Catalogue description Records of the Signals Experimental Establishment and Signals Research and Development Establishment

The origins of the Signals Experimental Establishment (SEE) can be traced to early experimental radio work carried out from 1903 onwards by a detachment of Royal Engineers. This group moved into Woolwich after the outbreak of World War 1, and in 1916 to a site on Woolwich Common where it first became known as the SEE.

After the First World War, part of the staff moved out to form another group which eventually became the nucleus of the radio department of the Royal Aircraft Establishment in 1922. The remaining work continued at SEE and there was some contraction in its activity until the outbreak of the Second World War. In 1941 part of it went temporarily to Warnham Court in Surrey, but then the whole establishment (by then renamed Signals Research and Development Establishment (SRDE)) was moved to Christchurch in 1943, with an outstation (Broomy Lodge) in the New Forest.

The first Civilian Chief Superintendent was J D Cockcroft. From then on, its activities centred on developing new signal techniques and increasing the mobility of the Army Signals Organisation. It absorbed several small specialist units, one of which was of Polish origin and brought in expertise on mine detection methods. After the war, the establishment was split, development and engineering being located at Somerford, Christchurch, while research was at Steamer Point on the coast near Mudeford. The Somerford site had first been used by the Air Defence Research and Development Establishment (ADRDE), set up in 1939 and itself an amalgamation of earlier establishments.

Control of SRDE passed successively to the Ministry of Aviation in 1959, the Ministry of Technology in 1967, the Ministry of Aviation Supply in 1970 and the Ministry of Defence in 1971. In 1976 SRDE was merged with the Royal Radar Establishment to become the Royal Signals and Radar Establishment. In 1991 this establishment became part of the Defence Research Agency.