Marconi

Me and a friend took a trip up to the Marconi factory in Chelmsford.

A little background info
In 1898, Guglielmo Marconi, the "father of radio" opened the World's first radio factory in Hall Street, with about 50 workers. In 1920 the factory was also the home of the first official sound (radio) broadcasts (radio people could listen to from a long way) in the UK. In 1922 the world's first regular radio broadcasts started at the Marconi Research Centre at Writtle near Chelmsford.

The Explore
The Marconi factory has since been abandoned for a new factory and left to rot like many other buildings of vast historical importance in Britain.

The buildings that make up Marconi are fantastic. The main offices being in a large several floor white building. We found what looked like a reception area. The walls where marble tiled with a marble floor, fantastic hanging lights and a wood reception desk. The elevator doors are brass plated and the staircase leading up to the upper floors is marble with a brass handrail. The doors leading to the stairwell are beautiful wooden doors with light lettering on the door labels.

Access to the roof was easy, and there where some fantasic views of Chelmsford and the rest of the complex. The rest of the buildings seemed no more than large open spaces for manufacturing things. A flag pole with the St George flag was still flying at full mast.

Of all the places I've explored the Marconi Factory seemed the most depressed. after serving for so long it is doomed to demolition and to be forgotten.

Pictures to follow soon.