Standard Telecommunication Laboratories
of Harlow
Part of Standard Telephones and Cables
Late 1920s: STC conceived the idea of a central laboratory for advanced research and development. It became a reality in 1946 and later rapidly expanded in premises at Harlow[1]
1946 STC announced the establishment of a central laboratory organisation, with a role to undertake long-term research and development in the telecommunication, electronics, and allied fields. It would be housed in an old plastics and cable factory at Progress Way, Great Cambridge Road, Enfield, pending the erection of suitable permanent premises[2]
As well as shortage of equipment, there were very few people available with the required level of qualifications. Dr. A. T. Starr, who joined STL from Malvern would try to interest past colleagues in STL.
At the end of 1946 the number of staff totalled 217 included Harry Grayson, Norman Moody, Geoff Dawson, Harold Walker, Alec Reeves, E. P. G. Wright and Roland Dunkley. They were involved in projects such as the double beam oscilloscope and the automatic impedance bridge. These were followed by larger projects such as a microwave link, wavemeters and linear accelerators.
A SHF (super high frequency) Microwave System was designed by Dr. Starr’s group using a travelling wave tube amplifier invented by Rudolf Kompfmer when he was working for the Admiralty and developed by STC Paignton (D. C. Rogers). The system used first for carrying television signals between Manchester and Edinburgh in early 1952.
The Electronic Switching Division, headed by Alec Reeves, was originally involved with ITT Laboratories at Nutley (USA) in the development of electronic switching; the original switch was the cyclotron, a cathode ray device, around which a twenty-four channel PABX was developed and demonstrated in New York in 1946. Alec Reeves had ideas of developing a hard gas tube for switching purposes - A. H. Beck and G. H. Hough took over this feature. But the ideas were ahead of their time and lacked the techniques for their development. STL work on electronic switching was discontinued in 1949.
Around 1950 ITT/STC decided to suspend work on telephone switching applications at STL. Fortunately about this time STC became involved with J. Lyons and Co in the development of LEO (Lyons Electronic Office) but the STL Decatron which was used lacked the extremely high reliability required.
A team consisting of J. Rice, P. W. S. Harrild and D. G. Hunter designed a computer called STEP 1 based on magnetic drum storage - this was one of the first electronic stored programme computers to go into active service. Subsequently STC and STL worked with the Dutch PTT to design and produce a digital computer to be produced at STC Newport, known as ZEBRA. Over twenty systems were exported.
Research continued on storage devices, transistor circuit design and their applications to systems but about this time the majority of the remaining staff were transferred to other parts of STC.
Fundamental research at STL brought about the Silane process for the manufacture of silicon of the highest purity.
As the work grew in volume and importance the accommodation at Progress Way could no longer cope and outstations were established to accommodate small specialised groups. One of these was Frogmore Hall in Hertfordshire where a substantial stretch of level ground proved invaluable for laying out long lengths of a novel helical waveguide to test its transmission properties. This led, in 1959, to a demonstration of the possibilities of this system carrying television programmes or equivalent information in various forms.
1959 STL moved from Enfield to a modern laboratory complex set in seventeen acres on the edge of Harlow New Town. A total staff of around 500 made the move.
1960/61 An experimental Pulse Code Modulation (PCM) junction telephone link developed over several years was field trialled in Madrid. This led STC to develop their first commercial pcm junction system for the British Post Office.
1965 Standard Telecommunication Laboratories Limited[3]
1960s There were two groups of distinct but interacting laboratories, one for materials and components and one for telecommunications, each with its own Technical Director and administration.
The materials and components laboratory was formed to evaluate new materials suitable for component development and to undertake fundamental research into component design up to the prototype stage. The results were gallium arsenide infra-red lasers and a large range of semiconductor devices and integrated circuits to benefit the telecommunications systems and other activities.
The telecommunications laboratory were developing new systems, each generation multiplying by many times the number of circuits that could be carried over one pair of conductors or one optical fibre to keep pace with the rapid growth in demand for telephone and data communications facilities.
STL was particularly well set up to work on large scale integrated circuits, just then achieving practical application.
A third division was formed, Programming and Computing Services, to service the needs, not only of the other two divisions, but also those of some other STC locations.
STL had become only British research centre able to study all aspects of communications technology. This resulted in STL becoming the research centre for ITT Europe.
A change of Managing Director led to a change in approach - new technology had to reach the marketplace very much faster, must have low unit cost and be capable of integration both with existing and future equipment. The three separate laboratories were merged into one with the technical activities divided among six major divisions, each reporting directly to the Managing Director.
1985 P. J. Cropper was appointed Managing director; previously he had run IDEC, a major systems engineering company, and also held senior positions in ICL, so was well placed to manage the Lab. after the STC/ICL merger.
1986 Renamed STC Technology Limited.
1991 After the takeover by Northern Telecom of Canada (Nortel), the Harlow Laboratories were merged with BNR (Bell Northern Research). Administratively they then became Nortel, then Nortel Networks and again, in 2006, Nortel.
See Also
Sources of Information
- [1] STL History