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HomeMy WebLinkAboutThe Exeter Times-Advocate, 1973-06-28, Page 37Telephone service started with only 11 subscribers 4)) • a 311 Telephone service first became available in Exeter in 1888 after the erection of a long distance line by the Bell Telephone Company, from London to Clinton through Lucan and EXeter. A small switchboard was in- stalled in Robert Hicks' jewellery store on Main street and the telephone directory for 1889 recorded eleven subscribers. Mr. Hicks was appointed manager of the local office which was open for service from 8 a.m. until 8 p.m, on weekdays, from 2 to 4 p.m. on Sundays and from 10 a.m. until 12 noon and 2 to 4 p.m. on holidays. In 1891 a long distance line was erected from Exeter to Dash- wood, Mr, Hicks remained local telephone manager for 15 years. Telephone linemen were still dotting the countryside in their continuous efforts to expand telephone facilities. One of these men was Wilfred J. Roden, who Telephone Manager In 1905, Mr. Marchand, above, bought the Main St. jewellery store of Robert Hicks and took over the managership of the Ex- eter telephone exchange which was located •in the store. did much work in the Exeter Office in years to come. Recalled Mr. Roden, "Just as I was going to- climb the pole, I happened to see a large snake at the bottom. I put three sections of pruners together and made a noose. When Mr. Snake rose its head up, I lassoed him, and, hung him from the ladder behind the truck . . It turned out to be a blowing adder." Mr. Hicks decided to retire from business towards the close 01 1905, and sold his interests to another jeweller, Arnold Mar-, chand. Long-familiar with the intricacies of telephone affairs from his years as manager of Exeter Times-Advocate Feb. 2, 1918 King storm had this district in his power the end of last week. On Saturday the trains were three to four hours late. The stores closed about 8:30 Saturday night, a thing never before known in Exeter on a Saturday. Exeter Times-Advocate Nov. 16, 1925 Mr. Herman Hodgson of Centralia broke his wrist while cranking his car, Exeter' Times-Advocate Feb 16, 1908 A rink of Exeter curlers con- sisting of Messrs. Geo Anderson, RN, Taylor, Alfred Taylor and Fred Bawden drove over to Seaforth, to take part in a bon- spiel in that town. In the first round the Exeter rink won from Fergus 2043; from Seaforth 21- 14; but were beaten in the semi- finals by another Seaforth rink 2240 Port Elgin's exchange, Mr. Marchand willingly took over Exeter's switchboard along with the jewellery business, In 1908, the Thames Road Telephone Company, organized by Dr. H. K. Hyndman, began connecting with the Exeter ex- change. The following year, the Kirkton and Exeter Telephone Company also made connections here as well as at St. Marys, Mitchell and Granton. Mr. 'Marchand's duties were becoming more arduous, especially since he began providing 24-hour service in June, 1911. Under his direction also, Exeter's 100th telephone was installed in 1912, and a third independent company, the Hay Township Municipal Telephone System, was connected to the Exeter switchboard. Early in 1914, the local jewellery business changed hands for a third time when Mr. Marchand retired and James Lawson took over both the jewellery business and telephone managership. Shortly af- terwards, he bought the Carling block from George Bedford, and moved the telephone office to the rear of his new store. Here the exchange remained until April 1925 when the Bell Company decided to open an office, (one door south of the old office on Main street) exclusively for telephone business. Mr. Lawson's cousin, George W. Lawson, had been living in Exeter since 1925, having returned from Saskatchewan where he had been homesteader, schoolteacher and telephone employee. Asked by his cousin to join the telephone office staff Mr. Lawson became a member of the Exeter telephone crew receiving in- struction in switchboard operating from Mrs. Ruth Andrews, operator and acting as night operator until August 1928 when he was appointed local manager of the exchange. Exeter felt depression in its telephone way of life. Mr. Lawson recalled: "My duties in the office as time went ' on became, if anything, more exacting, par- ticularly so in the collections when the subscribers were unable to pay their bills each month. To show you how anxious they were to keep their telephone, they brought in coppers and postage stamps to help pay their rental. However, our office lost quite a few telephones despite my most strenuous efforts to retain them," An upward swing exerted itself towards the close of the thirties, with over 300 telephones in use by the time of the Second World War. In 1942, the Bell Company erected lines to provide telephone service from the Exeter ex- change to the R.C.A,F. flying training school at Centralia, and also provided direct' connection between Centralia and the associated landing field at Grand Bend. Towards the war's end, Exeter became a company-operated office with Mrs. W, H. Chambers as local representative; George Lawson continued as night operator until his retirement in December, 1946. On December 10, 1952 the common battery system of telephone operation was in- troduced in Exeter, Battery boxes were centralized at the telephone exchange and battery boxes and cranks were eliminated from subscribers' telephones which became smaller and more compact. Exeter's 1,000th telephone was installed in 1951. Mrs. Willa Wuerth was placed in charge of the office following several changes in supervision since the days of Mrs. Chambers, including successively Miss D. D. Morrison, Miss A. W. Whitten, Miss A. W. Wood, Miss M. L. Hodgert, and Mrs. M. E. Holtz- mann. Miss M. E. Wells, worked in the Exeter telephone office from 1948 and was chief operator from 1954 until 1962 when Exeter's telephones were converted from common battery to dial operation. Direct Distance Dialing went into effect at the same time as the equipment was cut over to dial and all Exeter telephone num- bers were changed from two letters, five digits to seven digits. Exeter exchange's free toll calling area was extended on November 15, 1964 to include Hensall, Kirkton and Lucan and on November 6, 1966 to include Dashwood. As of December 31, 1972 there were 2,235 telephones in service here. Section page 17 TWOETER TIMES-APVOcATE JUNE 28, 1973 TELEPHONE EXCHANGE - In Exeter in 1938 the telephone exchange was much less sophisticated than it is now. Sitting in front of the magneto switchboard is operator Olive Lawson (Mrs. Garnet Hicks). With her are Mary McKaig, chief operator, and branch manager, George W. Lawson. MANAGER CHANGES - Mr. Marchand who managed the Exeter telephone exchange in the jewellery store, retired in 1914 and sold his jewellery business to James Lawson, who took over the exchange. ding in the front from the left are Greta Hodgins, June Borland, Joyce Willard, Nora Wilds and Marion Hodgert, In the back row left are Ber- nice Finkbeiner, Betty Allison, Mary Wells, Betty Rowcliffe and Betty Mair, LARGE TELEPHONE STAFF - In 1950 it took a large staff of operators to manage the Bell Telephone exchange in Exeter. Sitting in front of the No. 1054 magneto switchboard from the left are Donna Wright, Doris Mitchell, Mary Hannigan, Helen Passmore and Helen Shapton, Stan-