The idea for the design: the Soane mausoleum
The idea for the shape of the telephone kiosk came to Giles Gilbert Scott when he saw the Soane memorial in Old St Pancras Churchyard. You can the see how he used the shallow arched dome - without the top-piece - for the design of the roof of the telephone kiosk.
Sir John Soane was the architect who built the Bank of England and created this unusual mausoleum - memorial tomb - for his wife in 1815. He was also buried there in 1837.
Oh! and no, the telephone kiosk isn't actually there in the chruchyard; just some digital magic. Photos and photomontage: Mateer, January 2007 Creative Commons, A, N-C, S-A.
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St Pancras Old Church: the slide show.
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What colour is red? It's 539!
In the case of phone boxes and pillar boxes it's British Standard colour 539; or BS539. But it's not just the colour...it's the feel and effect of thick paint over cast iron metal with it's irregularities that gives it it's full character.
Red was used as the standard colour since the K2 appeared and in 1948 it was agreed that red should continue so that it was readily distinguishable from its surroundings, consistent, assist strangers to a location and help in emergencies.
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Pretty in Pink
...but before it is painted red...it gets a lovely undercoat of pink.
Photo: Flickr
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The concrete K3: 1927
The K3 was also designed by Scott and introduced in 1927
He kept the design lines of the K2 but reduced the size and used a cheaper form of manufacture - pre-cast concrete - to enable it to be used more widely in the country.
Image courtesy of http://www.heritage.elettra.co.uk/phonebox
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The "Vermillion Giant" : K4, 1927 - 1934
The K4 telephone box was a mini post office, with stamps and wall-style post box built into the side wall of the telephone kiosk. They were introduced in 1927 but only 50 of the Vermillion Giants were ever built. Production ended in 1934.
The stamps were in slot-machines - one for first class, one for second class - on either side of the letter box slot. The stamps were in a roll inside the machine and you pulled them off using the perforations after you'd put your money in - later stamp machines provided books - not nearly so much fun.
This "Giant" was snapped, from three views, in Central Warrington, Cheshire, August 2008. Photographs kindly contributed by Jonathan Cadwallader.
The first image in the sequence is of the same kiosk and was taken in 2006 and is in Wikipedia Commons. See Wikipedia Commons Clearly Warrington looks after its "Big Friendly Giant"!
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Scott's second design: the K6 or "Jubilee kiosk", 1936.
Gilbert Giles Scott re-designed the kiosk for the Silver Jubilee of King George the Fifth in 1935 with a new version, more suitable for mass-production, called the K6 which was so successful that it was used throughout the UK and quickly attained an iconic status appearing in films, postcards and as souvenirs.
A row of K6 kiosks in London. Photo: Mateer. Creative Commons, A, N-C, S-A.
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The K2 and K6 Together
K2 and K6 designs standing together.
While the door and standing room inside is very similar in height the top part with the dome is much taller in the K2 than in the later K6 version and the whole kiosk is bigger.
Central London, February 2007. Photo, Mateer, Creative Commons, A, N-C, S-A.
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...and now they're listed buildings...
Look inside and up at the roof space in one of the old telephone boxes and you will find this little brass label:
This telephone box designed by Sir Giles Gilbert Scott is a listed building. British Telecom.
:: What's a listed building?
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...and red icons...
The familiar "539 red" ...
:: Telephone Kiosks
:: Pillar Boxes
:: London Buses
:: Fire Engines
...have become icons and are sold as souvenirs of a trip to Britain or England or London... In a photograph or on a postcard or in a film they are a way of saying, "This is Britain", "This is London" or "I was there". It was a red London bus that appeared at the end of the Beijing Olympics!
:: So why are London taxi's black? (well mostly...)
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Seen a cream telephone box?
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... or a grey telephone box?
In some parts of Wales telephone boxes were painted grey to fit into the landscape with it grey rock and building stone. The official alternative to Red 539 was "battleship grey".
Photo Alice Earp. Flickr. Public Domain
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... or a green telephone box?
A green K6: Cregneash Village, Isle of Man.
Apparently painted green for a film it remains in its belnd-in colour form.
Photo, Ian Davey.
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...or another green one?
A picturesque K6 covered with plants...but still in active use.
It is at the foot of the cobbled street leading up to Haworth Church and Rectory, the home of the Brontes in West Yorkshire. In the evening you can hear the rooks cawing and circling over the churchyard, the parsonage where the Bronte's lived on the hilltop beside the little village school. Judging from the little notices on most of the pubs and shops in the village the telephone box is just about the only building not visited regularly by Bramwell Bronte.
Bronte Museum
Photo: Mateer; August 2007
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... or a black telephone box?
