Celebration of the radio revolution

Marconi recognised the global potential of the wireless

The arrival of the radio era 100 years ago was marked by the re-creation of an historic broadcast.

The National Trust re-enacted the world's first long-distance radio signal sent on 23 January, 1901.

The transmission spanned nearly 200 miles from the Isle of Wight to the Lizard peninsula in Cornwall.

It proved Italian radio entrepreneur Guglielmo Marconi was right - radio waves could travel long distances.

Marcus Bartlett prepares to hear historic signal

Though he had been selling wireless equipment for several years, broadcasts were restricted to about 70 miles.

Doubters said radio waves could not travel beyond the horizon because of the curvature of the earth.

Marconi was determined to prove them wrong and boost sales, particularly to the shipping industry where he saw great potential.

His historic signal, sent at 1630GMT on 23 January 1901, was recreated exactly 100 years later.

Actor Marcus Bartlett, from Exeter, Devon, playing Marconi, received the signal at Bass Point, the world's oldest surviving purpose-built radio station.

Trans-Atlantic triumph

The station on the Lizard peninsula had fallen into disrepair when it was bought by the National Trust in 1996.

It has since been restored and was officially opened on Tuesday as a public visitor centre to be managed initially by Cornwall's Trevithick Trust.

Marconi began experimenting with the wireless in the early 1890s.

In 1897 he set up the Wireless Telegraph and Signal Company Ltd to develop and manufacture equipment.

Three years later the Marconi International Marine Communications Company Ltd was set up to handle maritime business.

Later this year, a second important moment in radio history will be commemorated by the National Trust.

On 12 December, 1901, when the first trans-Atlantic signal was sent from the Poldhu wireless station, also on the Lizard peninsula, to Newfoundland, Canada.

This station is also owned and managed by the National Trust.