Torchwood One

Torchwood One was the base of operations of the Torchwood Institute in London. It was significantly larger than its two satellite branches, Torchwood Two and Three. It was also the home base of Administrator Yvonne Hartman and thus headquarters of Torchwood administration.

The main base at Torchwood Tower 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
Torchwood One existed at least by 1953, when Metropolitan Police investigating strange occurrences provoked by the activities of an alien entity known as the Wire feared that Torchwood might become involved. (TV: 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 One for further study. (TV: Army of Ghosts)

By 2006, Torchwood had managed to reverse-engineer the weapons system of the Sunglider and were ordered by Prime Minister Harriet Jones to use it against the Sycorax spaceship that threatened Earth on Christmas Day. (TV: The Christmas Invasion)

Some time before 2007, Torchwood Tower was built at Canary Wharf to reach and study a radar black spot.

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 their universe and another one. Cybermen from that universe partially manifested themselves in their universe in what became called "ghost shifts", with 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 no mass, no energy, no physical data whatsoever. (TV: Army of Ghosts)

Ultimately this research led to the downfall of Torchwood One. In July 2007, a cadre of Daleks was revealed to be inside the Void Ship, and Cybermen from the parallel universe entered their universe. The Daleks and Cybermen immediately began to fight in what became known as Battle of Canary Wharf. 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. (TV: Doomsday)

Legacy
Though Torchwood One ceased to exist in 2007, other branches continued to operate semi-independently, and at least one survivor transferred to another branch. Dogon Sixth Eyes, previously stored at Torchwood, found their way onto eBay and quickly became a valued item by alien artefact collectors. (TV: Random Shoes) A secondary Torchwood base under the River Thames home to experiments with Huon particles was abandoned after the incident. (TV: The Runaway Bride, AUDIO: In the Shadows)

Administrators and staff

 * Yvonne Hartman (Administrator until 2007, deceased or trapped in the Void in the Battle of Canary Wharf) Upgraded into a Cyberman. Killed ordinary Cybermen but was sucked into the Void.
 * Doctor Rajesh Singh (researcher, deceased in the Battle of Canary Wharf). The Cult of Skaro scanned his brain waves, killing him due to the force.
 * Adeola Oshodi (deceased 2007). Died in a cyber-brain transplant when the Tenth Doctor destroyed it. Cousin of Martha Jones.
 * Matt Crane (deceased 2007). Died in a cyber-brain transplant when the Tenth Doctor destroyed it.
 * Gareth Evans (deceased 2007). Died in a cyber-brain transplant when the Tenth Doctor destroyed it.
 * Ianto Jones (junior researcher, deceased 2009). Transferred to Torchwood Three, died after the 456 infected him with a virus.
 * Lisa Hallett (deceased 2007). Partially cyberconverted, shot to death by Torchwood Three
 * Samuel later revealed as Mickey Smith (infiltrator from a parallel universe)
 * Sebastian (soldier, deceased in the Battle of Canary Wharf)
 * Carlie Roberts (biologist) (AUDIO: Submission)
 * Rupert Howarth (mentor) (COMIC: The Legacy of Torchwood One!)

Torchwood website
The series 1 version of the Torchwood website had a report on the Dogon Sixth Eye by Owen Harper. It mentioned that "a couple of years ago", a Dogon ship crashed into the Humber, and Torchwood One had dissected the crew to "investigate" them. In an email between Rajesh Singh and Yvonne Hartman, Rajesh noted that while his assistant, Craig, was cleaning one of the crew's eyes, he "was literally collapsed on the floor, crying with laughter". After having the eye removed from him, Craig explained what was had happened — the eye put all of his problems into perspective.

Owen noted that after the destruction of Torchwood One, "a whole bunch of these eyes" appeared on eBay.

On the series 1 version of the Torchwood website, a case file outlined the fall of Torchwood One. It said that of 823 people staff, there were 27 survivors. 467 were confirmed dead, while the rest were reported missing. It suggested after a massive loss in life and technology, that it was recommended to Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II for "the immediate closure of Torchwood One, together with the formation of a steering committee to fully examine future options."