Faraday 2A: Working the 'Board

Working the switchboard in 2A during the 1970s was like any other busy exchange. The staff had their unique personalities and much of the equipment dated back to the 1930s. Long standing Post Office rules and regulations were maintained as the world outside continued to change...

Photo: Happy times - The Christmas card picture sent out to staff by the Chief Supervisor (CSR) Day, Miss Dillon in 1977. Quite a good view of the multiple and keyshelf on this one © Light Straw Archive.

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The Photo

In the photo above, the Christmas post box reads: "Times of Collections 10:30 & 14:30". Miss Dillon married Mr. Tubridy (one of the HQ bosses) in 1978 and in time honoured GPO tradition left the service. It is thought that she took early retirement. Miss Stevens, known as 'Steve' took over the role of CSR (Day).

Regulations

Traditionally, the day staff operators were all women and the night staff, all men. Before 1970, women were encouraged to leave the service if they married.

This practice dates way back to April 1875 when the Postmaster General decreed:

"A married woman, not being a widow, is not eligible for any appointment on the establishment of the Post Office, and any single woman now on the establishment who may marry will be required to resign."

From January 1896. the Post Office paid women a gratuity when they married. Women who had taken the 'Civil Service Dowry' (by marrying) had to resign from the service. These rules were relaxed during World War I and II, but were not abolished until 15th October 1946.

During the 1950s it was still socially expected that female telephonists (and other grades) would resign upon marriage. At this time if the marriage gratuity was repaid (with interest) to the Post Office, then a married woman could be re-established* and take up her position as a telephonist. However, as the dowry paid was up to a year's wages, it was still an attractive incentive to leave the service upon marriage.

* Married women who returned to the Post Office joined as probationers and had to serve their time to become re-established.

By the 1970s it was not uncommon for husband and wife to both work to earn a living.

The Mnemonic Alphabet(s)

For all operators, clear and correct pronunciation avoids errors. When in difficulty over spelling or pronouncing certain words, names or phrases, the standard letter analogy was used. However, for Intercontinental calls, London was replaced by Lucy.

See Mnemonic Alphabets

Plugs, Switches and Headsets

	We take a closer look at the type of plugs, switches and headsets used by Faraday 2A telephonists... This 'staged' photo was taken in 1981 and although the older 'breastplate transmitter' headsets were no longer in use, it doesn't look out of place in this scene © Light Straw Archive.
Behind the 'Board
	Round the back... The 'battleship grey' covers have been removed and you can see the link relay sets connecting the board to the automatic equipment. Note the masses and masses of cables densely packed into the frame. Maintenance of such a board would have been difficult and the action of pulling out a faulty cable could easily have caused further problems among the very old cables. Photo: Behind the 'Board © Light Straw Archive.

References
BT Heritage paper : "Women's Work - Female Employment in Telecommunications to 1981."

Design, images and text compiled by © Light-Straw. With special thanks to M.Knight.
Page last updated August 2011. Checked May 2021.

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