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Candlesticks still in use in 1962.

Started by Stephen Furley, August 14, 2011, 05:54:48 PM

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Stephen Furley

This page:

http://www.btinternet.com/~roger.beckwith/bh/cr62/cr62_1.htm

about the 1940s control room at BBC Broadcasting House shows some pictures of it in 1962, shortly before it was replaced by the new control room.  Candlestick telephones were still in use there in 1962.  It must have been pretty unusual for them to have been installed even when the control room was built.

The one which I mentioned in the film thread was installed even later, mid '50s, but was probably out of use before the BBC ones.  Why the BBC used them so late I've no idea.

Does anyone have any other pictures of candlesticks still in use long after their time?

LarryInMichigan

I doubt that the candlesticks were being used as telephones, but probably more likely as microphones.

Larry

Stephen Furley

No, there were being used as telephones; they can be seen connected to the switchboards with the drop-down line indicators as described in the text.  Bakelite telephones were still the most common type at this time, though the 706 had been introduced three years previously most people did not have them at that time.  Candlesticks were rare by that time however, I only ever saw a handful of them, and the last I saw was probably in about 1964. That one was in the local barbers shop where I used to get my hair cut.

LarryInMichigan

I cannot recall ever seeing a candlestick in person during my childhood in the 1960s and 70s.  In our new house in 1968, we already had a WE 1500 and 1554 (touch-tone).

Larry

Doug Rose

When I was in 7th grade, I think Lincoln was President; the PA system in my School had a Candlestick type mic. I was 12...I think. Maybe it Grant....no it was Johnson. Not LBJ, but I digress....Doug
Kidphone

JorgeAmely

Jorge

Dan

Andy Griffith had a candlestick at his police station from 1960-1967 ;)
"Imagine how weird telephones would look if our ears weren't so close to our mouths." - Steven Wright

troydog

wow I seen one in use and even used it. But that was in the 1980's. See our local phone company at the time still had operator's hell well were so far behind in times in this town you just had to dial for a local call the 4 #'s. 

Time and time was 8463. The candlestick phone was at the local phone office outside in a small room with a door on it that said telephone calls made here for only 15 cents local only. It ran right to the switch board inside the place there was a box on the wall you put 15 cents into then the operator would come on and dial the 4 #'s.

The operator here was the woman down the street from use she did days then there was a woman for nights and so on. This was done till about 1986 they turned the office into a just a phone company place no more paying bills in person hell you could not even walk up to the front door.

You might get a kick out of this also it was not till about 1984 till we got touch tone service. I still rember the time and temp saying

Tired of going around in circles order touch tone today call 1111 the time is the temp is good day.

Hell the big talk was the price of touch tone 1.95 cents a month. Rotary was free.

Then we became gte then some other company now windstream.

Sargeguy

I still have one in use as of 2011. 
Greg Sargeant
Providence, RI
TCI /ATCA #4409

Kenny C

In memory of
  Marie B.
1926-2010

Greg G.

#10
Quote from: Dan on August 14, 2011, 10:14:13 PM
Andy Griffith had a candlestick at his police station from 1960-1967 ;)

Looks like he later upgraded to a non-dial D-1.
The idea that a four-year degree is the only path to worthwhile knowledge is insane.
- Mike Row
e

jsowers

Quote from: troydog on August 14, 2011, 11:46:56 PM
Tired of going around in circles order touch tone today call 1111 the time is the temp is good day.

Hell the big talk was the price of touch tone 1.95 cents a month. Rotary was free.

Then we became gte then some other company now windstream.


Troydog, I come from a similar area with a similar telco, although we had 7-digit dialing even in the 1950s. We didn't have time and temperature until about 1993, and it's still in operation. We paid $1 extra per month for touch-tone starting about 1980, or rather other people did. When I built my house in 1985, I could still choose rotary or touch-tone, so I chose rotary. Finally in 2009 we were required to pay for touch-tone and the line was converted. I figure I saved $288 over those 24 years! We are now Windstream too. I long for those good old bad old days now, when we could get a human being at the phone company.
Jonathan

Adam

Briny,  great pics, thanks for posting them!

But, that third pic is a different office than the second pic, isn't it?  I don't believe they changed the candlestick on Andy's desk in the jail house during the course of the show.

Of course, those are all Hollywood sets.  But it does seem they had someone consulting on this and were trying to be true to the time and place.
Adam Forrest
Los Angeles Telephone - A proud part of the global C*Net System
C*Net 1-383-4820

MAin 0-2368

#13
It looks like the Andy Griffith picture is from the show's pilot episode which was originally on an episode of The Danny Thomas Show.

http://youtu.be/NOFoeNU2rl0

http://youtu.be/SkSvqhGk__0

Now about that candlestick he's holding in the first picture. A left handed candlestick? Or is it just that the picture is reversed?

Adam

That top pic definitely looks like it is reversed.  Notice how his hair appears to be parted on the left in the third pic, his hair part is reversed in the top pic.

Below is the pic reversed, you can see how his hair part now appears to match the third pic above.
Adam Forrest
Los Angeles Telephone - A proud part of the global C*Net System
C*Net 1-383-4820