The Early Days of the Telephone in Birmingham
In the summer of 1879 Henry Piercy of Broad Street Engine Works had the very first telephone in Birmingham sitting on his desk. By the time the first telephone exchange in Birmingham opened, Mr Piercy had persuaded 12 customers to subscribe at a special introductory rate of £10 a year. The location chosen for the headquarters of the Midland Telephone company was a room in Exchange Chambers at the corner of New Street and Stephenson Place.
Within a year of this another exchange opened in Wolverhampton, followed quickly by others in Aston, Smethwick, and the Jewellery Quarter. By 1882 the company had attracted it’s first 100 customers and had moved into a new home in the attic of a music shop at the corner of Bennetts Hill and Colmore Row. A top floor location was useful, since all the calls came from overhead lines, dropping down like spaghetti through the roof of the exchange. This arrangement was not especially appealing to the eye, and Birmingham was the first city in the world to install an underground cable in 1883, which led from Bennetts Hill up to Great Charles Street.
To call the system was not straightforward, first it was necessary for the subscriber to press a white button on the wooden box hanging on the wall. This connected him or her to the operator at the exchange. Having confirmed that one wished to make a call it was then necessary to give the name or number of the person you wished to contact. The operator then made the connection, waited for the person at the other end to pick up the earpiece, and then told the caller to proceed. After the conversation was over the subscriber once again had to speak to the operator.
Birmingham’s first telephone directory was published in 1886 and contained a list of 614 subscribers. The majority were business customers, but they did include Joseph Chamberlain, an aspiring politician. By 1887 the telephone company moved again, this time to the magnificent Central Exchange, at 19 Newhall Street which still stands today. It accommodated around 60 operators, at a starting salary of eight shillings (40p) a week.
Taken from an article by Chris Upton, published in the Birmingham Voice
Old Dialling Codes & Call Charges for the Birmingham Area
In 1931 the Birmingham Director Area opened, which initially included four exchanges: Birchfield, Harborne, Northern and Victoria. By 1938 a further 34 local exchanges were included, as illustrated by the map on the left. Subscribers in the Director areas would dial the first three letters of the exchange name followed by the subscribers number, usually three or four digits.
In 1966 all-figure number (AFN) dialling codes were introduced in Birmingham, as illustrated by the map on the right. There are presently 47 telephone exchanges in the Birmingham Director Area.
1 | no letters |
|
2 | ABC | |
3 | DEF | |
4 | GHI | |
5 | JKL | |
6 | MN | |
7 | PRS | |
8 | TUV | |
9 | WXY | |
0 | OQ |
Because of expansion and the reorganisation of exchanges into sectors many of the exchange numbers were changed, however some stayed the same. For example to dial someone on the Four Oaks exchange with the number 0200 you would have dialed FOU 0200, nowadays it would be 308 0200.
A leaflet (shown here) produced in the mid 60’s explains the introduction of All-Figure Telephone Numbers for London (01-), Birmingham (021-), Edinburgh (031-), Glasgow (041-), Liverpool (051-) & Manchester (061-). These were known as the Director Areas. The changeover began in March 1966 and was completed in 1969. Further information on Director Area Codes can be found at: Letters for digits in UK telephone numbers
Exchanges in the Birmingham Director Area in 1965
Old Number | Old Exchange Name | New Number | Area (if different) | ||||
|
220 | ACOcks Green | 706, 707 | n/a | |||
|
274 | ASHfield | 351 | Walmley | |||
|
278 | ASTon Cross | 359 | Aston | |||
|
232 | BEArwood | 429 | n/a | |||
|
247 | BIRchfield | 356 | n/a | |||
|
252 | BLAckheath | 559 | n/a | |||
|
270 | BROadwell | 552 | Oldbury | |||
|
225 | CALthorpe | 440 | n/a | |||
|
227 | CAStle Bromwich | 747 | n/a | |||
|
236 | CENtral ± | unchanged | City Centre | |||
|
327 | EASt | unchanged | Washwood Heath | |||
|
334 | EDGbaston | 454 | n/a | |||
|
373 | ERDington | 373, 350 | n/a | |||
|
308 | FOUr Oaks § | unchanged | n/a | |||
|
470 | GPO § | 262 | British Telecom | |||
|
473 | GREat Barr | 357, 358 | n/a | |||
|
425 | HALesowen | 550 | n/a | |||
|
427 | HARborne | unchanged | n/a | |||
|
444 | HIGhbury | unchanged | Kings Heath | |||
|
445 | HILlside § | unchanged | Barnt Green | |||
|
526 | JAMes Bridge § | unchanged | Darlaston | |||
|
546 | KINgs Norton | 458 | n/a | |||
|
627 | MARston Green | 779 | n/a | |||
|
629 | MAYpole § | 474 | n/a | |||
|
643 | MIDland ± | unchanged | City Centre | |||
|
607 | NORthern | 554, 523 | Handsworth | |||
|
774 | PRIory | 475 | Northfield | |||
|
782 | RUBery § | 453 | n/a | |||
|
735 | SELly Oak | 472 | n/a | |||
|
743 | SHEldon | unchanged | n/a | |||
|
744 | SHIrley | unchanged | n/a | |||
|
763 | SMEthwick | 558 | n/a | |||
|
705 | SOLihull | unchanged | n/a | |||
|
708 | SOUth | 449 | Moseley | |||
|
777 | SPRingfield | unchanged | Hall Green | |||
|
783 | STEchford | unchanged | n/a | |||
|
780 | STOne Cross | 588 | (West Bromwich) | |||
|
787 | STReetly § | 353 | n/a | |||
|
788 | SUTton Coldfield | 354, 355 | n/a | |||
|
847 | TIPton | 557 | n/a | |||
|
843 | VICtoria | 772 | Small Heath | |||
|
927 | WARstock | # | ||||
|
933 | WEDnesbury | 556 | n/a | |||
|
937 | WESt Bromwich | 553 | n/a | |||
|
900 | WOOdgate | 422 | Quinton |
There are now over 275 exchange codes in the Birmingham 0121 STD area compared to the 44 listed above.
