Cinderford High St Post Card postmarked 12 Jul 1912

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Cinderford High St Post Card postmarked 12 Jul 1912

Postcard published by Sidders & Co Cinderford, mailed 12 Jul 1912 from Mitcheldean

The Cinderford Meat Stores (sign above awning) are to the right of the picture with two sides of meat hanging outside. The small sign to the right at the top of the wall reads 'TELEPHONE' just above the Pearl Life Assurance Comp Ltd sign. The Royal Union Hotel is to the left of the picture.

<strong>1912 - Telephone history</strong>
On 1 January 1912, the Postmaster-General took over the system of the National Telephone Company at a cost of £12,515,264, inheriting 9,000 employees, 1,500,000 miles of wire and 1,565 exchanges - of which 231 had more than 300 subscribers each. The National Telephone Company provided for 561,738 subscribers altogether. Just under 70 exchanges were of the Central Battery type; most of the rest were of the magneto type.

For the first time a unified telephone system was available throughout most of Britain. From this date the Post Office became the monopoly supplier of telephone services with the exception of the remaining municipal services in Hull, Portsmouth and Guernsey. There followed a period of rapid expansion. In the next three years no fewer than 450 new exchanges were opened in places where there had previously been no telephone service. From British Telecom Archives.

<i>Photo and information supplied by cj136</i>