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.
Details
- Category:
- Telecommunications
- Object Number:
- 1923-243
- Materials:
- glass, steel (metal) and gutta-percha
- Measurements:
-
cable: 217 mm 24 mm, .19 kg
plate: 29 mm x 115 mm .04 kg
- type:
- cable
- credit:
- Institution of Electrical Engineers