1927: The birth of the Radio Research Station

Around 1920, this early radio research was carried out at Ditton Park in Slough under the supervision of R. H. Barfield and an assistant. Their work involved;

• Field strength measurements
• Screening equipment from electromagnetic fields
• Radio direction finding.

At the same time, Watson-Watt was studying atmospherics for the Radio Research Board at the Aldershot Wireless Station. This station had been run under the Meteorological Office, but was transferred to the D.S.I.R at the end of the first World War. In 1924, the huts, equipment and Watson-Watt moved to Ditton Park, where on December 1st 1927 he oversaw the merger of the direction finding, field strength and upper atmosphere research into the Radio Research Station. This occasion was marred by a serious fire which destroyed a 220 foot wooden tower and some surrounding buildings. These wooden buildings were to become the headquarters of the Station until a new building was completed on the site in 1956.