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Private company

Eastern Telegraph Company

Logo: 燃灯, Public domain, via Wikimedia Commons3

British telecommunications company based in London1

The Eastern Telegraph Company was a British telecommunication company that operated undersea telegraph cables between the United Kingdom and India and countries on-route as well as cables from the United Kingdom to North and South America. It was founded in 1872 and would become the largest cable operating company in the world during the 20th century.2 It was founded by John Pender.1 It is part of Cable & Wireless (Holding), Ltd.1 Wikipedia text CC BY-SA 4.0

Last updated Oct 21, 2026.

Overview

1872Founded1
  • Industrypostal and telecommunications services, telecommunications1
  • HeadquartersLondon1

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The Eastern Telegraph Company was a British telecommunication company that operated undersea telegraph cables between the United Kingdom and India and countries on-route as well as cables from the United Kingdom to North and South America.2

The story

Founded by John Pender in 1872.1

The company was founded in 1872 through an amalgamation of several smaller telegraph companies. Its founding chairman was by John Pender, with Sir James Anderson filling the role of Managing Director.

The company predecessors included; China Submarine Telegraph Company, British-Indian Submarine Telegraph Company, Falmouth, Gibraltar and Malta Telegraph Company, and the Anglo-Mediterranean Telegraph Company.

Pender created multiple cable companies due to high risk of cable laying, once successful he would merge these companies together to eventually create Cable & Wireless plc.

The company is now a dormant subsidiary of Cable & Wireless Communications, part of Liberty Latin America.

From Wikipedia’s article on Eastern Telegraph Company, shared under CC BY-SA 4.0.4

Leadership

Who has led Eastern Telegraph Company, and when. Pick a name to see everywhere that person has worked.

Products and brands

  • submarine communications cable

Listed on Wikidata.1

Subsidiaries and ownership

Parent company

  • Cable & Wireless (Holding), Ltd. since 1928

From Wikidata.1

Timeline

  1. 1928Acquired Acquired by Cable & Wireless (Holding), Ltd.1
  2. 1872Founded Founded1

Sources

The numbers on this page point here. Each one links to the record it came from.

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