Science Museum Group | Details | BT Connected Earth Collection

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Actions	BT Connected Earth Collection Remove from selection Add to selection TitleBT Connected Earth Collection ReferenceYA2003.22 CreatorBritish Telecom British Telecom (BT) is the name used by the world’s oldest telecommunications company between 1980 and 1984. The company's origins date back to the establishment of the first telecommunications companies in the United Kingdom. Among them was the first commercial telegraph service, the Electric Telegraph Company, introduced in 1846. As these companies amalgamated and were taken over or collapsed, the survivors were eventually transferred to state control under the Post Office. The telecommunications side of the organisation became known as Post Office Telecommunications. In 1980 the organisation was again renamed, becoming British Telecom. In 1982 the UK government announced its intention to privatise British Telecom. This decision was implemented on 6 August 1984, when the business became a privatised company, British Telecommunications plc - the forerunner of today’s global communications company, BT Group plc, which serves customers in 170 countries. Date 1894-1988 Scope and ContentCollection of brochures, pamphlets, publicity material, operational files, photographs, plans, telephone directories and technical manuals/instructions which relate to British Telecom company products and the provision or transfer of exchange telephone services in the North West of England, mainly Manchester and Lancashire. Extent2 linear metres LanguageEnglish Archival historyBritish Telecom inherited the archives of its predecessors the General Post Office and Post Office Telecommunications. Following a company restructuring in the 1990s, British Telecommunications plc (BT) transferred a proportion of PO Telecommunications and BT archival material deemed relevant to Manchester and the region to the museum. The material served to support the Connecting Manchester Gallery, developed by the museum in partnership with BT Connected Earth. Material was acquired and accessioned by the museum in two lots including this collection and the records were given the catalogue reference YA1999.2 Levelfonds Repository nameScience and Industry Museum Conditions governing accessOpen access. Conditions governing ReproductionCopies may be supplied in accordance with current copyright legislation and Science Museum Group terms and conditions. Related object Collection of Post Office Telegram and Telephone Papers Collection of Post Office Telegram and Telephone Papers Manchester Telegraph and Automatic Exchange System Collection of telecommunications operated in the Manchester area. AppraisalTwo boxes of duplicate material were identified in the process of listing.

TitleBT Connected Earth Collection

ReferenceYA2003.22

Date

1894-1988

Scope and ContentCollection of brochures, pamphlets, publicity material, operational files, photographs, plans, telephone directories and technical manuals/instructions which relate to British Telecom company products and the provision or transfer of exchange telephone services in the North West of England, mainly Manchester and Lancashire.

Extent2 linear metres

LanguageEnglish

Archival historyBritish Telecom inherited the archives of its predecessors the General Post Office and Post Office Telecommunications. Following a company restructuring in the 1990s, British Telecommunications plc (BT) transferred a proportion of PO Telecommunications and BT archival material deemed relevant to Manchester and the region to the museum. The material served to support the Connecting Manchester Gallery, developed by the museum in partnership with BT Connected Earth.

Material was acquired and accessioned by the museum in two lots including this collection and the records were given the catalogue reference YA1999.2

Levelfonds

Repository nameScience and Industry Museum

Conditions governing accessOpen access.

Conditions governing ReproductionCopies may be supplied in accordance with current copyright legislation and Science Museum Group terms and conditions.

Related object

Collection of Post Office Telegram and Telephone Papers
Collection of Post Office Telegram and Telephone Papers

Manchester Telegraph and Automatic Exchange System
Collection of telecommunications operated in the Manchester area.

AppraisalTwo boxes of duplicate material were identified in the process of listing.