Gawler Manual Telephone Exchange Switchboard CB type, Heritage Gallery, Civic Centre. South Australia
DOWN THE LINE – Communication in Gawler
An exhibition at the Heritage Gallery, Gawler Civic Centre.
Exploring the importance of long-distance communication, postal service, telegraph and telephone which were vital in keeping Gawler connected to the world.
Manual Telephone Exchange
This is a subscriber telephone exchange switchboard CB type which was in service from 1950s – 1980.
Donated to the Gawler Branch of National Trust of South Australia from the Mallala Museum.
In 1884 Dr F W H Popham began lobbying to have Gawler and Adelaide connected by telephone. The Postmaster-General, Sir Charles Todd, asked for some financial guarantees from the town.
An income of £125 was guaranteed to the PMG Department: cables erected and a switchboard installed in a corner of the post office.
With three subscribers and a public telephone connected, the Gawler Telephone Exchange opened 19 February 1889.
The first subscribers were the flour millers Hilfers & Co, Harris’s general store and James Martin’s foundry. They each paid £25 per annum which included the cost of all calls.
The public could use the telephone in the post office for 1/- per 5 minutes.
Gawler Manual Telephone Exchange Switchboard CB type, Heritage Gallery, Civic Centre. South Australia
DOWN THE LINE – Communication in Gawler
An exhibition at the Heritage Gallery, Gawler Civic Centre.
Exploring the importance of long-distance communication, postal service, telegraph and telephone which were vital in keeping Gawler connected to the world.
Manual Telephone Exchange
This is a subscriber telephone exchange switchboard CB type which was in service from 1950s – 1980.
Donated to the Gawler Branch of National Trust of South Australia from the Mallala Museum.
In 1884 Dr F W H Popham began lobbying to have Gawler and Adelaide connected by telephone. The Postmaster-General, Sir Charles Todd, asked for some financial guarantees from the town.
An income of £125 was guaranteed to the PMG Department: cables erected and a switchboard installed in a corner of the post office.
With three subscribers and a public telephone connected, the Gawler Telephone Exchange opened 19 February 1889.
The first subscribers were the flour millers Hilfers & Co, Harris’s general store and James Martin’s foundry. They each paid £25 per annum which included the cost of all calls.
The public could use the telephone in the post office for 1/- per 5 minutes.