|
|
 |
The 1960's was the decade that brought enormous technical changes to Ascension Island, with the arrival of modern technology.
The first indication of the new era was in 1960 when the American TTR site (known locally as "the Golf ball") was built near Comfortless Cove.
Soon after this the BBC sent survey teams to evaluate the possibility of erecting a relay station for South America and West Africa. This survey proved to be successful and so the transmitter site and the power station were constructed at English Bay. Two Boats village was constructed by MPBW to house BBC and other personnel. The majority of the construction workforce consisted of a large number of West Indians from Barbados and other islands in the Caribbean.
Cable & Wireless continued to run the Island facilities - the school, the shop and the farm, as well as all the day-to-day operations such as the garage and the petrol pumps.
However, in view of the large influx of people at this time it was decided that control of the Island should pass from the Cable & Wireless manager to an Administrator who was appointed by the Foreign and Commonwealth Office. His residency was the former sanatorium on Green Mountain that had been used for Yellow Fever victims, and since then as a house for the Cable & Wireless manager.
 The technological revolution
Back to top 
|
|
|