Telephones

The telegraph came to Bradworthy in 1895.

The first telephone came to the village in 1929, when a manual exchange was opened in the Lower Village. This was operated by Mr. and Mrs. John Jewell, assisted by Miss Joyce Ham and Miss Pauline Slee. At the start there were about 20 phones in the parish - Number 1 was the Post Office.

In early 1938 it was reported that 'the work of laying the telephone wires underground is now proceeding in the village'.

The phone kiosk was erected on the Square in 1946. Before that people had to go into the Post Office, where a small 'telephone box' was erected.

The manual exchange was closed in 1949 when a new automatic exchange was built on the Mill Road. Bradworthy exchange now covers the parish and parts of the adjoining parishes of Sutcombe, Putford, and Woolfardisworthy.

In 1968 the Post Office Authority installed a kiosk at Tuckers Park, but this was later removed as it wasn't sufficiently used.




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