Telephone Gallery

Police Public Call Box, London

A police officer using a Police Public Call Box on a London street. The Metropolitan Police introduced police boxes throughout the London area between 1928 and 1937. The one pictured is a Mackenzie Trench style police box, made famous by the long-running TV series, Doctor Who. The boxes were installed so that members of the public could make emergency calls to the police, but many boxes are now disused or have been withdrawn from service because of the prevalence of the mobile phone

© Mary Evans Picture Library 2015 - https://copyrighthub.org/s0/hub1/creation/maryevans/MaryEvansPictureID/10413393

Heath Robinson Bedroom 4 of 4

Heath Robinson Does Away with Servants - Patent Applied for by "The Sketch" in the Bedroom. A bedroom, which is a typically Heath Robinson design, with a system of pulleys, levers and machinery allowing multiple tasks to be carried out with the least effort. Mother, Father and baby all in separate beds, yet still able to fetch the morning mail, newspaper, telephone, pour tea (kept hot from the gas lamp), select a dressing gown, slippers, and even a cigarette from a spring loaded box, and no need for servants. Even the pendulum of the clock serves as a handy baby rocker. Please note: Credit must appear as Courtesy of the Estate of Mrs J.C.Robinson/Pollinger Ltd/ILN/Mary Evan"

© Mary Evans Picture Library 2015 - https://copyrighthub.org/s0/hub1/creation/maryevans/MaryEvansPictureID/10297579

Early fire brigade street alarm

Early fire brigade alarm system. Historical artwork of a fireman testing a 19th-century combined telephonic and telegraphic street fire alarm system. The alarm is designed to be set off manually (by breaking a glass panel), transmitting a Morse code signal to a fire brigade station telling them the location of the fire. There is also a speaker and telephone system to allow verbal communication with the fire brigade. This is a French system, though similar systems were used in other countries as well. Artwork from A Travers l'Electricite (G. Dary, Paris, 1900)

© SHEILA TERRY/SCIENCE PHOTO LIBRARY