Portion of first gutta percha insulated wire laid in London, 1848-1849

Portion of first gutta-percha insulated wire laid in London, with part of display baseboard and metal plate, unknown maker, London, 1848-1849.

This sample of gutta-percha insulated cable dates from around 1848-1849. It was possibly the cable laid by the Electric Telegraph Company between its Lothbury headquarters and Shoreditch (probably the railway station), a distance of approximately one mile. Though it was a good insulator, gutta percha tended to disintegrate after a few years in harsh city environments.