Co.
- Related people:
- Related events:
- Related places:
- Production date:
- c. 1851
- Material:
wood, brass
- Measurements/duration:
- H 405 mm, W 215 mm, D 240 mm
- Part of:
- —
- On display:
- —
- Record quality:
- 100%
- Part of this object:
- —
- Owner Status & Credit:
Permanent collection
BT Connected Earth
- Copyright holder:
BT
- Image credit:
© BT Heritage
- Creative commons usage:
- —
- License this image:
To license this image for commercial use, please contact the London Museum Picture Library.