The Chelmsford Civic Society is part of a new heritage group to purchase, or rent, and refurbish the ground floor of the Old Silk Mill in Hall Street, Chelmsford where Marconi opened his first wirless and telegraphy works in 1898. It is the last industrial building in the city with a direct link to Marconi and this is the last chance to save the ground floor for the community as it is now in danger of being converted into apartments. Our mission is to provide a dynamic, multi functional space within this iconic building where the history of Marconi's pioneering work can be displayed and our young people can experiment, in a safe environment, with Science, Technology, Enginerring and Maths at regular STEM Clubs and where local groups have an opportunity to hire the space to hold a range of community activities.
In this building the wireless radio was made that sent out the SOS message that saved over 700 lives on Titanic. Because of the work from this building we now use wireless in our homes to connect us with our families both at home and across the world on mobile phones, to reach satellites and probes on comets and Mars and to see to the far reaches of space.
Without Marconi's pioneering work it would have taken longer to develop the wireless technology that powers our wifi and mobile phones so it is important that the history of the original pioneer is not lost.