Siemens Brothers

Siemens Brothers Telegraph Works opened as a new cable factory in Woolwich, London in 1863.[7] It expanded to cover over 6 acres and employed more than 2,000 people. In 1869 the London and Berlin firms jointly made and laid a telegraph line from Prussia to Teheran which formed a principal part of the direct line from England to India, 2,750 miles.[5] Principal cables made and laid by Siemens Brothers between 1873 and 1883:

• In 1874-5 the London firm alone completed the first direct Atlantic cable, known as the DUS,[5] to USA.
• In 1876 a direct Paris-New York cable was discussed in France. In March 1879 Siemens Brothers was given the order by banker Pouyer-Quertier. They finished making the PQ cable at Woolwich in the middle of June when the Faraday set out to do the laying under the control of Ludwig Loeffler. The main cable was handed over to the owners in little more than four months. Neither France nor USA had a cable-making factory.
• 1881 Western Union England to Nova Scotia north cable
• 1882 Western Union England to Nova Scotia south cable[8]

The construction and laying of cables remained the firm's main occupation until Sir William's death in 1883.[8][note 4] Following his death shares were offered, somewhat unwillingly, to London manager Johann Carl Ludwig Loeffler (1831–1906) to retain his services. He managed to increase his holding to 25% but there were disagreements as to how the firm was run and Alexander Siemens, William's adopted son, replaced Loeffler in 1888. Werner bought Loeffler's shareholding.[4] Loeffler died in the Tyrol 18 years later leaving an estate in excess of £1.5 million, he was a prominent investor in West Australian mines.[9]

10 kW Siemens dynamo running at 450 rpm with its Willans steam engine

The invention of the dynamo in 1867 led to a switch from Siemens' previous strength in light-current products to heavy-current products and processes.[4] The world's first modern high-voltage power station was opened in 1891, Deptford East. Designed in 1887 by 23-year-old former Siemens' apprentice Sebastian de Ferranti it was erected by the London Electricity Supply Corporation on the Thames bank at Deptford Creek, two and a half miles west of Siemens' Woolwich site. Berlin was anxious that the London business should break its reliance on the submarine cable business. The London County Council discouraged that kind of development and after considering other locations Stafford was settled on. 500 acres of freehold land were purchased there in 1900 and building began in 1901.[8]

Following the invention of the arc lamps, their manufacture was taken up by Siemens Brothers.[5]

In December 1880 a limited liability company was formed to own the firm and it was named Siemens Brothers and Company Limited.[10] There were just seven shareholders, the legal minimum. All except Loeffler were family members. William was chairman and Loeffler managing director.[8]

In 1899, the Siemens family bought back all shares not held by family members.[4]

By 1900 Siemens Brothers had constructed and laid seven North Atlantic cables[7]

• Siemens and English Electric Lamp Company Limited Previously known as English Electric and Siemens Supplies Limited from 1 January 1923 this jointly owned company took over the electric lamp factories at Dalton and Preston. It also controlled the sale of the lamps it manufactured and provided the sales organisation for Siemens' and English Electric's wires and cables, house-wiring systems and accessories, Zed fuses, wireless apparatus, telephones, instruments etc.[14]
• Siemens and General Electric Railway Signal Company Limited In 1926, Siemens Brothers and GEC, combined their railway signaling activities to form the Siemens and General Electric Railway Signal Co.[18]
• Submarine Cables Limited In 1935, Siemens Brothers merged its submarine cables division with the Telegraph Construction and Maintenance Company to form Submarine Cables Ltd.[19]

One of the many critical components of World War II's Operation Overlord was to ensure a steady supply of fuel to the Allied forces. Operation Pluto (PipeLine Under The Ocean) was facilitated by Mr A C Hartley, chief engineer of the Anglo-Iranian Oil Company, who suggested to Siemens Brothers that a submarine cable might be modified to carry petrol below the channel to France. Siemens Brothers' experience with gas pressure cables lead to their design manufacture and trial (under the Thames) of what became PLUTO. PLUTO delivered more than a million gallons of petrol from England to France each day. The sheer size of the structure required the involvement of many other companies in manufacture of individual lengths. PLUTO's code name was HAIS—Hartley, Anglo-Iranian, Siemens.[21]

Ship's telegraph

• AEI, Associated Electrical Industries Limited, in 1951 purchased from the custodian of enemy property[23][24] the formerly Siemens & Halske-owned 15% of Siemens Brothers capital issued to them in June 1929.[20] It had been issued in respect of certain licensing arrangements with Siemens Brothers and agreements for technical exchange and in exchange for a holding of equal value in their company.

Associated Electrical Industries Limited offered to buy the rest of Siemens Brothers in December 1954 offering their own shares in exchange for Siemens Brothers shares. Their offer was accepted by more than 90% of shareholders and so it became unconditional on 25 January 1955.[25]

• Siemens Edison Swan Limited 1957[26]

• GEC, General Electric Company, in 1967 took over AEI.

Despite rationalization and further investment, the layout and age of the Woolwich works stood in the way of new production methods. After the AEI take-over, the Woolwich factory principally produced Strowger telephone exchanges for the General Post Office. After these became more and more obsolete, GEC's chairman Sir Arnold Weinstock was unwilling to invest in modernisation of the Woolwich plant. Early in 1968 the Woolwich works, where at the time 6,000 were employed, closed. This happened one year after the closure of the Royal Ordnance Factory in the Royal Arsenal, by far the largest employer in Woolwich, followed by Siemens. It caused large-scale unemployment in the area and decades of economic and social hardship.[1]

• Automatic trunk telephone exchange, 1914, King's College Hospital, London
• Short-wave marine radio, 1927, s.s. Carinthia
• (electrically operated) Train arrival indicator, 1934, Paddington Station, London
• Television outside broadcast, 1937 Coronation, made and laid the cable used
• Transatlantic telephone cable, 1956, 9/10ths of the cable, 4,200 nautical miles, cable was made by Submarine Cables[27]

At the Woolwich site, which once covered thirty-five acres, several buildings testify of a rich industrial heritage. Several buildings were destroyed or severely damaged by bombs in World War II, including the oldest building of 1863-65. A range of two- and three-storey buildings from the 1870s, 80s and 90s stands on the north side of Bowater Road. The western section of 1871 and 1873 is largely derelict. The central section was rebuilt after war damage, the eastern section has been renovated. The latter sections are now part of London's largest complex of artists' studios, Thames-Side Studios. On the other side of Bowater Road several five-storey brick buildings of 1911, 1926 and 1942 have survived, along with a largely concrete building of 1937. Near the Thames Barrier is the 1946 marine radio school, a joint venture by Siemens Brothers with Metropolitan Vickers Electrical Co. Ltd., providing training in the use of radar and radio equipment.[1]

• 
  Oldest Woolwich buildings, 1871-73
• 
  1890s range, now artists' studios
• 
  L-shaped building, 1911
• 
  Main office, 1911
• 
  Cable shop, 1937
• 
  Marine radio school, 1947