Signalling Collection

Flags used for Nelsons famous signal at the Battle of Trafalgar, 1805. The flags used by Lieutenant Pasco aboard HMS Victory to send the message England expects that every man will do his duty

Poster produced for British Railways (BR), showing a railway worker manually operating the signals in the Greenwood signal box, New Barnet, London

Flags of Royal Navy
Some of the signal flags of Royal Navy including the Royal Standard, White Ensign, Union Jack

The HMS Victory - brought in to Portsmouth Harbour
The HMS Victory - in Portsmouth Harbour. Fitted up as a Naval School of Telegrapha before becoming a floating signal school proper (as can be seen on this card) until 1904

Signal lamp man servicing signal lanterns, c1930s

Carrier Pigeon poster
Poster warning people of the dangers of shooting carrier pigeons who may be carrying life or death messages. Carrier pigeons, we are told, are a vital part of RAF

York, Holgate Bridge, London and North Eastern Railway. 1937. At Holgate bridge, a signal gantry stands high above the tracks on the approach into York station

Mail Ship Flags & Others
Flags including those of the States of Australia, New Zealand, Royal Mail & the Orient and Pacific Steam Navigation Companies

The Railway Junction. A signal changing from stop to go. This is a classic British semaphore stop signal (lower quadrant type)

White-tailed Deer - buck with tail up to signal to other deer that an intruder is in the woods - Rocky Mountains
TOM-1953 White-tailed Deer - buck with tail up to signal to other deer that an intruder is in the woods Rocky Mountains - Montana - USA Odocoileus virginianus Tom & Pat Leeson Please note that prints

Portsmouth, Hampshire - HMS Victory flying Nelsons signal
Portsmouth, Hampshire - HMS Victory flying Nelsons famous signal ( ENGLAND CONFIDES (expects) THAT EVERY MAN WILL DO HIS DUTY" Date: circa 1910s

Royal Navy sailor with Union Jack and Red Ensign flags. circa 1900

Signal gantry at Newton Abbot Station, Devon, c. 1920
A view of signal gantry at Newton Abbot Station, Devon, c.1920. The station opened with the name Newton in December 1846 by the South Devon Railway Company

RMS Republic, SS Florida and wireless-telegraphy room
RMS Republic sank on 24rd January 1909, near Nantucket, Massachusetts, after collision with SS Florida had occurred the day before

Channel tunnel. Historical artwork of a tunnel beneath the English Channel through which Napoleons troops are moving to invade England

Reading Signal Works, September 1936
Construction of a locking frame

Warning Horn
A watchman at Kunszentmiklos, Hungary, blowing his horn during times of danger due to serious flooding over 200, 000 acres of low-lying acres of arable and meadow land. Date: 1930s

Castle Pill railway, near Milford Haven, South Wales
View of the Great Western Railway at Castle Pill (pill is a local name for a tidal inlet), near Milford Haven, Pembrokeshire, South Wales

Ipswich, East Suffolk Junction, about 1911
Ipswich railway line, 1911. East Suffolk Junction, possibly taken from London Road bridge, looking north-west. The Norwich main line continues straight ahead

York, locomotive signal box in locomotive yard
Signal box in York locomotive yard, with a signal gantry in the foreground

The Naze Tower, Walton-on-the-Naze, Essex
The Naze Tower at Walton-on-the-Naze, Essex. An historic landmark, it was built on the cliffs in 1721 by Trinity House as a navigation mark to guide shipping

Black-tailed Prairie Dog barking. MI851
TOM-1519 Black-tailed Prairie Dog barking. Greycliff Prairie Dog Town State Park, Montana, USA Cynomys ludovicianus Tom & Pat Leeson Please note that prints are for personal display purposes only

Ethiopia / Call to War
Smoke signals summon the country-men to join their regiments as Ethiopia prepares for war

Armada Beacons 1588
THE SPANISH ARMADA Lighting the beacons to signal the alarm as the enemy fleet approaches the English coast

The Pilchard-Fishing Industry at St Ive s, Cornwall (engraving)
1047883 The Pilchard-Fishing Industry at St Ive s, Cornwall (engraving) by Nash, Joseph (d.1922); Private Collection; (add.info.: The Pilchard-Fishing Industry at St Ive s, Cornwall)

Lookout man operating signalling lamp, Croydon Airport
Lookout man operating signalling lamp from the Control Tower, Croydon Airport Date: 1930s

Prossers Wooden Railway, Wimbledon Common, 1845. Creator: Unknown
Prossers Wooden Railway, Wimbledon Common, 1845....a System of Tram-ways composed entirely of Wood, which the inventor, Mr

6th Battalion Royal Tank Corps - manoeuvres in Egypt
6th Battalion Royal Tank Corps - manoeuvres in the Egyptian desert near Cairo from their base at Abbassia. This photograph shows light tanks in action over some rough ground. Date: 1936

19th-century lightship. Historical artwork of a lightship using a lamp on top of a mast to guide other ships (seen in background). Lightships are ships anchored in place to act as a lighthouse

