Ringing Through

It was amazing. I can honestly say I have seen many changes of the phone system, even in my short life. From the operator, who sat at a small country exchange, waiting to ‘plug you in’ to another line, through to the mass of dozens of operators connecting local and international calls. Then, seeing the passing of that service, to the ‘automated’ exchange. And then later still, to the electronic terminal versions of today's exchanges. These while sophisticated, lack something of the excitement of the old exchanges. I recall watching the skinny technicians (they had to be) who back then, had to squeeze between the rows of jumping, clicking and rattling spindles. Which would jump up and down as each dialled number was received from the rotary dial of the domestic or business phone. The unit, once it had received all the digits, would end up in a particular formation and that would then translate into another electrical impulse, which would connect with another exchange somewhere else. The technicians were busy ensuring any damaged or jammed spindle was freed as quickly as possible. A single stuck spindle could block hundreds of potential calls. They bravely reached their narrow fingers between the bouncing spindles and cogs in a carefully choreographed dance avoiding the threatening danger (not always) of the rattling metal parts. It was a bit like the chimney sweeps of old Victorian London. They had to be small and thin to fit down the chimneys, just so, the technicians in the automated exchanges. They were all thin and agile to fit between the crowded banks of telephony units.

And it seems, people just accepted these changes to the system. Many I am sure regretted the loss of the ‘exchange lady’ The times when you picked up the phone and literally wound a crank. Paused and waited for a voice to say “Palmerston Exchange. How may I direct your call?” It was a thrill I remember from one or two opportunities when young, talking to the operator. An echoing distant sounding voice that always spoke the very clearest of English. I was told they had to pass certain standards back then. Tests to make sure their diction was clear and vocabulary was accurate (how times change). Mind you, they soon called back to report to your parents if you had rung them while mother was ‘out in the yard’ and you just kept saying “hello”. They would call back, providing you hung up the phone ear piece. Then there were the old party lines for some of the more remote farms. When particular rings would identify which farm the call was for. Once it stopped, it wasn’t that unusual for others to pick up their receiver and listen in on the calls ‘down the line’. I suppose it was the first form of trash ‘media’ entertainment? As the gossip, from overhead calls, would be relayed by the person listening in, to others gathered around the phone. Sometimes it was as entertaining as the radio.

(Continued tomorrow)