Communications Collection (#3)

Irish Postman 1930S
A country postman in Ireland delivers a postcard to a lucky boy

Sorting Post 1930S
One of the hundreds of groups of auxiliaries at the General Post Office (GPO), dispatching parcels to distant colonies during the usual Christmas postal rush

Envelopes 1940S
A pile of envelopes, all to addresses in Scotland, and all something to do with timber and forestry

Stamp Machine 1960S
A young woman puts a penny (1d) in the slot of a stamp machine, which will dispense a second class book of stamps. First class stamps are 3d (thruppence) per book

Typewriter Keys / Fortune
Typewriter keys on the cover of a magazine

Hereford Chained Library
Chained books in the library of Hereford Cathedral

Ericsson Table Phone - 3
A table instrument by the Ericsson Company of Stockholm. There is no handle to alert the exchange, perhaps this is done with that knob : the bell is very noticeable

Telegraph Office 1900
Around a hundred telegraph clerks are employed in this one room alone at the Central Telegraph Office, London

Porthcurno Cable Station
Porthcurno cable terminal in Cornwall, built by the Falmouth Gibraltar Malta Telegraph company

Elizabeth Is Signature
A Facsimile of Queen Elizabeth Is signature on the death warrant of Robert Devereux, Earl of Essex (this original published in 1807)

Greek-Latin Dictionary
Johann Scapulas Greek-Latin Lexicon is a contribution to Renaissance studies of classical literature when Roman borrowings from Greek are important to scholars

Reading in a Field
A girl stands in a field reading her book

Egyptian Hieroglyphics
An example of Egyptian hieroglyphics

General Post Office
THE GENERAL POST OFFICE, Lombard Street, London

Printing equipment at a German printer s
A flat-bed press and other printing equipment in a German printers workshop (Buchdruckerwerkstatte)

Evening Standard Seller
A woman sells the Evening Standard newspaper announcing the death of King George VI

Marconi Transmitter
Marconi transmitting apparatus

Automatic Phone Exchange
Automatic telephone exchange of the British Post Office, which at that time managed the telephone network

Christ Church Library
The interior of Christ Church Library, Oxford showing ceiling to floor bookshelves. A student is shown working. Two ladies are being given a tour in the background

Transatlantic communications: telephoning London to New York
How the London telephone subscriber will " get" New York: the wonders of transatlantic telephony, as explained by The Illustrated London News in 1927. Date: 1927

Red telephone box and The Shard, London, England, United Kingdom, Europe

VLA (Very Large Array) of the National Radio Astronomy Observatory, New Mexico, United States of America, North America

Skywriting 1922
Skywriting from an aeroplane, at 4000 metres

Parcels Post Van C1870
Parcels Post van of the British Post Office

Sorting Post 1930S
A postal worker at the General Post Office (GPO), at Mount Pleasant, north London, sorts out parcels on a conveyor belt in the warehouse

Cromwell / Signature
The autograph of Oliver Cromwell

Telegraph Office 1859
The offices of the Electric and International Telegraph Company in Moorgate Street, London

Girl Reads Struwelpeter
A young girl improves her sense of right and wrong by reading Struwwelpeter

Largest Wireless Valve
The worlds largest wireless valve, being made in a factory in Germany

Guglielmo Marconi
GUGLIELMO MARCONI Italian physicist and inventor in yachting attire and with communications apparatus

Monk Copyists
John Mielot, author of Miracles de Notre Dame using a quill and a scraping knife in a monestary library

GPO map of Mail Steamship Routes. Date: circa 1950s

Cable Bay, Rhosneigr, Anglesey, North Wales
View of Cable Bay, Rhosneigr, Isle of Anglesey, North Wales. The underwater Atlantic telegraph came ashore here. Date: early 20th century

Advert promoting the Post Office Telephone Service. Date: 1932

William Rust, British communist and newspaper editor
William Charles Rust (1903-1949), British communist activist, member of the Communist Party of Great Britain, and editor of the Daily Worker newspaper, seen here at his desk

