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This was the first telephone the GPO made publically available in 1881.
This is a Crossley design which was manufactured by Blakey and Emmott of Halifax in the UK. Made as a wall telephone, the transmitter diaphragm was mounted beneath the fretwork cover. This transmitter was of the pencil type. The rather dumpy Crossley receiver was hung on a spring loaded, switch hook, on the front of the case. This is possibly where the saying "go on hook" comes from. A Galvanometer was sometimes fitted and this showed the line current which proved connectivity to the exchange. The lever switch on the right hand side of the case was pressed to call the exchange. These telephones were used on permanent current system exchanges.
As in the Gower-Bell telephone, the top of the case contains a diaphragm
which consists, it will be seen, of a thin pine board, to the under side
of which is fixed the Crossley microphone. The diaphragm is supported
off the lid of the case for 1/4in. by cork pads, and the sound-waves are
directed on to it by slots in the wood or later a mouthpiece fitted in
the front of the lid.
On the left-hand side are the terminals of the instrument, and on the right is the ringing key, consisting of a stout brass spring working between a front and back contact. Inside the case, on the front, right-hand side, is the switching apparatus, which consists of the brass hook arm working on a pivot inside the case and kept in the position shown by a steel spring. In this position the back part of the arm of the brass hook is resting against the bottom contact, and the "speaking" circuit is closed. When, however, the receiver is hung on the brass hook, the hook moves down, and the back end of the arm moves up, making connection with the top contact and closing the "ringing" circuit. On the left-hand side of the brass hook arm is an the ebonite block, at the top of which is a brass plate, and when the arm is down, as is the case when the receiver is off the hook, and conversation is being carried on, this plate connects across two thin German silver springs, thus closing the local circuit of the transmitter. When the receiver is hung on the brass hook the arm moves up, and the springs slide from the brass plate to the ebonite block which opens the local circuit. At the bottom of the inside of the case is the induction coil, and outside, on the front of the case, the cord to the end of which the receiver is attached. The lid is fastened to the body of the case by screws, and connection is made to the microphone by two flexible wires. The instrument is fixed with its back to the wall by means of the two brass brackets, thus leaving the diaphragm in a position slightly inclined from the horizontal. Click here for an explanation of how the Gower-Bell phone worked Pictures
Telephone as supplied to the Post Office
Internal view
The telephone pictured below is marked GSAWR, which is probably the Great Southern and Western Railway (GS&WR) in Ireland (1844 - 1924). The fret work lid has been replaced by a solid cover, with a ceramic speaking tube and the receiver has been replaced by a Bell receiver.
One of the carbon pencils is missing
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Last revised: July 25, 2026FM
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