Archive Explained

The Cable & Wireless archive includes a wide range of historic material relating to the development of international communications business and technology, dating from the 1850's to the present day. The main period covered by the collection is c1870 - c1970 although we have some earlier material and a small but growing selection of recent and contemporary material.

This online version of our catalogue has been designed to give you access to key information about our collection. Not all the material we have is catalogued but this gives a good overview. If you would like more information about a particular theme or item, please contact:

Cable & Wireless Archive
Museum of Submarine Telegraphy
Eastern House,
Porthcurno,
Penzance,
Cornwall TR19 6JX
Tel: 01736 810811
Email: alan.renton@porthcurno.org.uk

Types of Records Held:

Corporate Records
Copies of agreements, reports and accounts, minutes, letter books, and other documents from the pioneering Victorian telegraph companies which developed the first international telecommunications networks and from Imperial and International Communications Limited (1929-1934), Marconi (mainly late 1920's) and Cable & Wireless (from 1934).

Staff records
Staff ledgers dating back to the 1860's, often with details of pay scales. Also staff handbooks and rules and regulations

Financial Records
Accounting information from many companies in the Cable & Wireless family.

Press Cuttings and Releases
Cuttings dating back to the 1850's on various aspects of international telecommunications, including advertisements. Press releases from the 1980's.

Brochures and Sales Records
A wide selection of brochures, promotional literature and commemorative publications.

Photographs
Photographs illustrating many major and minor events in the history of telecommunications. Many personal albums from the 1870's onwards depicting life in a wide variety of countries. Also photographs of ships, premises, people etceteras.

Film and Video
A good selection of films describing aspects of telecommunications from the 1940's to the present. Many archive films have been transferred to video and are available for loan.

Maps
Maps which trace the evolution of the British world communications network from the 1850's to the 1990's

Maritime Records
Extensive information on cableships, nautical charts and engineers reports on the laying of cables. Also marine ephemera and ship models.

Telegrams
A collection of decorative telegram forms from around the world.

Magazines and Periodicals
A complete run of The Zodiac, the staff magazine started in1906 and its successors to the present day, as well as other professional journals relating to communications technology and engineering.

Books
A good reference collection covering the history of telecommunications including many early and rare books.

Objects
A large collection of telegraph equipment, cable sections and memorabilia

Pictures and paintings
A collection of paintings and drawings relating to the history of the company.

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