Victorian Telegraphy Before Nationalization

Victorian Telegraphy before Nationalization offers an analysis of the technological and entrepreneurial features of the Victorian telegraph service, together with the companies which ran it until nationalization in 1869. Based on original research and extensive study in a variety of archives, the book presents a comprehensive overview of the service. It analyzes both the business and technological history of the Victorian telegraph, showing how they were interdependent. Using a methodological approach, it tracks the ownership of the business, uncovers boardroom-level power games, and examines the financial results. The book examines in detail the technological evolution of the telegraph sector, its innovations and user needs, and its continuous interaction with developments in other fields.

Simone Fari is Assistant Professor of Economic History at the University of Granada, Spain. He has been Post-Doctoral Assistant at University of Lugano, Switzerland, and 'Earth Connected' Research Fellow at the London Science Museum, UK. He first studied telecommunications history at the University of Bari, Italy, and also studied financial history during a Post-Doctoral fellowship at the University of Torino, Italy. He has published A Penisola in Comunicazione (2008), as well as many articles in international reviews.