§ – this denotes exchanges added after 1938 and before 1965.
± – Prior to 1956, CENtral included COLmore and MIDland included CITy.
# – WARstock was renamed MAYpole in 1953
Birmingham Sectors
STD Code | Area of Birmingham | |
|
0121-2XX | City Centre |
|
0121-3XX | North |
|
0121-4XX | South |
|
0121-5XX | West |
|
0121-6XX | City Centre |
|
0121-7XX | East |
Services
|
DIR | Directory Enquiries |
|
ENG | Faults |
|
INF | Telephone Enquiries |
|
TEL | Inland Telegrams |
|
TIM | Time |
|
TOL | Toll Calls |
|
TRU | Trunk Calls |
|
UMP | Test Match Score |
List of local dialling codes to be used when dialling from the Birmingham telephone area
Exchange | 1965 | 1968 | 1987 | 2002 | Exchange | 1965 | 1968 | 1987 | 2002 |
Albrighton (4f) | AL 9 | 259 | 090 722 | n/a | Heath Hayes | 0LH 37 | 054 37 | 0543 | 01543 |
Albrighton (6f) | n/a | n/a | 090 2 | 01902 | Hednesford (4&5f) | HE 9 | 439 | 054 38 | n/a |
Aldridge | AL | 25 | 25 | 01922 | Hednesford (6f) | n/a | n/a | 0543 | 01543 |
Aldridge (6f) | n/a | n/a | 9 | 01922 | Henley-in-Arden ( 4 f) | HE 8 | 438 | 438 | n/a |
Armitage | 0LH 341 | 054 341 | 054 3 | 01543 | Henley-in-Arden (6f) | n/a | n/a | 0564 | 01564 |
Astwood Bank (4f) | AS 2 | 272 | 052 789 | n/a | Hurley | 0TA 781 | 082 781 | 0827 | 01827 |
Astwood Bank (6f) | n/a | n/a | 052 7 | 01527 | Kidderminster (5f) | KM2 | 56 | 56 | n/a |
Atherstone | AT 4 | 284 | 082 7 | 01827 | Kidderminster (6f) | KM | n/a | 2 | 01562 |
Belbroughton | 0KM 284 | 056 284 | 056 2 | 01562 | Kingswinford | KG 9 | 549 | 2 | 01384 |
Berkswell (4f) | BE 7 | 237 | 25 | n/a | Kinver | KV 4 | 584 | 0384 | 01384 |
Berkswell (6f) | n/a | n/a | 067 6 | 01676 | Knowle (4&5f) | KN 0 | 560 | 056 45 | n/a |
Bilston (4f) | BN | 26 | 26 | n/a | Knowle (6f) | n/a | n/a | 0564 | 01564 |
Bilston (6f) | n/a | n/a | 5 | 01902 | Lapworth (4f) | LA 8 | 528 | 528 | n/a |
Bloxwich | BL | 25 | 9 | 01922 | Lapworth (6f) | n/a | n/a | 0564 | 01564 |
Bobbington | 0DU 488 | 038 488 | 038 488 | n/a | Lichfield (4/5f) | LH (2) | 54 (2) | 7(2) | n/a |
Bobbington | 038 488 | 038 4 | 01384 | Lichfield (6f) | n/a | n/a | 7 | 01543 | |
Brewood | 0WO 725 | 090 725 | 090 2 | 01902 | Lye (4f) | LY3 | 593 | 038 482 | n/a |
Brierley Hill | BR | 27 | 038 4 | 01384 | Lye (6f) | n/a | n/a | 0384 | 01384 |
Bromsgrove | BR 3 | 273 | 26 | n/a | Meriden | 0MR 62 | 067 62 | 20676 | 01676 |
Bromsgrove | n/a | 26 | 7 | 01527 | Newton Regis | 0TA 784 | 082 784 | 0827 | 01827 |
Brownhills | BR 9 | 279 | 3 | 01543 | Pattingham | 0WO 726 | 090 726 | 0902 | 01902 |
Burntwood | 0LH 36 | 054 36 |
054 36 | n/a | Pelsall | PE 4 | 734 | 0922 | 01922 |
Burntwood | n/a | n/a | 054 3 | 01543 | Polesworth | 0TA 782 | 082 782 | 0827 | 01827 |
Cannock | CA2 | 222 | 054 35 | n/a | Redditch (4/5f) | RE (9) | 73(9) | 75 | n/a |
Cannock | n/a | n/a | 0543 | 01543 | Redditch (6f) | n/a | n/a | 7 | 01527 |
Chaddesley Corbett (3f) | 0KM 283 | 056 283 | 056 283 | n/a | Romsley | 0KM 281 | 056 281 | 0562 | 01562 |
Chaddesley Corbett (6f) | n/a | n/a | 056 2 | 01562 | Sedgley (4&5f) | SE (8) | 73(8) | 090 73 | n/a |
Cheslyn Hay | 0WA 288 | 092 288 | 092 2 | 01922 | Sedgley (6f) | n/a | n/a | 0902 | 01902 |
