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Proc-Type: 2001,MIC-CLEAR
Originator-Name: webmaster@www.sec.gov
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<SEC-DOCUMENT>0001179110-04-018717.txt : 20040924
<SEC-HEADER>0001179110-04-018717.hdr.sgml : 20040924
<ACCEPTANCE-DATETIME>20040924183838
ACCESSION NUMBER:		0001179110-04-018717
CONFORMED SUBMISSION TYPE:	4
PUBLIC DOCUMENT COUNT:		1
CONFORMED PERIOD OF REPORT:	20040922
FILED AS OF DATE:		20040924
DATE AS OF CHANGE:		20040924

ISSUER:		

	COMPANY DATA:	
		COMPANY CONFORMED NAME:			BOOKHAM TECHNOLOGY PLC
		CENTRAL INDEX KEY:			0001110647
		STANDARD INDUSTRIAL CLASSIFICATION:	SEMICONDUCTORS & RELATED DEVICES [3674]
		IRS NUMBER:				000000000
		FISCAL YEAR END:			1231

	BUSINESS ADDRESS:	
		STREET 1:		90 MILTON PARK ABINGDON
		STREET 2:		011-44-1235-827200
		CITY:			OXFORDSHIRE ENGLAND
		STATE:			X0
		ZIP:			OX14 4RY

REPORTING-OWNER:	

	OWNER DATA:	
		COMPANY CONFORMED NAME:			Abely Stephen
		CENTRAL INDEX KEY:			0001302174

	FILING VALUES:
		FORM TYPE:		4
		SEC ACT:		1934 Act
		SEC FILE NUMBER:	000-30684
		FILM NUMBER:		041045884

	BUSINESS ADDRESS:	
		BUSINESS PHONE:		408-919-1500

	MAIL ADDRESS:	
		STREET 1:		2584 JUNCTION AVENUE
		CITY:			SAN JOSE
		STATE:			CA
		ZIP:			95134
</SEC-HEADER>
<DOCUMENT>
<TYPE>4
<SEQUENCE>1
<FILENAME>edgar.xml
<DESCRIPTION>FORM 4 -
<TEXT>
<XML>
<?xml version="1.0"?>
<ownershipDocument>

    <schemaVersion>X0202</schemaVersion>

    <documentType>4</documentType>

    <periodOfReport>2004-09-22</periodOfReport>

    <notSubjectToSection16>0</notSubjectToSection16>

    <issuer>
        <issuerCik>0001110647</issuerCik>
        <issuerName>BOOKHAM TECHNOLOGY PLC</issuerName>
        <issuerTradingSymbol>BKHM</issuerTradingSymbol>
    </issuer>

    <reportingOwner>
        <reportingOwnerId>
            <rptOwnerCik>0001302174</rptOwnerCik>
            <rptOwnerName>Abely Stephen</rptOwnerName>
        </reportingOwnerId>
        <reportingOwnerAddress>
            <rptOwnerStreet1>BOOKHAM, INC.</rptOwnerStreet1>
            <rptOwnerStreet2>2584 JUNCTION AVE.</rptOwnerStreet2>
            <rptOwnerCity>SAN JOSE</rptOwnerCity>
            <rptOwnerState>CA</rptOwnerState>
            <rptOwnerZipCode>95134</rptOwnerZipCode>
            <rptOwnerStateDescription></rptOwnerStateDescription>
        </reportingOwnerAddress>
        <reportingOwnerRelationship>
            <isDirector>0</isDirector>
            <isOfficer>1</isOfficer>
            <isTenPercentOwner>0</isTenPercentOwner>
            <isOther>0</isOther>
            <officerTitle>Chief Financial Officer</officerTitle>
            <otherText></otherText>
        </reportingOwnerRelationship>
    </reportingOwner>

