Telephonist Collection

Switchboard Girls / 1930S
Girls working on a telephone switchboard, watched over by a stern-looking supervisor

Metropolitan Police operations room, London
View of a Metropolitan Police operations room at New Scotland Yard, London, with officers and telephonists busy taking calls

Telephone operators, between 1914 and 1917. Creator: Harris & Ewing. Telephone operators, between 1914 and 1917
Telephone operators, between 1914 and 1917. USA. Emma Nutt became the world's first female telephone operator when she was hired in 1878

Chesapeake & Potomac Telephone Co. - Telephone Girls, 1914. Creator: Harris & Ewing. Chesapeake & Potomac Telephone Co
Chesapeake & Potomac Telephone Co. - Telephone Girls, 1914. Women telephonists, Washington, DC

Chesapeake & Potomac Telephone Co. - Telephone Girls, 1914. Creator: Harris & Ewing. Chesapeake & Potomac Telephone Co
Chesapeake & Potomac Telephone Co. - Telephone Girls, 1914. Women telephonists, Washington, DC

Chesapeake & Potomac Telephone Co. - Telephone Girls, 1914. Creator: Harris & Ewing. Chesapeake & Potomac Telephone Co
Chesapeake & Potomac Telephone Co. - Telephone Girls, 1914. Women telephonists, Washington, DC

Chesapeake & Potomac Telephone Co. - Telephone Girls, 1914. Creator: Harris & Ewing. Chesapeake & Potomac Telephone Co
Chesapeake & Potomac Telephone Co. - Telephone Girls, 1914. Women telephonists, Washington, DC

Operator on the Mayfair Exchange, 1932, (1933). Creator: Unknown
Operator on the Mayfair Exchange, 1932, (1933). Telephone exchange operator in Mayfair, central London. From " The Pageant of the Century". [Odhams Press Ltd, 1933]

First transatlantic telephone call, from London to New York, 7 March 1926, (1935). Ringing Up " Uncle Sam"...the actual scene at the switchboard when London spoke to America by radio

The 1968 Telephonist Mustard
Frances Collett

Portrait - A Telephonist of the N. F. S
Portrait - A Telephonist of the N.F.S. Date: circa 1941

Ada Blanche in The Telephone Girl at the Grand Theatre, Islington in 1896. Date: 1896

An animous telephone operator (Colour Litho)
2778014 An animous telephone operator (Colour Litho) by Beltrame, Achille (1871-1945); Private Collection; (add.info.: An animous telephonist)

They phone Miss Fone. Miss V Fone, quite rightly, is a switchboard operator at Commercial Structures, Ltd. Leyton. 24th October 1935

Mr Anthony Wedgewood-Benn, the post Master general, today opened the new International Telephone Exchange in Carter lane. He was shown the switchboards by 22 year old Tina Hall of Corringham Essex

OFFICE WORK 1970S
A young woman answers a telephone enquiry in an office environment. Date: 1977

London-New York Telephone Service, c1930. Creator: Unknown
London-New York Telephone Service, c1930. From " The Wonder Book of Engineering Wonders", edited by Harry Golding. [Ward, Lock & Co. Limited, London and Melbourne]

Telephonist, c1914-c1918. French soldiers: the man on the right is from the 33rd Infantry Division. Photograph from a series of glass plate stereoview images depicting scenes from World War I

At the nerve centres of the Service, 1940. From Life in the W.A.A.F. booklet on the Womens Auxiliary Air Force (WaF), in Tucks Better Little Book series

Hands the form over her shoulder, 1940. From I m A Firegirl, booklet on the Auxiliary Fire Service (AFS), in Tucks Better Little Book series

Telephonists at the Fire Brigade Headquarters, Lambeth, London, 1940
Telephonists at the Fire Brigade Headquarters, Albert Embankment, Vauxhall, London, 1940. Interior of the telephone exchange showing telephonists sitting at the switchboard

Female workers in the telephone room, New York Stock Exchange, USA, early 1930s. Artist
Female workers in the telephone room, New York Stock Exchange, USA, early 1930s

