Old telephone numbers (UK)

[andrewalston]

The phone number for the people who built the body of my car in 1927 is shown on their little plaque - "Telephone 8, Derby".

The 1896 phone book has them with the same number. The fire station had number 1, the Royal Infirmary 2, and the police station (they must have been late getting in the queue) had 79! The highest number listed was 312, so the whole city probably had fewer phones than the hotel mrs.tenacious mentions.

[mrs.tenacious]

The phone number for the people who built the body of my car in 1927 is shown on their little plaque - "Telephone 8, Derby".

The 1896 phone book has them with the same number. The fire station had number 1, the Royal Infirmary 2, and the police station (they must have been late getting in the queue) had 79! The highest number listed was 312, so the whole city probably had fewer phones than the hotel mrs.tenacious mentions.

That's progress for you! And fascinating to think that as technology marches on, you get huger numbers catered for in so many areas of communication, but the physical components get smaller and smaller.

[brummie nick]

In the 1960's when we applied for a phone, we were offered what they called a 'Party Line' {shared}
because the waiting time for a phone could be months we accepted it,but before the time for it to be installed we had the choice to have a private line.

Nick 

[ann255]

Yes I recall back in the 70's there was always a waiting list for a phone - hence it would be quicker to accept a party (shared) line.  I also recall it was something like £60 to have it installed (quite a sum then). Also colour was restricted to black, green or cream, with I believe black being the only colour there originally was.   You got what you were given, and the only way to change it was if something went wrong with your original one, otherwise you were stuck with the original phone.