WW2 Telephonists at Faraday House (Newcastle?) and Jesmond exchange?

[Gen List Lass]

My aunt was a GPO telephonist at Faraday House on the 7th floor during WW2. She said she used to sit at her switchboard listening to the bombing. She was only in her late teens around that time.

Does anyone know where Faraday House was during WW2?

My mother was also a GPO telephonist during WW2 but at Jesmond exchange, anyone know where that was?

(My mother was introduced to my father by this aunt, who was my fathers sister.)

Gen in NBL England

[christiek]

I know it's old but it might be worth posting in this thread:

http://www.rootschat.com/forum/index.php?topic=280493.0

Also it might be worth contacting these people:

http://postalheritage.org.uk/page/about

[christiek]

Apart from that there is a Faraday House, Station Rd, Washington, Tyne and Wear NE38 7LW - but the building certainly doesn't look WWII.

There is also a Faraday Grove in Bensham but once again, no building that looks like what you'd be looking for.

I'm really stabbing in the dark here trying to help.

The main GPO exchange in London was called Faraday house and from reading round on forums on the internet it seems a few Newcastle girls went to Faraday House in London for a little while as relief telephonists?

http://www.skyscrapernews.com/buildings.php?id=6037
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Faraday_Building

Here's some information about Faraday house in London if that's what you are looking for.

Also, is this you? Because if not, this person has exactly the same dilemma as you -

http://archiver.rootsweb.ancestry.com/th/read/NORTHUMBRIA/2003-03/1047371462

[christiek]

http://www.thecherrytreejesmond.co.uk/AboutUs.html

I think the Jesmond telephone exchange could be this restaurant on Osborne road.

http://www2.newcastle.gov.uk/cab2007.nsf/allbykey/D41EA66FCA2508E78025740200594DA4?opendocument

This shows that Jesmond telephone exhange changed to South of Jesmond Gardens in 1949.

[Gen List Lass]

Hello Christie K

Many thanks for the info.

I'm inclined to think Aunty was referring to London when she mentioned Faraday House. That sorts that part of her story, she is now gone so I cannot ask her for more info.

Osborne Road was a strange place for the Jesmond telephone exchange as it was formerly quite posh residences but I think exchanges were sometimes in peoples front rooms at the beginning. So maybe that was it or they were temporary premises during WW2...

Yes, there were 5 Newcastle telephonists who went to London to relieve the London operators on the International boards, who were totally exhausted. This was July/August 1944. Whilst there, they narrowly missed being killed as the cinema they had just left was bombed.

Gen in NBL England

[stanmapstone]

The Jesmond Telephone Exchange referred to, constructed in 1949, is the one at http://goo.gl/maps/CP7Zt

Stan

[Gen List Lass]

Stan

The WW2 Jesmond exchange was at number 9 Osborne Road we think, not a brick building in Manor House Rd built in 1949.......

Or have I misunderstood your comment???

Gen in NBL England

[stanmapstone]

My apologies, I have corrected my post.

Stan

[stanmapstone]

I think the Jesmond telephone exchange could be this restaurant on Osborne road.

That is where the Exchange is marked on the 1940-41 map at http://www.old-maps.co.uk/maps.html?coords=425318,566016 Street View http://goo.gl/maps/j0C7h

Stan