It was on this day, December 12, 1883, that the first local phone call was made — it was between Port Moody and New Westminster [source]. In honor of this, my theme for today’s archive photo collection is telephones with images from the Vancouver Archives and the old BC Telephone company.
1895 – Operators and switchboards. Archives item# CVA 1376-459.
1927 – Telephone & telegraph exchange building in Coal Harbour. Archives item# Out P967.
1940-1948 – Telephone operators at work. Archives item# CVA 1184-2832. Photographer: Jack Lindsay.
1940-1948 – Giant rolodex directories. Archives item# CVA 1184-2835. Photographer: Jack Lindsay.
1940-1948 – Switch operators. Archives item# CVA 1184-2838 & CVA 1184-2839. Photographer: Jack Lindsay.
1940-1948 – Service shortage ad. Archives item# CVA 1184-2864. Photographer: Jack Lindsay.
1940-1948 – Woman wearing ad for service shortages. Archives item# CVA 1184-2863. 1940-1949 – Women on a public phone & looking at phone service poster. Archives item# CVA 1184-2866. Photographer: Jack Lindsay
1905 – BC Telephone linemen & equipment. Archives item# Port P558.
1940-1948 – Technicians and equipment. Archives item# CVA 1184-2823. Photographer: Jack Lindsay.
1947 – BC Telephone workers on Robson Street. Archives item# CVA 1184-2894.
Photographer: Jack Lindsay.
1940-1948 – Operator and switchboards. Archives item# CVA 1184-3198. Photographer: Jack Lindsay.