Objects Database

Ben Nevis Armoured Telegraph Cable Pieces

Accession Number

1564.2020.1

Object Name

Ben Nevis Armoured Telegraph Cable Pieces

Created

21/08/2020

Creator

Hermione Cooper

Accession Date

21/08/2020

Brief Description

Three pieces of telegraph cable...one mounted...from Ben Nevis

Materials

metal, wood

Dimensions

mounted piece..24.5(L) x6.5(W) x8(H) cms

Number Of Objects

3

Colour

brown

Provenance

The weather observatory on the summit of Ben Nevis opened in October 1883 when hourly weather recordings commenced and continued for the next 21 years albeit with a few interruptions due to bad weather.
There was a low level observatory too ( still there in 2020) where simultaneous recordings were taken for comparison with those on the summit.
Recordings from both observatories were sent by telegram to the Scottish Meteorological Society in Edinburgh and to the press for wider dissemination.
An extract from the accounts from the first two years of operation shows:-
Telegrams and Rent of Wire £357-6-0
This was a large sum of money for this era and the extract shows it going to the ‘Government’ which we assume to be the Post Office which had incorperated the Electric Telegraph Co. in 1870. The amount is fairly understandable as it would have been a massive undertaking to lay several tons of armoured cable from sea to summit. Amazingly, it is still there 140 years later though a little bit of it is here in the collection.
The cable was actually buried for most of its journey though now some bits are uncovered ... bits that were chopped off for the collection.
Jim FitzPatrick had one bit mounted and presented it to our founder, Mick Tighe.

Acquisition Method

Donated by Jim FitzPatrick

Acquisition Date

21/08/2020

Condition Check Date

21/08/2020

Rules

Spectrum : UK Museum documentation standard, V.3.1 2007

Modified

21/08/2020

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