Marconi's New Street Works

1912 – 2012

Birthplace of the Wireless Age

By Tim Wander

For the centenary of the Marconi New Street Works ex Marconi engineer and historian Tim Wander spent two years putting together the full history and story of the famous factory.

At nearly 400 pages and with over 130 photographs the book charts the history and development of the site and tells the stories behind the world beating and world saving technologies that were developed there. New Street was the birthplace of many technologies that have shaped and changed our modern world including radio, broadcasting, television, radar, satellite communications and even the computer and the technology behind the mobile telephone.

But most of all the Marconi New Street centenary book tells some of the stories of the men and women who worked there from the 1930s onward. Over a hundred people contributed to a unique oral history - everything from a paragraph or humorous anecdote through to a mini-career history. With careful editing they have been woven together to form a permanent record of the factory and the people who served there.

One of the elements that surprised Tim was the number of wartime memories sent in. His new book endeavours to tell a story that spans a century but it evoked strong and even shocking images of a past Christmas, when the world was at war.

Although some of these stories are tragic, it is important that they should never be forgotten. In the book many others recount far happier times of comradeship, laughter and a sense of belonging that will perhaps never occur again. This was the goal behind the new book and Tim genuinely believes that it is important that we always remember and that all the memories and reminiscences of past years are recorded for future generations.

The New Street story recounts many stories of the famous factory across one hundred years. It respectfully remembers the losses of wartime but also recounts happier times of comradeship, laughter and a sense of belonging that will perhaps never occur again.

Many of the photographs in the book are previously unseen and span the entire history of the New Street site and include some taken inside the abandoned main factory showing the dreadful state of decay and dilapidation once rain water has got into the site though the vandalised roof.

The book is especially important as a record of the industrial heritage of the site as by 2014 all but the front facade had been demolished and lost forever.

MARCONI’S NEW STREET WORKS
1912 – 2012
Birthplace of the Wireless Age by Tim Wander

First published 11/02/2012, 99,103 words, ISBN 9780 755 206933 RRP £ 12.99

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