Portion of first gutta percha insulated wire laid in London, 1848-1849
- Measurements:
-
overall: 217 mm x 24 mm diameter, .19 kg
- Materials:
- glass , steel (metal) and gutta-percha
- Object Number:
- 1923-243 Pt1
- type:
- cable
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.