Single needle telegraph, 1846

Made:
1846 in London
maker:
Electric Telegraph Company
and
William Reid
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Single needle telegraph 1846 made by William Reid for the
Science Museum Group Collection
© The Board of Trustees of the Science Museum

Single needle telegraph 1846 made by William Reid for the
Science Museum Group Collection
© The Board of Trustees of the Science Museum

Single needle telegraph 1846 made by William Reid for the
Science Museum Group Collection
© The Board of Trustees of the Science Museum

Single needle telegraph 1846 made by William Reid for the
Science Museum Group Collection
© The Board of Trustees of the Science Museum

Single needle telegraph 1846 made by William Reid for the
Science Museum Group Collection
© The Board of Trustees of the Science Museum

Single needle telegraph 1846 made by William Reid for the
Science Museum Group Collection
© The Board of Trustees of the Science Museum

Single needle telegraph 1846 made by William Reid for the
Science Museum Group Collection
© The Board of Trustees of the Science Museum

Single needle telegraph 1846 made by William Reid for the
Science Museum Group Collection
© The Board of Trustees of the Science Museum

Single needle telegraph 1846 made by William Reid for the
Science Museum Group Collection
© The Board of Trustees of the Science Museum

Single needle telegraph 1846 made by William Reid for the
Science Museum Group Collection
© The Board of Trustees of the Science Museum

Single needle telegraph, made by William Reid for the Electric Telegraph Company, London, England, 1846.

This was one of the earliest single needle telegraphs made for the Electric Telegraph Company in 1846. Until 1845, the commercial installations of William Cooke and Charles Wheatstone's patents had been under Cooke's management, with him as the contractor who carried out the work. The installation of an electric telegraph system between London and Dover was seen as a convenient time to form a company to carry out the work, and thus the Electric Telegraph Company was formally registered. The single-needle telegraph, with earth return, was economical in line wire but many operators preferred the double-needle telegraph, claiming it to be faster and easier to send and receive. The code marked on the dial was invented by Cooke.

Details

Category:
Telecommunications
Object Number:
1949-323
Materials:
oak (wood), mahogany (wood), glass and metal (unknown)
Measurements:
overall: 450 mm x 315 mm x 190 mm, 5.71 kg
type:
telegraph
credit:
Lent by King's College London