Measurement science has been one of the major interests of the NPL since the creation of the Laboratory in 1900. This article gives a historical review of NPL work on the establishment, maintenance and improvement of the basic standards of measurement for mechanics, electro-magnetics, thermometry, photometry and radiology. Many early NPL standards and essential components of classioal measuring equipment have now been assembled into a permanent collection for preservation at the Laboratory and illustrations of some items in this collection are reproduced in the article.