EARLY UK TELEPHONES

Crossley desk telephone

This was the first telephone used by the Post Office and was introduced in 1878.  In those days the lines were also used by Telegraph apparatus and the telephone was bought into circuit by means of a switch which disconnected the A.B.C. Telegraph instrument by means of a switch.

These telephones were a combination of Bell receiver and a Crossley transmitter.  The transmitter was a number of carbon pencils fixed to a pine wood diaphragm which itself was fixed under the top cover.  Sometimes the top cover had fretwork slots and sometimes a speaking cup.

These were superseded by the Gower-Bell telephone, which became the Post Office standard telephone.

The receiver hangs on a hook on the front of this telephone and activates the telephone and this is how you get the saying "go off hook" or "go on hook".

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Later Crossley telephone made by Blakey and Emmott and supplied circa 1881

Original Crossley telephone with fretwork speaking slots

Gower-Bell Telephone

The Gower-Bell Telephone Company was formed in 1880.  The Gower-Bell telephone (a combination of a Gower receiver and a Gower transmitter) had first been manufactured by Messrs Scott and Wollaston with a licence issued to them from The Telephone Company Ltd in 1879.  Gower ultimately acquired the licence and formed the company, which supplied the Post Office with 20,000 telephones.  The company was eventually taken over by the Consolidated Telephone Construction and Maintenance Company who continued to supply the GPO with this instrument.

This telephone replaced the Blakey and Emmott instrument (See above).

This telephone also uses a "pencil" type transmitter.

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1st Pattern Gower-Bell telephone

Horse Collar Telephone

This telephone was supplied by the Post Office for secret conversation use.  The Post Office had adopted the Deckert transmitter as it's standard transmitter and this can be in the centre of the horseshoe.

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Ader Telephone (1988)

This Ader telephone was connected to a two way switching unit.

As well as the telephone, the backboard contains a key switch, indicator unit and signalling bell.

This was installed in Blenheim Palace in the UK.

United Telephone Company telephone with Blake transmitter (1880)

Sometimes called "The Marriage" as it was one of the first telephones containing a carbon transmitter with an electromagnetic receiver.

This telephone could also be moved, even though it cumbersome.

Probably the first pedestal telephone!

Telephone with Johnson Transmitter

Telephone with Johnson Transmitter

Edison Co.

Made by the Edison Company this telephone used their Chalk Cylinder Receiver (1879).

National Telephone Company (NTC)

NTC Magneto wall telephone with Blake transmitter (Circa 1885).

Last revised: July 21, 2025