Electric Telegraph Co
Other Business Names:
- International Telegraph Co
- Electric & International Telegraph Co
- Cooke, Sir William
- Ricardo, John L
- Post Office, telecommunications section
Locations city-town / local authority / county1974 / region-state / country:
- London, Greater London, Greater London, Greater London, England
Sectors:
-
Telecommunication & postal services
Telecommunication services
Notes:
Established in 1846 by investors led by Sir William Cooke and John L Ricardo and emerged as a very important inland telegraphy business, initially establishing its wires along railway lines but also laying short distance submarine cables to Europe. First business to provide a public telegraphy service. By early 1850s overshadowed by rivals. 1855 merged with the International Telegraph Co to become the Electric & International Telegraph Co. Acquired in 1870 by Post Office and subsumed into its telegraphy section [2023]
Publications:
- Birth of telegraphic news in Britain 1847–68 by Barton, Roger N
- Electric Telegraph. A social and economic history by Kieve, Jeffrey L
- Sir William Preece, FRS. Victorian engineer extraordinary by Baker, Edward C
- Victorian telegrams. The early development of the telegraphic despatch and its interplay with the letter post by Fava-Verde, Jean-Francois
Groups:
Other Business Names:
- International Telegraph Co
- Electric & International Telegraph Co
- Cooke, Sir William
- Ricardo, John L
- Post Office, telecommunications section
Locations city-town / local authority / county1974 / region-state / country:
- London, Greater London, Greater London, Greater London, England
Sectors:
- Telecommunication & postal services Telecommunication services
Notes:
Established in 1846 by investors led by Sir William Cooke and John L Ricardo and emerged as a very important inland telegraphy business, initially establishing its wires along railway lines but also laying short distance submarine cables to Europe. First business to provide a public telegraphy service. By early 1850s overshadowed by rivals. 1855 merged with the International Telegraph Co to become the Electric & International Telegraph Co. Acquired in 1870 by Post Office and subsumed into its telegraphy section [2023]Publications:
- Birth of telegraphic news in Britain 1847–68 by Barton, Roger N
- Electric Telegraph. A social and economic history by Kieve, Jeffrey L
- Sir William Preece, FRS. Victorian engineer extraordinary by Baker, Edward C
- Victorian telegrams. The early development of the telegraphic despatch and its interplay with the letter post by Fava-Verde, Jean-Francois