Cyrus West Collection

Valentia in 1857-1858 at the Time of the Laying of the Former Cable, 1865

Foilhummerum Bay, Valentia, from Cromwell Fort: The Caroline Laying the Earthwire on July 21st, 1865, 1865

The Atlantic Telegraph Cable Fleet Assembled at Berehaven (Southwest Coast of Ireland): Ships, the Great Eastern, H.M.S. Terrible, the Alby, the Medway and the William Cory, 1866

The Bay of Bull Arms, Trinity Bay, Newfoundland, Bonfires Lighted on the Hills to Notify of the Arrival of the Cable Fleet on August 5th, 1858, 1865-66

The Settlement and Church of Hearts Content, Newfoundland, 1866

First Telegraph House at Hearts Content, Newfoundland, 1866, 1866

Trinity Bay, Newfoundland, Exterior View of the Telegraph House in 1857-1858, 1865-66

Telegraph Cable Fleet at Sea, 1865, 1865-66. Creator: Robert Charles Dudley
Telegraph Cable Fleet at Sea, 1865, 1865-66

View Looking Aft from the Port Paddle-box on the Deck of the Great Eastern... 1865-66
View Looking Aft from the Port Paddle-box on the Deck of the Great Eastern: Showing the Trough for the Cable, etc. 1865-66

Valentia, Ireland, from the Harbor, Opposite Knight s-town, at the Period of Laying the Cable of 1857, 1865-66

Foilhummerum Bay, Valentia, Looking from Cromwell Fort: The Caroline and Boats Laying the Earth Wire, July 21st, 1865, 1865-66

Coiling the Cable in the Large Tanks at the Works of the Telegraph Construction and Maintenance Company of Greenwich, 1865, 1865

In the Bows of the Great Eastern: The Cable Broken and Lost, Preparing to Grapple, August 2nd, 1865, 1865

Coiling the Cable in the After-tank on Board the Great Eastern at Sheerness: Visit of H.R.H. the Prince of Wales on May 23rd, 1865, 1865-66

The Cable Passed From the Works into the Hulk (the Old Frigate Iris) Lying in the Thames at Greenwich, 1865-66

The Old Frigate Iris with Her Freight of Cable Alongside the Great Eastern at Sheerness: The Cable Passed from the Hulk to the Great Eastern, 1865

Foilhummerum Bay, Valentia, Looking Seawards from the Point at Which the Cable Reaches the Shore of Ireland, 1865-66

The Reels of Gutta-percha Covered Conducting Wire Conveyed into Tanks at the Works of the Telegraph Construction and Maintenance Company, at Greenwich, 1865-66

September 8th at Hearts Content, the day of the successful termination of the work of laying, recovering, completing and testing the Atlantic Telegraph Cables of 1865 and 1866, 1866

Splicing the Cable (after the First Accident) on Board the Great Eastern, July 25th, 1865, 1865-66

Forward Deck of the Great Eastern Cleared for the First Attempt to Grapple... 1865-66
Forward Deck of the Great Eastern Cleared for the First Attempt to Grapple for the Lost Cable, August 11th, 1865, 1865-66

The Forge on Deck, Night of August 9th: Preparing the Iron Plating for Capstan, 1865-66

The Paying-out Machinery in the Stern of the Great Eastern, 1865

Getting Out One of the Large Buoys for Launching, August 2nd, 1865, 1865

H. M. S. Agamemnon Laying the Atlantic Telegraph Cable in 1858: a Whale Crosses the Line
H.M.S. Agamemnon Laying the Atlantic Telegraph Cable in 1858: a Whale Crosses the Line, 1865-66

Interior of One of the Tanks on Board the Great Eastern: The Cable Passing Out, 1865-66

The Cliffs, Foilhummerum Bay, Valentia, the Point at Which the Shore-end of the Cable was Landed on July 22nd, 1865, 1865

Launching the Buoy from the Bow of the Great Eastern on August 8th, 1865, 1865-66

Getting Out One of the Great Buoys: The Deck of the Great Eastern Looking From the Forecastle, 1865-66

View of the Interior of One of the Tanks on Board the Great Eastern, 1865-66

View, Looking Aft, from the Port Paddle Box of the Great Eastern, Showing the Trough for the Cable, etc. 1865-66

Deck of the Great Eastern, the Cable Trough, etc. 1866, 1865-66

News Received Through the Atlantic Cable From All Parts of the World, etc. 1866

The Albany Buoying a Bight of the Cable of 1865 on the Night of August 26th, 1866, 1866

Cyrus W. Field, 1879. Creator: Daniel Huntington
Cyrus W. Field, 1879

Cyrus West Field, American businessman and financier, c1849 (1955). It was through Fields (1819-1892) suggestion and financial aid that the first Atlantic cable was laid

Cyrus W Field, American financier, c19th century

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"Cyrus West: Pioneering the Transatlantic Telegraph Cable" Step back in time to Valentia in 1857-1858, a momentous period when Cyrus West played a crucial role in the laying of the former cable. With determination and vision, he contributed to connecting continents like never before. In Foilhummerum Bay, Valentia, from Cromwell Fort, witness history unfold as the Caroline lays down the earthwire on that fateful day in July. The Atlantic Telegraph Cable Fleet assembled at Berehaven on Ireland's southwest coast stands as a testament to West's leadership and organizational skills. Across the vast ocean lies Trinity Bay in Newfoundland, where bonfires were lit on hillsides to notify locals of significant events. The settlement and church of Hearts Content became an integral part of this telegraphic revolution by providing support and infrastructure for this groundbreaking technology. The first telegraph house at Hearts Content stands proudly as a symbol of progress and innovation. Its establishment in 1866 marked another milestone achieved under Cyrus West's guidance. Step into Trinity Bay's exterior view of the telegraph house during its early years (1857-1858) or later (1865-66), witnessing firsthand how communication was transformed across great distances. Marvel at Robert Charles Dudley's depiction of the impressive Telegraph Cable Fleet sailing through treacherous seas in 1865. These brave men faced countless challenges while ensuring seamless connectivity between nations. Aboard the Great Eastern ship, experience life from an aft perspective on its deck during those transformative years (1865-66). As you gaze upon Valentia Harbor opposite Knightstown, imagine being present during one of history's most significant technological advancements—the laying of transatlantic cables. Return once more to Foilhummerum Bay from Cromwell Fort; observe with awe as both Caroline and boats work tirelessly towards their shared goal—connecting continents through copper strands beneath unforgiving waters.