Inside a New York telephone exchange, USA, early 1930s

Female telephone operators on strike in Boston, Massachusetts, USA, 1919. One of many strikes that broke out in the United States in 1919

In the Post Office Central Telephone Exchange, City of London, c1903 (1903)
Receiving calls in the Post Office Central Telephone Exchange, City of London, c1903 (1903). The Faraday Building was the General Post Offices first telephone exchange in London

In a Large Telephone Exchange, c1916. Women telephonists working at the Throgmorton Avenue Telephone Exchange in the City of London

The Telephone Exchange, Melbourne, Victoria, Australia, 1886. Wood engraving from Picturesque Atlas of Australasia, Vol I, by Andrew Garran, illustrated under the supervision of Frederic B Schell

Telephone Exchange, Paris, 1904. Women telephonists working while a uniformed boy messenger waits. From Le Petit Journal. (Paris, 17 April 1904)

Female telephonists at the Central Telephone Exchange, Paris, 1890

Forward Officer Observes Effect Of Creeping Artillery Barrage His Telephonist Relays Information To Battery Commander Giving Orders For Range Aim And Time Fuse Adjustment From The War Illustrated

Telephone service in Madrid. Central office. Colored engraving, 1886

Telephone central office. Switching room and telephonists. Milan. Italy. Engraving. Coloured

LFB Telephone Switchboard - Lambeth HQ, SE1 Date: circa 1930s

Telegraph Operator
A trainee wireless telegraph operator at Marconi House, London, 18th March 1913. The 5 kilowatt apparatus is similar to that used on ocean-going liners

Edisons system of telephones for trains enroute. An employee receiving a message in the interior of a railway carriage. 1886

LFB Telephone Switchboard - Lambeth HQ, SE1

Telephonist, 1933. The Natural History Museum, London
In 1883 the Treasury refused to sanction the purchase of telephones for the Museum, on the grounds of expense. Copper speaking tubes were suggested as an alternative, and can be seen here

Metropolitan Police Information Room, London
General view of the Metropolitan Police Information Room at New Scotland Yard, London, with officers busy taking calls. In the foreground are the Inspectors and Sergeants positions. Date: May 1974

Military telephone, 1900
Military telephone. Historical artwork of French soldiers using a Berthon telephone at the end of the 19th century. Berthon invented a microphone, known as the Berthon system

Language Students
London telephone girls being taught French and German in a classroom

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"Switchboard Girls: The Unsung Heroes of the 1930s" Step back in time to the bustling Metropolitan Police operations room in London, where a group of dedicated telephonists worked tirelessly. In their hands, they held the power to connect and protect. The iconic image of the 1968 Telephonist Mustard brings forth memories of an era when communication relied on human connection. These operators, stationed at the Mayfair Exchange in 1932, were instrumental in bridging gaps and facilitating conversations. Traveling further back in time, we find ourselves witnessing history being made. The first transatlantic telephone call from London to New York on March 7th, 1926 marked a monumental achievement for telecommunications. It was through the expertise and dedication of telephonists that this groundbreaking moment became possible. Amongst these pioneers stood Ada Blanche - immortalized as "The Telephone Girl. " Her portrayal captured both grace and resilience as she navigated her way through a world evolving with technology. An anonymous telephone operator depicted in vibrant color lithography reminds us that behind every voice lies an individual with dreams and aspirations beyond their switchboard duties. Their role extended far beyond connecting calls; they were lifelines for those seeking solace or sharing joyous news. Fast forward to the dynamic office environment of the 1970s; telephonists continued to be vital cogs within organizations' machinery. They ensured smooth communication flow while adapting to changing technologies. In another captivating image from around 1930, we witness how London-New York Telephone Service connected people across continents. This feat would not have been possible without skilled telephonists who facilitated global connections during an era defined by distance. During times of crisis such as World War II, telephonists found themselves at nerve centers like never before. At these critical junctures, their unwavering commitment played a pivotal role in coordinating efforts and ensuring effective communication.