Faraday Telephonists

Working as a 'GPO trained' telephonist was a well respected profession. The training was extensive, the hours long, but staff took a pride in doing their job well. London telephonists played a key role in the growth of telecoms in the capital city, until STD and ISD gradually took over.

Here we focus on telephonist training and staff who worked on the Faraday boards.

Photo: Faraday Telephonist, circa 1980 © M.Knight.

See Also | The Hello Girls |

Introduction

GPO Telephonists were always highly respected in the industry, and this is reflected in the stringent recruitment standards for both male and females...

Regulations regarding the Situation of Female Telephonist in the London Telecommunications Region (Circa 1945)

By the 1960s, Men were being encouraged to 'join the headset' and the following is a recruitment leaflet (LTR332) for opportunities to be employed as a Post Office Telephonist in London.

TO APPLICANTS FOR EMPLOYMENT AS DAY TELEPHONISTS

You will want to know something about the job for which you are applying...


	applicant.doc

Regulations

GPO was strictly governed by regulations (Rgs) which were printed in various service booklets.

It is thought that Rg.17 and Rg.40 dealt with 'conditions of service' which in later years were printed in the Staff Handbook, as 'Personnel Rules'.

Rg.18 apparently dealt with working hours, meal breaks etc...

There were also "instructions for drivers" in Rg. 39 ( for postal vehicles) and Rg. 34 (for motor cyclists).

Rg.41 dealt with engineer's safety.

Rg.45 was the trunk telephonist's 'Operating and Monitorial Instructions'.

Olive Knight (1938)

Here is the training book used by Miss O.W. Knight when she joined Post Office Telephones.

The title reads...

AUXILIARY TRUNK SERVICES

OPERATING AND MONITORIAL

INSTRUCTIONS MAY, 1937

Rg. 45 (54280/36)

Barbara Parkinson (1946)

Barbara Ball (nee Parkinson) writes...

"I started my career as a telephonist in 1946 in the Trunk Exchange NE Block, transferred to "Overseas" in 1947 and spent the next 40 years in various dept's (mostly in International), but have always had a 'soft spot' for Faraday."

Helena Wojtczak (1974)

	On my 16th birthday, 1st July 1974, via an advert in the Daily Mirror I applied to become an International Telephone Operator at LFICC/E, otherwise known as Faraday Building. My training was at London Wall, where I learned how to fill in, and annotate the rear of, the machine-readable charging dockets, and memorised an international alphabet. Photo: Helena Wojtczak

Faraday Switchrooms

There were two switchrooms, a Main and an Annex on each floor, but many alterations were made over the decades as manual switching went auto and more equipment had to be accommodated.

Known switchrooms in North Block were:

2M, 2A
3M
4M, 4A
5M

6S was located in the new South Block (1933).
7th South locker room
8th South canteen
9th South ladies' rest room

On the opening of Kingsway Trunk 30th October 1954, assitance traffic was switched to Faraday Building North Block, Room 2M, while delay booking was controlled in the South Block, Room 6S.

Resources

Right click with your mouse to download the following documents...

Applicant.doc (Word Document 28k)

Spirit.doc (Word Document 23k)

Ticket Codes 403/44 (LTR) (Excel Document 19.5k)

Design, images and text compiled by © Light-Straw. Special thanks to M. Knight, O.W. Knight and B. Ball.
Page last updated 22nd January 2012. Checked May 2021.

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