Clifton Campville (3 figs.) | 0TA 786 | 082 786 | 082 786 | n/a | Shenstone | 0LH 343 | 054 343 | 0543 | 01543 |
Clifton Campville (6f) | n/a | n/a | 082 7 | 01827 | Standeford | 0WO 727 | 090 727 | 0902 | 01902 |
Codsall (4f) | CO 9 | 209 | 090 74 | n/a | Stourbridge | SB (2) | 72(2) | 2 | 01384 |
Codsall (6f) | n/a | n/a | 090 2 | 01902 | Studley (4f) | ST 4 | 785 | 052 785 | n/a |
Coleshill (4/5f) | CL 3 | 253 /28 |
28 | n/a | Studley (6f) | n/a | n/a | 0527 | 01527 |
Coleshill (6f) | n/a | n/a | 6 | 01675 | Tamworth (4/5f) | TM9 | 869 | 0827 | 01827 |
Cradley Heath | CR | 27 | 038 4 | 01384 | Tamworth (5&6f) | TM | 86 | 0827 | 01827 |
Curdworth | 0MR 52 | 067 52 | 067 5 | 01675 | Tanworth-in-Arden (4f) | 0KN 44 | 834 | 834 | n/a |
Dudley (5f) | DU | 38 | 38 | n/a | Tanworth-in-Arden (6f) | n/a | n/a | 0564 | 01564 |
Dudley (6f) | n/a | n/a | 2 | 01384 | Walsall (5f) | WA | 92 | 92 | n/a |
Earlswood ( 4 f) | 0KN 46 | 728 | 728 | n/a | Walsall (6f) | n/a | n/a | 9 | 01922 |
Earlswood (6f) | n/a | n/a | 056 4 | 01564 | Whittington | 0LH 342 | 054 342 | 0543 | 01543 |
Fillongley | 0MR 64 | 067 64 | 067 6 | 01676 | Willenhall | WH | 94 | 0902 | 01902 |
Fordhouses | FO 9 | 309 | n/a | n/a | Wolverhampton (5f) | 90 | 90 | 90 | n/a |
Furnace End | 0MR 54 | 067 54 | 067 5 | 01675 | Wolverhampton (6f) | 5 | 5 | 5 | 01902 |
Hagley | HA 3 | 423 | 056 2 | 01562 | Womborne | WM 2 | 962 | 5 | 01902 |
Hampton-in-Arden (4f) | HA 4 | 424 | 424 | n/a | Wychbold (3f) | 0RE 97 | 073 97 | 052 786 | n/a |
Hampton-in-Arden (6f) | n/a | n/a | 067 5 | 01675 | Wychbold (6f) | n/a | n/a | 0527 | 01527 |
Hanbury | 0RE 96 | 073 96 | 052 784 | 01527 | Wythall | WY 8 | 998 | 0564 | 01564 |
Harlaston | 0TA 785 | 082 785 | 082 785 | 01827 | Yoxall | OLH 344 | 054 344 | 0543 | 01543 |
KEY: 3f = 3 figure numbers, 4f = 4 figure numbers, 5f = 5 figure numbers, 6f = 6 figure numbers |
There are few differences between the 1965 and the 1968 dialling codes, apart from the fact that the 1968 codes are shown as numbers, rather than letters (see top of the page). By 1987 many exchanges had lost their local codes in lieu of STD codes. These days all the codes are in STD (01XXX format), although they are still charged at the local call rate, if calling from Birmingham. My thanks to Roger Harris, Andy Emmerson and John Chenery for supplying much of the information on this page.
Hold The Line Please
The book ‘Hold the Line Please’ tells the story of the ‘Hello Girls’. The author Sally Southall, herself a former Birmingham GPO telephone operator from 1949, believes this is the first book of its kind compiled by a ‘Hello Girl’. She describes the development of the telephone service in the Midlands from Birmingham’s first telephone exchange in 1879.
It tells of the training and the duties of the operators, which were basically the same nationwide, and concludes with the operators’ own stories of their experiences as telephonists during WW2 and ensuing years.
I have reviewed the book myself and can highly recommend it, it makes an excellent read and is very informative. The 70 pages include many interesting photographs which gives a fascinating insight into how the GPO operated all those years ago.
The ISBN number for the book is 1-85858-239-3.