Old Telephone Exchange, Irlam.

Cadishead and Irlam Guardian 1933

Notes by 'Qui Vive'

Telephone Exchange.

 

Only telephone users in the district were aware of the opening of the very fine new telephone exchange at Irlam. The change over from the old to the new, took place in an instant, and the time selected was naturally the quietest period of the day - the lunch hour on Wednesday.

 

This district is just outside the area where the automatic system is now operating. Though it is the latest method, many subscribers do not give preference to the dial system and the "Central Battery" system installed at the new exchange at Irlam is likely to be quite as satisfactory.

 

The number of local subscribers has increased from 39 to 219 in 10 years. The district was for some years linked up with Urmston Exchange. I remember very well the difficulty there was in getting the telephone into the district at all.

 

Mr. Kewell, an architect, who resided in the locality for some years and has still business connections with it, worked hard to bring the district into line with others. It was a feat to obtain the first score of promises to have the instrument installed, but from that time, some 15 years ago, much progress has been made.

 

The new building is a distinct architectural feature of the district. It has an imposing appearance at the juntion of Roscoe Road and Liverpool Road, where there are three lady operators in the day and Mr. McKechnie, the resident caretaker, attends to calls in the evenings with complete satisfaction.

 

Cadishead and Irlam Guardian November 11th 1933.

NEW TELEPHONE EXCHANGE

REMARKABLE GROWTH IN A DECADE

UP-TO-DATE MANUAL EQUIPMENT

 

Many people have watched the progress of the one new building at the junction of Roscoe Road and Liverpool Road, Irlam -- one of the most prominent, from an architectural point of view, in the district. It is the new telephone exchange which was brought into service on Wednesday morning and affords a striking contrast to the premises opposite the Council offices, Irlam, which have served hitherto and proved quite inadequate for the growing requirements of the locality.

 

EVIDENCE OF DEVELOPMENT

 

The old exchange at 601, Liverpool Road was opened in August, 1922. At the time there were only 80 subscribers and approximately 50 per cent, of these were transfered from the Urmston Exchange, to which Irlam had previously belonged. The number of subscribers has gradually increased until at the present, there are ???, and it is largely on account of the large growth that a new exchange became necessary. Opportunity has been taken to instal the most up-to-date manual equipment in a new buiding, and it is a credit to the Post Office Telephones Department and an ornament to the district.

 

NO CHANGE IN METHOD

 

Although the new type of equipment is very different to that at the old exchange, there will be no change in the method of obtaining calls as far as the subscribers are concerned. One of the main differences that will be effected is in the bringing to account the charges for the calls. Previously, the operator prepared a ticket for every call, but under the new system local and two unit calls will be registered by the depression of a special key by the operator. The depression of this key operates the calling subscriber's meter.

 

GREATER SCOPE IN KIOSKS

 

In the past, it has only been possible to obtain calls to a limited number of places from outside calling boxes or street kiosks. With the new system, however, it will be possible to obtain calls to anywhere in the country and to certain places abroad. Coin slots are provided in the boxes for pennies, sixpences and shillings and in addition, the boxes are fitted with two press buttons marked "A" and "B." Button "B" is to be used to refund, when required, money inserted in the box, and the operation of button "A" will deposit the coins that have been inserted into the cash box.

 

PROCEDURE TO BE ADOPTED

 

To use one of the new street boxes the following procedure should be adopted. Firstly, ascertain from the directory the number of the person with whom conversation is desired. Then remove the receiver from the rest and insert two pennies in the box. When the operator answers, call out the number required. If the call is a local one and the person required is available, button "A" should be depressed when an answer has been obtained. If the fee for the call is more than 2d., the operator will ask for the additional amount and inform the caller when to press button "A." If the required number is not available, the money will be returned by depressing button "B." A special emergency button, fitted above the telephone, is provided in each street kiosk for calling the operator only in the event of the fire brigade, ambulance, or police being required in an emergency. The receiver of the telephone must first be removed from the rest, and when the operator answers the name of the required service should be passed forward. There is no need to insert any pennies for such calls.