    <nonDerivativeTable></nonDerivativeTable>

    <derivativeTable>
        <derivativeTransaction>
            <securityTitle>
                <value>Employee stock option (right to buy)</value>
            </securityTitle>
            <conversionOrExercisePrice>
                <value>6.73</value>
            </conversionOrExercisePrice>
            <transactionDate>
                <value>2004-09-22</value>
            </transactionDate>
            <transactionCoding>
                <transactionFormType>4</transactionFormType>
                <transactionCode>A</transactionCode>
                <equitySwapInvolved>0</equitySwapInvolved>
            </transactionCoding>
            <transactionAmounts>
                <transactionShares>
                    <value>30000</value>
                </transactionShares>
                <transactionPricePerShare>
                    <value>6.73</value>
                </transactionPricePerShare>
                <transactionAcquiredDisposedCode>
                    <value>A</value>
                </transactionAcquiredDisposedCode>
            </transactionAmounts>
            <exerciseDate>
                <footnoteId id="F1"/>
            </exerciseDate>
            <expirationDate>
                <value>2014-09-21</value>
            </expirationDate>
            <underlyingSecurity>
                <underlyingSecurityTitle>
                    <value>Common stock</value>
                </underlyingSecurityTitle>
                <underlyingSecurityShares>
                    <value>30000</value>
                </underlyingSecurityShares>
            </underlyingSecurity>
            <postTransactionAmounts>
                <sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction>
                    <value>30000</value>
                </sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction>
            </postTransactionAmounts>
            <ownershipNature>
                <directOrIndirectOwnership>
                    <value>D</value>
                </directOrIndirectOwnership>
            </ownershipNature>
        </derivativeTransaction>
        <derivativeTransaction>
            <securityTitle>
                <value>Employee stock option (right to buy)</value>
            </securityTitle>
            <conversionOrExercisePrice>
                <value>6.73</value>
            </conversionOrExercisePrice>
            <transactionDate>
                <value>2004-09-22</value>
            </transactionDate>
            <transactionCoding>
                <transactionFormType>4</transactionFormType>
                <transactionCode>A</transactionCode>
                <equitySwapInvolved>0</equitySwapInvolved>
            </transactionCoding>
            <transactionAmounts>
                <transactionShares>
                    <value>30000</value>
                </transactionShares>
                <transactionPricePerShare>
                    <value>6.73</value>
                </transactionPricePerShare>
                <transactionAcquiredDisposedCode>
                    <value>A</value>
                </transactionAcquiredDisposedCode>
            </transactionAmounts>
            <exerciseDate>
                <footnoteId id="F2"/>
            </exerciseDate>
            <expirationDate>
                <value>2014-09-21</value>
            </expirationDate>
            <underlyingSecurity>
                <underlyingSecurityTitle>
                    <value>Common stock</value>
                </underlyingSecurityTitle>
                <underlyingSecurityShares>
                    <value>30000</value>
                </underlyingSecurityShares>
            </underlyingSecurity>
            <postTransactionAmounts>
                <sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction>
                    <value>30000</value>
                </sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction>
            </postTransactionAmounts>
            <ownershipNature>
                <directOrIndirectOwnership>
                    <value>D</value>
                </directOrIndirectOwnership>
            </ownershipNature>
        </derivativeTransaction>
    </derivativeTable>

    <footnotes>
        <footnote id="F1">Option vests over a period of 48 months.  Twenty-five percent of the shares underlying the option vest one year from the date of grant, the remaining seventy-five percent of the shares underlying the option vest thereafter at a rate of 1/36th per month.</footnote>
        <footnote id="F2">Fifty percent of the option vests upon Bookham, Inc. achieving profitability and the remaining fifty percent of the option vests upon Bookham, Inc. achieving cash break-even.  On September 22, 2009, all of the unvested option vests.</footnote>
    </footnotes>

    <ownerSignature>
        <signatureName>Philip Davis (Attorney-in-Fact for Stephen Abely)</signatureName>
        <signatureDate>2004-09-23</signatureDate>
    </ownerSignature>
</ownershipDocument>

</XML>
</TEXT>
</DOCUMENT>
</SEC-DOCUMENT>
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