tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9110084440464006279.post7378692698718154954..comments2024-03-29T07:46:44.355+00:00Comments on Jane's London: Old London telephone exchangesJanehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09099069900570994344noreply@blogger.comBlogger53125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9110084440464006279.post-61951402442597652023-11-24T20:53:48.280+00:002023-11-24T20:53:48.280+00:00Whitehall 1212 for London Police it was indeed !. ...Whitehall 1212 for London Police it was indeed !. The Met. had 230 individual private telephone exchanges (at Police stations) all connected. In around 1992, the private network called Metphone was completed, and all but around 5 Police Stations had their own 'local' 1212 public number. We had to wait around three years for all the necessary 1212 numbers to become available from BT. They were all answered (geographically) by 24 hour civilian Met Police Operators at Havering, Croydon, Wembley, Kingston, Greenwich, Leman Street, Cannon Row, Brixton, Putney, and of course New Scotland Yard itself, where ALL London 999 and 112 emergency calls were answered. Any call to a 1212 number could be connected to any of the 30,000 police extensions anywhere in London. All long gone now regrettably. Happy days.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9110084440464006279.post-91130595903381342102023-06-13T15:39:49.356+01:002023-06-13T15:39:49.356+01:00The telephone-exchange for Muswell Hill was not MU...The telephone-exchange for Muswell Hill was not MUS, as one might expect, because that had already been taken for MUSeum, the Bloomsbury area containing The British Museum, but TUD for TUDor, reflecting the building in which the exchange was housed.<br />Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9110084440464006279.post-89313712958315442552023-02-24T20:53:38.045+00:002023-02-24T20:53:38.045+00:00I REMEMBER WORKING AT THE MAYFAIR 629 EXCHANGE IN ...I REMEMBER WORKING AT THE MAYFAIR 629 EXCHANGE IN THE 60S WE ALSO HANDLED GROSVENOR 499 HYDE PARK 493 I STILL REMEMBER THOSE EXCHANGES NOT SURE WHY THEY PUT ME AT THAT LOCATION COMING FROM BOW MY SUPERVISOR ALWAYS USED TO TELL ME I NEEDED TO TAKE ELOCUTION LESSONS I GOT EVEN ON THE WEEKENDS USED TO RING A PHONE DOWN THE OTHER END OF THE ROOM AN D WHEN SHE FINALLY GOT THERE WOULD HANG UP USED TO MAKE HER SO MADAnonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9110084440464006279.post-39877715543757286662023-02-24T20:40:40.021+00:002023-02-24T20:40:40.021+00:00SPELLED GROSVENORSPELLED GROSVENORAnonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9110084440464006279.post-12914944523075269292022-01-23T02:55:12.168+00:002022-01-23T02:55:12.168+00:00I worked at avenue exchange and we took in HOP num...I worked at avenue exchange and we took in HOP numbers. not only hop merchants but major breweries on the south side of the thames. Boxing day was a busy day as pubs were reordering supplies after christmas eve parties.Anonymoushttps://www.blogger.com/profile/04390694888558972052noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9110084440464006279.post-31470617550649163052022-01-16T18:45:00.349+00:002022-01-16T18:45:00.349+00:00I used to live in East Acton 1950 -1962 i lived in...I used to live in East Acton 1950 -1962 i lived in old oak road.Acton telephone numbers were Acorn ACO... I worked in Temple Bar telephone exchange Covent garden..Which is no <br />longer there.I then worked in Monarch telephone exchange,<br />city of london....That was MON...Doreen<br /><br /><br /><br />Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9110084440464006279.post-46893876518878029912022-01-16T18:42:31.888+00:002022-01-16T18:42:31.888+00:00Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9110084440464006279.post-37148384814255512942021-02-16T14:41:12.030+00:002021-02-16T14:41:12.030+00:00There always used to be a marble bust of Pope on t...There always used to be a marble bust of Pope on the landing windowsill. Not there now; I wonder where it went?Dereknoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9110084440464006279.post-59206469459426000082021-02-16T14:35:16.321+00:002021-02-16T14:35:16.321+00:00I worked in Acorn in 1961 as a Youth in Training. ...I worked in Acorn in 1961 as a Youth in Training. The young engineers loved working there as it had more than it's fair share of pretty young Operators. Never mind the Supervisors - what about the Chief!<br /><br />Dereknoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9110084440464006279.post-45359728948295836852021-02-16T14:22:15.933+00:002021-02-16T14:22:15.933+00:00How about Kneller Hall Exchange in Whitton. Named ...How about Kneller Hall Exchange in Whitton. Named after the nearby Royal Military School of Music. Fond memories of working there as an engineer.Dereknoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9110084440464006279.post-46679021317873973522021-02-16T12:54:56.761+00:002021-02-16T12:54:56.761+00:00I am afraid not. It is in Garfield Road, just off ...I am afraid not. It is in Garfield Road, just off the town centre.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9110084440464006279.post-65654375346258978502020-11-01T12:58:09.042+00:002020-11-01T12:58:09.042+00:00Sorry for the ridiculously slow response – I just ...Sorry for the ridiculously slow response – I just love that story for VIG – I wonder if TAL for the Tally Ho coach to Birmingham was used too? I just tried to check but Roger Haworth's excellent reference site, as includied in the main body of this post, is not responding at the moment. I wish I'd made a copy of that chart!Janehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/09099069900570994344noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9110084440464006279.post-53625763888271195942020-11-01T12:47:07.167+00:002020-11-01T12:47:07.167+00:00I hope you found somewhere – though that would hav...I hope you found somewhere – though that would have been an uphill struggle seeing as most of the old switchboards would have been removed and replaced by modern technology decades agoJanehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/09099069900570994344noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9110084440464006279.post-42083984035178900842020-11-01T12:44:02.902+00:002020-11-01T12:44:02.902+00:00The code would cover decades – have you tried look...The code would cover decades – have you tried looking up info ion when the company was there?Janehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/09099069900570994344noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9110084440464006279.post-56972957689791721772019-11-19T17:17:51.013+00:002019-11-19T17:17:51.013+00:00The Tudor exchange covered East Finchley too.The Tudor exchange covered East Finchley too.