When did Thames get the telephone? In the Thames Star 6/3/1891, it was stressed that Thames needed a Telephone Exchange, that it would be a great asset to the Town. In order to get one, they needed to get 25 subscribers and put forward a petition. The following week, the District Hospital and Charitable Aids Board decided to put their name forward as a subscriber. By October 1892, the exchange was up and running. Initially there were some complaints about the hours the Exchange was open - on Christmas Day 1873 the hours were 9 to 10am. Normally the hours were 8am to 8pm.
THAMES STAR, 27 DECEMBER 1893
Telephone Services around New Zealand
Thames Telephone Service 1936
Leaping forward to 1936, the new advertisements stressed that the telephone was no longer a luxury but a necessity! How ironic that now as we come near to the year 2020, many people are phasing out having a home phone line, once again having a home line is considered a Luxury! The reason being the changing market to mobile phones.
Thames Telephone Service Xmas 1973
The reason for this post, arose out of a caption that is in the Thames Star newspaper in 1973.
The photograph (below) was taken in the Thames Telephone Exchange, on the second floor of the Post Office, Pollen Street. The operators are busy at the switchboard, connecting local and toll calls.
Maybe this scene is unknown to some. When you wanted to make a phone call you picked up the phone and waited to be connected to your chosen number. "Number Please?" "839, thankyou"
The operator lifted the cord and placed it in the appropriate slot for the number chosen. What joy it was, when later the exchange became automatic, and you could dial the number you wanted.
The Caption for the Photograph
The avoidance of non-essential phone calls on Christmas Day will enable some telephone exchange operators, seen here at the Thames switchboard, to enjoy a Christmas meal at home.
How do you think that plea would be received on Christmas Day 2019? How times have changed.
