A Brief History

Prior to December 1958, only local calls (within a few miles of a town) could be directly dialled; all long distance or trunk calls had to be connected via an operator. All medium sized towns had their own operator or Auto-Manual Centre (AMC) at which the calls were received, connected and charged for; a very labour intensive process, which typically employed hundreds of staff at each location. Subscriber Trunk Dialling (STD) was progressively introduced, but it was not until 1979, that it covered the whole of the UK. So it was that the period from 1960 to 1980 saw the transition from part manual to fully automatic switching of inland calls. 

Early Exchanges

Very early exchanges (click for more details) used a variety of signalling systems produced by different manufacturers as the most suitable form of switchboard and exchange design evolved over the years. The Central Battery (CB) exchange was the preferred method of providing service in large towns.

Switchboards & Operators

Switchboard design varied from the very small wall mounted versions in a front parlour to a complete suite of multiple-panel floor standing positions in a very large main exchange. Different types were produced as the exchanges evolved from the Magneto design,  through variations of a Central Battery type to the beginnings of automatic working.

Switchboards & Operators Once, every call had to be connected via an operator. Upon lifting your handset, a signal would be sent to the local telephone exchange... ... the operator would ask 'Number Please?' and proceed to connect your line via another jack to the required number.

The Hello Girls

Telephone operators were sometimes referred to as 'The Hello Girls', probably because of the phrase 'Hello, are you there?' In the telephone service known as 'Post Office Telecommunications', the standard operator phrases were:

• Are you there?
• Are you holding?
• Have you finished?

The 1996, television series is a light-hearted look at a busy 1960s era switchroom.

	The Hello Girls (BBC TV Series) Set in 1959 in Derby, this light-hearted drama series written by Ruth Carter, gave a none too serious look at the daily routines of a busy exchange switchroom...

The Real Hello Girls

	What was it really like to work as a 'GPO Trained' operator? Was the supervision very strict? Did it pay well? Were the hours long? Some real operators recall their time on the board...

Publicity & Recruitment

Publicity of the telephone service and recruitment of telephonists was vital to ensure the quality of service was maintained as demand for services continued to rise... "Welcome to the Post Office. This booklet tells you something about the Telecommunications business and explains the part you will be playing in operating a service that provides direct social and business links in Britain and with the rest of the world."

Further Reading

Three fascinating books by Monty J Hall Ellis...

• The Early Years of the Telephone Service in Bristol 1879-1931
• " Weston 100 " A Century of Telephone Service in Weston-super-Mare
• The Early History of the Telephone in Bath

Another interesting book...

• Between The Lines, A personal history of the British public telephone and telecommunications service 1870-1990 by Robert C. Morris

is available via Just Write Publishing Ltd, PO Box 664, 9 Andrewes House, Barbican, London, EC2Y 8EH.

• Number Please- a history of London telephone exchanges from 1879 to 1912 (92 pages with pictures) by Dave Occomore. Available from Ian Henry Publications (01708) 749119 at 20 Park Drive, Romford, Essex, RM1 4LH.

HOLD THE LINE PLEASE - The Story of the Hello Girls - By Sally Southall
		'Hold The Line Please' traces the history of the telephone service in the Midlands from 1879 when Birmingham's first exchange was opened on the corner of New Street and Stephenson Street. The author (an ex-GPO operator herself) follows the rapid expansion of the telephone service through the first half of the twentieth century to WWII when operators in Birmingham, some as young as 17, heroically kept the service going night and day through the blitz with steel helmets and gas masks at the ready. (ISBN 1-85858-239-3)
Later chapters deal with training, equipment and the many characters amongst the one thousand operators employed by the GPO at Newhall Street. With a forward by Neil Johannessen. Available from www.brewinbooks.com

For serious study, many reference books can be studied at the BT Archives.

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