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9110084440464006279.post-16972669683550989402019-06-13T11:39:54.881+01:002019-06-13T11:39:54.881+01:00I just found an undated letter in a box of samples...I just found an undated letter in a box of samples from the Aluminium Development Association. Telephone. MAYFAIR 7501. I've been trying to to roughly date the box and letter. Any clues? Richard. :-)Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9110084440464006279.post-3813590762059058152019-04-15T08:05:06.058+01:002019-04-15T08:05:06.058+01:00Your website is terribly informative and your arti...Your website is terribly informative and your articles are wonderful.<br /><a href="http://www.faidahbir.org/area-codes-telephone-codes/" title="http://www.telephonecodes.org" rel="nofollow">http://www.telephonecodes.org</a><br />Eleanor Eilandhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/11592503339626212500noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9110084440464006279.post-67084962089371679222019-03-27T14:08:27.752+00:002019-03-27T14:08:27.752+00:00Hi there, I was wondering if anyone knew of a tele...Hi there, I was wondering if anyone knew of a telephone exchange still with old switchboards etc in place still? I am seeking a space like this to hire for a short film shoot. Any help or leads would be greatly appreciated. Please drop me a line if you can help gemmayr@gmail.com Thanks! Anonymoushttps://www.blogger.com/profile/07258944595479883382noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9110084440464006279.post-16540665852169677242018-11-23T20:51:45.982+00:002018-11-23T20:51:45.982+00:00I live in Sutton, and have been told by a former G...I live in Sutton, and have been told by a former GPO engineer that apparently one of the Sutton exchanges was called VIGiliant because the mail coach from London to Brighton was called Vigilant at one stage, and it used to stop at the Cock Inn in Sutton to change horses and pick up/drop off passengers. ps .. I've just checked online re the name of the coach, and apparently "the last coach to run regularly [between London and Brighton] was the Vigilant from 1901 until 1905".<br />Catherinehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/14871113414469773868noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9110084440464006279.post-69002745335817905972018-01-08T18:07:07.536+00:002018-01-08T18:07:07.536+00:00Funny you should mention that as I spotted a Tudor...Funny you should mention that as I spotted a Tudor code recently and now can't the ref of it.<br />This link gives no explanation: http://rhaworth.net/phreak/tenp_01.php<br />There are quite a lot of places in London starting with HIGH so I wonder if it's a reference to the style of housing that went up in the Highgate area as per Holly Lodge Estate? Janehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/09099069900570994344noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9110084440464006279.post-89309077761420999302018-01-08T16:02:49.135+00:002018-01-08T16:02:49.135+00:00In my telephone number the digits 883 equate to th...In my telephone number the digits 883 equate to the old TUDor exchange name - this covered Highgate and Muswell Hill. Does anyone know what associates that area to the name?Tonynoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9110084440464006279.post-14832988852999635002017-09-23T13:05:15.131+01:002017-09-23T13:05:15.131+01:00The GRO code as per all the others would have been...The GRO code as per all the others would have been functional up until 1966. Shame you can't date those ads... keep sleuthing... Janehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/09099069900570994344noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9110084440464006279.post-25410392150480510442017-09-18T18:41:25.226+01:002017-09-18T18:41:25.226+01:00Does anyone know when GRO was last used as the dia...Does anyone know when GRO was last used as the dialling code for Grovesner in London? <br />I've just found a scrap of newspaper stuffed inside an old brass candlestick and can't date it from the adverts for Ingrams hearing Acceleratiors!!! Fascinating stuff! Many thanks, Susan Anonymoushttps://www.blogger.com/profile/11392486317959989598noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9110084440464006279.post-77027487250735146182017-07-12T10:06:34.102+01:002017-07-12T10:06:34.102+01:00I just spent a while re-reading all these comments...I just spent a while re-reading all these comments – what a marvellous thread of info. Thanks everyone. <br />Janehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/09099069900570994344noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9110084440464006279.post-70589843759465131682017-04-27T18:13:39.752+01:002017-04-27T18:13:39.752+01:00Acton and its surrounding area was, many decades a...Acton and its surrounding area was, many decades ago, famous for its oak trees, perhaps a forest. The town crest is (still)an oak tree. Old Oak Common lane is nearby. I uderstand that's where the ACO came from. My brother lives in Acton and his number (now just the last four digits) the same as my Grandparents first telephone number installed around 1960 - ACO xxxx, now 020 8992 xxxx. I understand it's still registered in my Grandfather's name!<br />It's a long time since this question was asked - it's now april 2017. Sorry I've not looked at this most interesting site for many years, now living in Yorkshire.<br />Best regards to all...Anonymousnoreply@blogger.com