Miss Lily Elsie, (1886-1962), The Merry Widow. c1930. Creator: Unknown
Miss Lily Elsie, (1886-1962), The Merry Widow". c1930. English actress and singer during the Edwardian era. [Foulsham & Banfield, London]

The New Magic: Sending Pictures by Wireless and the Unescapable Telephone, c1935. From Our Wonderful World, Volume II, edited by J.A. Hammerton. [The Amalgamated Press, Ltd. London]

The Rhodes Colossus, 1892 Artist: Edward Linley Sambourne
The Rhodes Colossus, 1892. Cecil Rhodes (1853-1902), English-born South African businessman and statesman, shown striding across Africa from Cape Town to Cairo with a telegraph wire

Map of British Empire showing international cable
Map of the British Empire (coloured red), showing the All-British international cable going round the world, enabling telegraphic communication. Date: circa 1902

Rebus: a hieroglyphic love letter
O sweet sophy, You are to me the only joy under the sun. I cannot rest but in your arms, my dear esteemed soul. You are in my heart above all others. I on my knees implore your hand

Penny Post Jubilee card - Sir Rowland Hill - 1890
A Penny Post Jubilee card, issued in 1890 to celebrate the Golden Jubilee (50 years, 1840 - 1890) of the Penny Post. The card features a postman from 1840 and one from 1890

Arecibo message and decoded key C016 / 6817
Arecibo message and decoded key. Diagram showing the binary transmission (left) known as the Arecibo message, with the message decoded and labelled at centre and right

Telegram Boys 1930S
A line-up of smart young telegraph boys with immaculate uniforms and highly polished shoes

The Brighton Mail on Christmas Day, 1836 (1905). Artist: Henry Thomas Alken
The Brighton Mail on Christmas Day, 1836 (1905). From The Connoisseur (January 1905)

The Santos Dumont Air-ship rounding the Eiffel Tower, on October 19th 1901, (c1910). Brazilian aviation pioneer Alberto Santos-Dumont (1873-1932) in his airship (dirigible)

Wireless officer sending a message by Morse Code from on board a ship, 1916
Wireless officer sending a message by morse code from on board a ship, 1916. Wireless telegraphy at sea was made possible by the type of sending

RAF Harrier Jump Jets, No. 1 Squadron, set up in 1969. The jump jet is a vertical/short takeoff and landing aircraft. Seen here are staff at work in a control tower

Compositor at Works
An American compositor at work in the days of manual type setting. Date: 1887

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"Unveiling the Art of Communications: From Flags to Phones and Beyond" Step into a world where messages transcend time and space, as we explore the captivating realm of communications. This poster takes us on a journey through various iconic symbols that have shaped our ability to connect with one another. The Night Mail whispers secrets in the darkness, carrying words across vast distances. Just like the flags used at Nelson's famous signal during the Battle of Trafalgar in 1805, communication has always been vital for success. In wintry London, a Police Public Call Box stands tall amidst snowflakes, reminding us of simpler times when this humble box served as a lifeline for those seeking help or connection. Meanwhile, bookbinding tools from 1875 symbolize how knowledge was meticulously preserved and shared through written word. The flags proudly displayed by the Royal Navy evoke images of bravery and unity—a visual language understood by sailors across oceans. And who can forget the Bakelite telephone? A revolutionary device that brought voices closer together than ever before. High above RAF Chicksands' circular aerial looms large—an emblematic structure representing an era when communication centers were crucial hubs connecting nations and safeguarding information. Across borders in Paris lies The Palace of Versailles—its opulence reflecting not only power but also intricate networks built upon diplomatic exchanges between nations throughout history. Delving deeper into ancient forms of communication, Codex Troano -1 reveals Mayan wisdom etched onto pages—a testament to humanity's enduring quest for understanding each other across cultures and civilizations. A postman gracefully pedaling his Pennyfarthing bicycle transports letters with care—reminding us that even in an age dominated by technology, human touch remains essential in conveying emotions through handwritten words. Bodinnick captures Fowey's charm circa 1930—a picturesque scene where mailboats once sailed along rivers delivering heartfelt messages from loved ones near and far. Finally, the Ms.