 

THE CHANGE OVER

 

The change-over precisely at one o'clock was accomplished without the slightest hitch of any kind. Members of the engineering staff of the telephone department of the G.P.O. were working hard on the final preparations right up to the moment when the old exchange was to be vacated, and business calls were to be made under the new system. Subscribers even did not realise what a great change had been effected-- a complete transformation of the local telephone system. Mr, Battersby, from the Central Office at Chapel Street, Salford, was in charge of the operations, and he told the "Guardian" representative that everything was "O.K."- "In fact," he said, "I am more than pleased with the success of the arrangements."

 

CENTRAL BATTERY SYSTEM

 

He said the most modern type of the "Central Battery system" had been installed, and there was not the slightest doubt that a general and permanent improvement in the efficiency of the service had been affected.

 

The automatic system is the absolute latest, but Irlam and Cadishead are just outside what he termed the local area for the system. Many subscribers will not be sorry either, because the dial system is anything but popular among new telephone users. Immediately after the change over, each subscriber's line was tested to make sure that everything was in order.

 

"Does your bell ring all right; can you hear distinctly? were the two questions asked, and subscribers generally would note the improvement that had been effected in both respects by the change over, which had been effected without any fuss or public ceremony. Mr, McKechnie (or McKeehnie) is the resident caretaker and evening operator, and there are three lady operators in the daytime.END.

 

A piece from the book ' A History of Transport and Communication' by Cyril Wheaton:

 

The first Telephone Exchange in the district was installed in the 1900 although Bell's telephone had been invented as early as 1876.

 

Mr Outram, an Engineer for the National Telephone Company,installed the first exchange at 68 Whitfield Street,Cadishead, and it became operational in 1900, with five lines, these being Royles Ltd,Partington Coaling Basin,Occleston's Paper Mill, C.W.S. Soap Works and Millington and Sheldrick's Rope and Twine Works.

 

Mrs Outram who was the exchange operator was on duty 24 hours a day. In the first place it was suggested that the exchange be installed on Liverpool Road,at the corner of Delhi Road,opposite to the new Post Office commisioned in 1965, but due to a dispute over boundaries,it was installed at Cadishead in the house mentioned earlier, this house being the most convenient place to come within the limits of the dispute.

 

The house at the time was occupied by Mr Robert Taylor as a farm house, and the National Telephone Company paid Mr Taylor the sum of £5 to vacate the premises. Shortly after its installation the lines were transferred to Urmston, but in 1922 they transfered back to Irlam to a shop next to Thompson's Ironmongers,No 601 Liverpool Road,Irlam almost opposite the former Council Offices. At that time there were 57 subscribers.

 

As the population of Irlam and Cadishead increased, the need for a larger exchange became a necessity, and a new one was built on Liverpool Road,some short distance away, and opened in 1933, and by the 1960's was serving 1,500 subscribers,and was growing at an alarming rate. In September 1966 a new exchange came into operation with an automatic system replacing the manual one, and the old building became obsolete. The new automatic exchange was attached to the new Post Office building.END

 

If the numbers have remained the same 601 Liverpool Road is now Auntie Nellie's Sweets and Treats (as of 2013).

 

 

Joan Dennison

My aunt Eleanor Dennison was supervisor here

 

Elsie Alty

Loved working at the telephone exchange. Just cant believe we answered incoming to Irlam calls and all outgoing calls in such a small room - considering the size of the building. I think there were about 18 or more operator positions in an L shape. The top floor contained the caretakers residence. I remember she used to come into the swichboard room to take over in her dressing gown with her tights ( rolled around her ankles) around 10 00pm each evening. The bottom floor was filled with lots of equipment explaining the need for such a huge building I supposes.. I remember Eleanor the supervisor and Hilda Saunders another supervisor. Also Gwen Bojko (Jones) - Jack Jones M.Ps daughter who was at the time the longest service established employee.

 

One evening there was a rta outside on Liverpool Road and people were shouting up to the windows of the exchange asking us to phone for an ambulance. Due to protocol or so we were told, we couldnt phone for the ambulance until someone had gone into the call box and made a call to us. We all thought that was ridiculous but someone did call us from the callbox so all was well. Goodness all those years ago in the late 50s early 60's. Still got my memory.

 

 

To the left of the building in the image is and old stand for ladders which was used by Ken's D.I.Y.

Done