3rd February 2021: Premier League Showdown - Liverpool vs. Brighton and Hove Albion at Anfield
Match action during the Premier League match between Liverpool and Brighton and Hove Albion at Anfield during the 2020/21 season, on 3rd February 2021

Signal flag for the numbers 0 and 1, international maritime signal flags, international code of signals

Signal flag for the letter N, international maritime signal flag, international code of signals

Railway signal at night
Colour-light signalling, a modern innovation in the early 1960s, on an electrified railway line. Electrification of busy routes demanded a system of train control that was rapid

The system of signalling by flag semaphore
5616529 The system of signalling by flag semaphore; (add.info.: Illustration depicting the system of signaling by flag semaphore the telegraphy system)

Illustration showing a British soldier signalling with a heliograph. Heliographs were used during the Zulu
5311587 Illustration showing a British soldier signalling with a heliograph. Heliographs were used during the Zulu, Afghan and South African campaigns

British soldier signalling with a heliograph, 1850
3480159 British soldier signalling with a heliograph, 1850; (add.info.: British soldier signalling with a heliograph. Heliographs were used a great deal during the Zulu War)

British soldier signalling with a heliograph, 1850
3480158 British soldier signalling with a heliograph, 1850; (add.info.: British soldier signalling with a heliograph on the Indian frontier. Dated 19th Century.); Universal History Archive/UIG.

A cartoon depicting a man with a red flag walking in front of a traction engine, 19th century
5310974 A cartoon depicting a man with a red flag walking in front of a traction engine, 19th century; (add.info.: Date: 1884); Universal History Archive/UIG.

The system of signalling by flag semaphore
5616527 The system of signalling by flag semaphore; (add.info.: Illustration depicting the system of signaling by flag semaphore the telegraphy system)

The system of signalling by flag semaphore
5616525 The system of signalling by flag semaphore; (add.info.: Illustration depicting the system of signaling by flag semaphore the telegraphy system)

British soldier signalling with a heliograph, 1850
3480162 British soldier signalling with a heliograph, 1850; (add.info.: British soldier signalling with a heliograph. Heliographs were used a great deal during the Zulu; Afghan)

Engraving depicting a railway guard waiting to give the all-clear whistle for the train to move off, 19th century
5309003 Engraving depicting a railway guard waiting to give the all-clear whistle for the train to move off, 19th century; (add.info)

Mangin and Leroyer's signalling lamp for mines
5310057 Mangin and Leroyer's signalling lamp for mines; (add.info.: Engraving depicting Mangin and Leroyer's signalling lamp for mines)

Stahmer's railway lever frame mechanism used for signalling trains, a system used to direct railway traffic
3473206 Stahmer's railway lever frame mechanism used for signalling trains, a system used to direct railway traffic , from Meyers Lexicon, pub

The system of signalling by flag semaphore
5616531 The system of signalling by flag semaphore; (add.info.: Illustration depicting the system of signaling by flag semaphore the telegraphy system)

The collapsing drum
5616522 The collapsing drum; (add.info.: Illustration depicting the collapsing drum for signaling from ship to shore on a dash and dot system. Dated 19th Century)

An engraving depicting a combined semaphore and light railway signal. When the arm is horizontal the red light shows
5311446 An engraving depicting a combined semaphore and light railway signal. When the arm is horizontal the red light shows, and 'danger' signalled

Mance's field heliograph, 1850
3480161 Mance's field heliograph, 1850; (add.info.: Illustration depicting Mance's field heliograph. Dated 19th Century.); Universal History Archive/UIG.

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"Signalling: A Language of Communication and Control" Flags have long been used as a means of communication, none more famously than at the Battle of Trafalgar in 1805. Nelson's signal flags fluttered high above the HMS Victory, conveying strategic orders that would shape history. Even in peacetime, signalling played a crucial role in transportation. A poster produced for British Railways showcased a railway worker manually operating signals, ensuring safe passage for trains across the vast network. The Royal Navy also relied heavily on signalling to maintain order and coordination at sea. The flags of the navy fluttered proudly atop their ships, symbolizing unity and strength. Speaking of naval history, the majestic HMS Victory was brought into Portsmouth Harbour with great fanfare. Its towering masts adorned with signal flags stood as a testament to its glorious past. In land-based operations too, signalling had its place. Signal lamp men diligently serviced lanterns to guide travelers through darkened streets during the 1930s. One iconic image captured York's Holgate Bridge under London and North Eastern Railway control in 1937 - an intricate web of tracks serving as a visual representation of complex railway junctions where precise signalling was essential for smooth operation. But not all forms of signaling were confined to human hands alone. Carrier pigeons took flight carrying messages across vast distances when other means failed or were unavailable – their wings becoming symbols of hope and connection. Beyond transportation, signals permeate various aspects of life. Mail ship flags fluttering high signaled arrivals from distant lands while artwork depicting cannabinoid receptor binding delved into scientific realms exploring our body's internal communications system. From war cries like Ethiopia's "Call to War" echoing through time to sailors hoisting Union Jack and Red Ensign flags aboard naval vessels – signaling has forever been intertwined with national pride and identity. Whether it be on land or sea, manual or automated systems; whether communicating vital information or displaying allegiance, signalling remains an essential language of communication and control.