Phones

In the 50s and 60s, many homes did not have a phone.  Mobile phones did not exist (at least, if they did, not for the average person) whether they were contract mobile phones or pay as you go mobile phones - and certainly, no smartphones! Phones were often large black Bakelite things with a base, on which the dial (and yes, you did dial, not press a button) sat and then, at the end of a piece of cord, the hand piece which was both earpiece and mouthpiece.  Many people had ‘party’ lines, which were nothing at all to do with having a fun time but meant that more than one house shared the same line so you might pick up the phone to hear your neighbour in conversation.  Telephone numbers were generally easier to remember as there was first of all a 3 letter exchange – thus, Croydon was CRO, followed by 4 numbers; some villages had only 3 digit numbers after the letters.  Of course, in some places one needed to go through the local exchange which was always staffed by cheerful and knowledgeable people (almost always women) who would find a number for you and sometimes answer local questions.  International calls had to be booked in advance and it could take many hours to complete a short call – charges were in 3 minute blocks so many people tried to keep within that 3 minutes as the cost was comparatively a lot higher than now. You can see the type of phone in homes in the 1950s by searching images with the term "1950 phone"