I found a 1923 Post Office directory recently while researching. It was mostly a list of numbers but it also included clear instructions on how to make a telephone call.
You had to find the number for who you wanted to call and then you’d phone the exchange. The (female) Telephonist would say “number, please?” If the person wasn’t at home or the line was engaged, the Telephonist would offer to call you back. If you wanted to call someone in another town, you’d ask for a trunk call and tell the Telephonist the town, exchange and number required. Once you were connected, which could take some time, the Telephonist would enter the circuit after 3 minutes to ask if you wanted another 3 minutes (6 being the maximum for a continuous call). Payments for line rentals were quarterly and would vary depending on whether you were a business, a private house and how many lines or extensions you had. Tariffs for trunk calls also depended on distance and time of day, the cheapest being at night and only 10 miles away. You could also send and receive telegrams by phone, including to far-flung countries by Imperial Cable, and even send express letters by messenger dictated over the phone (the charge was 6d per 30 words).
This was an impressive system for keeping in touch with one’s acquaintances. Compared to our communications now, it seems antiquated, especially the fact that the cost of phone calls within the UK would vary by distance. Telephonist roles still exist, although they are no longer required to connect private homes and of course we still have the term ‘switchboard’ despite not having to physically connect cords and switches.
We are reminded that these were quite early days of domestic electricity, pre-National Grid, by this quote: The Postmaster-General is not responsible for any damage done by high potential currents which may be conveyed to the subscriber’s premises by means of telephone wires, although every precaution is taken by the Post Office to prevent such damage.
Telephones at this time were of the old ‘candlestick’ design, with a separate mouthpiece and receiver. However, new designs incorporating both were entering the market. This was probably the biggest change in telephone design until cordless phones were invented. I’m sure that the people of 1923 would be amazed to see the communications technology of today. I expect that in the future, communication will be via artificial telepathy, from implants, wearable devices or even genetic modification. Our brains will become the telephones.
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