The young Marconi first began experimenting with the transmission of radio waves in 1894 from his home in Bologna, Italy to a receiver placed about 2 miles away, the other side of a hill. He enlisted the help of his servant Mignani to fire a rifle whenever he received the letter "S" in Morse. In 1896 Marconi moved to Hereford road in London where he filed a patent. This followed with Marconi carrying out a number of demonstrations on Salisbury Plain and then across the Bristol Channel. In July1897 the Wireless Telegraph Trading Signal Company was formed with their headquarters in Mark Lane in London. In 1898 the first wireless factory was established in Hall Street, employing around 50 people. The factory was built in what was initially a silk factory. This building still stands today and is used by the Essex and Suffolk. Water Co.
In 1900 the companies name was altered to Marconi Wireless Telegraph Co. The Marconi International Marine Communication Co. Ltd. was also formed. In the same year Marconi patented the use of tuned circuits enabling simultaneous transmissions from more stations. By then Marconi had his eye on transatlantic communication, despite the claims of many that over the horizon communication by radio waves was impossible. Building of the Poldhu Wireless Station commenced on October 1900, it was operational by January 1901. On December 12th of that year the letter in Morse was transmitted from Poldhu and received by Marconi personnel in St. John's. In 1902 at the invitation of the Canadian government Marconi travelled to Cape Breton, Nova Scotia and begin the building of a large radio station there.