EARLY TYPE TERMINAL BLOCKS

Rosettes
These were the original connection for a table telephone line cord. Circular in shape, the line cord entered the rosette by means of a central opening. The rosette was fixed to the wall.

Rosette No. 2 - 4 terminals with an ebonised finish.
Rosette No. 4 - 4 terminals walnut top mounted on a walnut block with a hook for an Electrophone double receiver.
Rosette No. 5 - 6 terminals with an ebonised finish.

Strips, Flexible Cord Connection
Strips, Flexible Cord Connection were used for terminating the line cord to the internal house wiring, on table telephones. Originally these were an Ebonite strip mounted on a Teak base. The telephone line cord is terminated on the rear of the strip and the housing wiring connected to the front of the strip. These have been seen as early as 1900.

After the 1920's the design changed a Teak block, with the terminals located in a central recess. These are either varnished Teak (Mark 234), a slightly larger varnished Teak (Mark 235) or Black painted (Mark 236). The Mark 235 was probably made slightly larger so as to accommodate the thicker wire used on the later line cords. ETL also supplied the 4 terminal Teak variant as their N3140. These had two entry holes, one on the top and the other on one end.

Supplied with 4, 6 or 7 terminals. These superseded the Rosettes Nos. 2, 4 and 5.

The wooden Strips, Flexible were replaced by a modern version in 1931, made of plastic. These can be easily identified as they are lozenge shaped. These also had two entry holes, one on the top and the other on one end.

The GPO plastic models were available in the colours, Black (Bakelite), Red, Green and Ivory. STC also made them in Mottled Brown for their ‘Antwerp’ telephone and it is possible that the GPO used mottled brown examples as well. Most of these are labelled Mark 238 and have different manufacturers codes against them; SS, HEA, PX & MP have been seen. Some have been found marked 4021A and it is thought these non-GPO strips were made by STC. Siemens Bothers (T979), Phoenix (17184), ATE (T979), GEC and ETL (N3158) also supplied these.

Made obsolescent in 1948.

GEC Article on the Strips, Flexible - plastic type

Block Terminal No. 20.
In 1937 the Block Terminal No. 20 was introduced and these superseded both the Rosette and Strips, Flexible Cord Connection.

Pictures