Torchwood 1 was the base of operations of the Torchwood Institute in London, England. It seems to have been significantly larger than it's two (remaining) satellite branches, Torchwood 2 and 3. It was also the home base of Administrator Yvonne Hartman and thus headquarters of Torchwood administration.
The main base at One Canada Square was destroyed in 2007 in the Battle of Canary Wharf, which effectively meant the end of the London branch, though the Cardiff and Glasgow branches continued to operate.
History
Very little is known about the early history of Torchwood 1, though it existed at least by 1953, when London Police while investigating strange occurrences provoked by the activities of an alien entity known as The Wire feared that Torchwood might become involved. (DW: The Idiot's Lantern).
In 1996, a Jathaa Sunglider was shot down by Torchwood (though it was never stated which division) over the North Sea and transported to Torchwood 1 for further study. (DW: Army of Ghosts). In 2005, a Dogon spaceship with a crew of twenty crashed in the river Humber and were also retrieved and studied. (torchwood.org.uk)
By 2006 Torchwood had managed to reverse-engineer the weapons system of the Sunglider and Torchwood were ordered by prime minister Harriet Jones to use it against the Sycorax spaceship that threatened Earth on Christmas Day. (DW: The Christmas Invasion)
At some point before 2007 Torchwood Tower was build as a headquarters, at Canary Wharf in order to reach and study a radar black spot.
- In real life the tower was constructed in the early nineties
Torchwood experimented with tapping into the resonance around this anomaly, believing it could provide massive amounts of what they believed was free energy. In reality they were slowly breaching the barrier between our universe and another one. Cybermen from this universe partially manifested themselves in our universe in what became called "ghost shifts"; the appearance of millions of ghostly humanoid figures that seemed to glow with an unearthly light. After a while the experiments also resulted in the appearance of a Void Ship, a large golden sphere of obviously alien design registering as having no mass, no energy, no physical data whatsoever. (DW: Army of Ghosts)
Ultimately this research led to the downfall of Torchwood 1, when in July 2007 a cadre of Daleks revealed to be inside the voidship, and Cybermen from the parallel universe both entered our universe, immediately clashing in what became known as Battle of Canary Wharf. the Torchwood Tower itself was the main battleground, and the fighting did not stop until the Doctor found a way to intervene, reversing Torchwood's power machinery and sending the Daleks and Cybermen into the Void. (DW: Doomsday)
However, by that time the staff of torchwood one was decimated and the branch essentially ceased to exist.
Legacy
Though Torchwood 1 ceased to exist in 2007, other branches continued to operate semi-independently, and at least one survivor transferred to another branch. Dogon Sixth Eye, previously stored at Torchwood, found their way onto eBay and quickly became a valued item by alien artifact collectors. (TW: Random Shoes) A secondary Torchwood base under the River Thames home to experiments with Huon particles seems to have been abandoned after the incident. (DW: The Runaway Bride)
- It is unknown exactly with which branch Torchwood operative Vivien Rook operated, she might be a survivor carrying on semi-independently.
Administrators and Staff
- Yvonne Hartman (Administrator until 2007, deceased) Upgraded into a Cybermen. Killed ordinary Cybermen but was sucked into the Void.
- Doctor Rajesh Singh (researcher, deceased). The Cult of Skaro scanned his brain waves, killing him due to the force.
- Adeola Oshodi (deceased). Died in a cyber-brain transplant when the Doctor destroyed it.
- Matt (deceased). Died in a cyber-brain transplant when the Doctor destroyed it.
- Gareth (deceased). Died in a cyber-brain transplant when the Doctor destroyed it.
- Ianto Jones transfered to Torchwood 3.
- Lisa Hallett (deceased). Partially cyberconverted, shot to death by Torchwood 3.
- Mickey Samuel (infiltrator from a parallel universe)
- Sebastian (soldier, possibly deceased).
- Vivien Rook (deceased). Killed by the Toclafane because she uncovered the truth on the Master.