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Telegraphy Collection
Image: Early demonstration morse system
Source: Museum Victoria
Museum Victoria holds a collection of about 230 telegraphy-related objects dating from the middle of the 19th century to the middle of the 20th century.
The majority of the objects in the collection are instruments of the Morse type as used in the Victorian telegraph system. These instruments include keys, sounders, registers, relays and switches used for the transmission and reception of messages using Morse code. The earliest of these objects dates from the 1860s. In addition, there are a number of so-called 'ABC' or 'Alphabetical' telegraph instruments, which did not require the use of Morse code by the operator and were used on less busy lines in Victoria.
Other objects in the collection include several needle telegraphs. These instruments relied on successive deflections of a needle or needles to convey coded messages over the telegraph lines. They were not used in the Victorian Government's telegraph system.
Apart from actual telegraph instruments, the collection includes objects such as samples of submarine telegraph cables, telegraph line insulators, government reports on telegraph operations, and examples of telegrams.
The electric telegraph first began operating in Victoria (and Australia) in March 1854 with the opening of the line between Melbourne and Williamstown. The man responsible for bringing the telegraph to Victoria was Samuel Walker McGowan, an Irish-born Canadian. The collection includes several items of McGowan memorabilia, including a plate from his dinner service, a book sent to him by Samuel Morse and the inventor of the Morse telegraph system.
Items per page: 10 50 (showing 151 - 160) 173 items
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Telegraph Key - Disjunctor, Date Unknown
Similar in appearance and construction to a conventional telegraph transmission key. The ebonite knob is marked "DISJUNCTOR KEY". The exact function of such a key is unknown.
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Electrical Tester - Submarine Cable, before 1880
Instrument used for electrical testing of submarine telegraph cables, probably prior to 1880.
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Telegraph Line Insulator - AGEE CD 490 Type III, 1930-1937
AGEE CD 490 Type III telegraph line insulator, said to be from the East-West Transcontinental Telegraph Line. Manufactured sometime between 1930 and 1937. Insulator is made from purpl ...
Images: 1 -
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Telegraph Gum Pot - Date Unknown
Device used to apply gum to the back of paper tape marked on the front with received telegraph signals. The tape was then adhered to a sheet of paper to provide a record of the telegrap ...
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Signal Tapes - Telegraph Cable, early 20th Century
Example of telegraph signals recorded after transmission over submarine cables. Distortion during transmission over the long cables changed the sharp 'on-off' signals of morse code into ...
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Teleprinters - Teletype Model 15, 1940s
Two Teletypes (Model 15) made by the Teletype Corporation in the United States and used in telegraphic communication systems. Input was via a keyboard and output appeared as printed cha ...
From: Skokie, United States Images: 0 -
No Image Available
Telegraph Transmitter Distributor - Teletype Model UA14
The Teletype Corp Model 14TD Transmitter-Distributor was used in telegraphic communication systems. Messages coded as patterns of holes in a paper tape were fed into the device which co ...
From: Skokie, United States Images: 0 -
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Telegraph Reperforator - Teletype, Keyboard Typing, 1940s
Teletype Corporation Keyboard Typing Reperforator used in telegraphic communication systems to perforate paper tape with patterns of holes representing coded telegraph messages.
From: Skokie, United States Images: 0 -
No Image Available
Telegraph Transmitter - Siemens Model M100, Keyboard Repeater Perforator, 1960s
Siemens Model 100 Keyboard Repeater Perforator Transmitter used in telegraphic communication systems for preparing and transmitting messages encoded as patterns of holes in paper tape.
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Telegraph Key - Mecograph, Semi-automatic, circa1910
Semi-automatic telegraph key, made by the Mecograph Company of Cleveland, Ohio, U.S.A. The key mechanism caused the "dot" signals of the Morse code to be transmitted automatically whil ...
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