A K6 design used by one of thew new telecoms operators. City of London.
Photo: London 2006, Mateer.
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...or a blue one?
Painted blue, in the livery of Sewerby Hall, which is on the outskirts of Bridlington, East Yorkshire, UK.
The house and grounds of Sewerby Hall are open to the public and the telephone kiosk provides an amenity for the visitors as well as a talking point.
Photo: Mateer, Yorkshire, UK, 2007.
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The swinging sixties: the K7 and K8
The K7 was designed by Neville Conder and introduced in 1962 with a limited run on six prototypes. The aluminium didn't stand up to weather.
The K8 was stronger, more vandal proof while still having the modern look that would look at home alongside the mini, new towns and 60's fashion and lifestyle. It was designed by Bruce Martin.
Images courtesy of http://www.heritage.elettra.co.uk/phonebox
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Door off! A vandalised K2...and a 'Brass Eye' location...
Vandalised K2, Westminster, London - That's Big Ben and the Houses of Parliament in the background.
London, 2006. Photo. Mateer, Creative Commons, A, N-C, S-A.
Brass Eye! (1997 UK TV programme - a comedy, spoof, satirical documentary)
This is the very telephone box that featured in the Brass Eye episode in which Chris Morris introduced an unsuspecting UK public to the dangers of the new drug-by-giant-yellow-tablet - called Cake!.
Brass Eye the Drugs episode:
:: Watch some of it... you have to register with :: 'You Tube' first for this one - to 'prove' your over 18
Read about it...
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...now call the police!
Police Phone Box; Earls Court London. 2004.
Or could it be bigger on the inside? Best ask a Doctor...but Doctor Who?
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...early police boxes.
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...police boxes in coffee bars?
In Glasgow and Edingburgh in Scotland, old Police Boxes have been turned into Coffee bars; "Coppuccino anyone?"
Why a Red one? Because they were originally red; it was only in the late 60's that they were painted blue in Scotland.
Photo: Blue Box, Glasgow. GMS on Flickr. Image "I'm not mentioning Doctor Who!"
Photo: Red Box. Mateer, Edingburgh, 2006.
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Police Posts
Police post. London. The police post was smaller than a kiosk. The telephone was inside and policemen had a key to get in...but they have to stand in the rain to make a call...
Similar to the small boxes fixed to telegraph poles as used by Top Cat as his personal messaging service.
Photo: Wikipedia, 'Lonpicman', GNU fdl v1.2
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AA Call box.
:: Wooden AA Box, Garaby Hill, East Yorkshire, UK, 2007.
:: AA Road sign.
Photo's: Mateer; East Yorkshire, UK 2007, Creative Commons, A, N-C, S-A
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RAC call box
:: Wooden RAC box.
Source: East Anglia Transport Musuem
Photo, Ian Davey. See Suffolkcam
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Out of Order...
'Out of Order' or the "tumbling telephones" is an art work by David Mach. The 12 telephone boxes are cast in metal and the sculpture is sited in Kingston upon Thames.
Photos, Roderick Farrugia, DHD Multimedia Gallery.
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AAAAAggggghhhhhhhhhhhhh!!!!!!!!!
Banksy - an English artist - remade a K6 box like this to express his view of the changing role of telecommunications and his view of BT role. London, 2004.
Photo: www.banksy.co.uk
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When does a phone box become a 'Local Hero'?
In 1983! When the film 'Local Hero', starring Burt Lancaster was partly shot in the small harbour village of Pennan, on Scotland's North East coast. In the film a red phone box plays a prominent part. See Screenoline 'Local Hero' for information about the film, including a still of the telephone box in use.
A prop phone kiosk was used in the film to get the right lighting effects and camera shots; nevertheless the real Penna phone box, situated only a few yards from where they put the prop one, has become a 'cult' object with people visiting it, having their photographs taken with it and making calls to and from it.
Photo: Undiscovered Scotland BTW, the notice stuck on the kiosk door says "WET PAINT".
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Once upon a time in the Mojave desert...(with videos)
No, it's not red...but it's a good story. This is the famous Mojave Desert phone booth which stood in the middle of the desert with Joshua trees for company. In 1997 it became a cause célèbre on the Internet with people all round the world phoning it's number and others travelling into the desert to find it and answer incoming calls. Was it real or a myth? Why was it ever put there? The booth was finally taken down in May 2000 by Pacific Bell (their booth). :: Where is the Mojave Desert?
:: View video one (interview with the "preacher"). View video two (stills and music). (courtesy 'You Tube')
John Putch directed a film called Mojave Phone Booth in 2006. More about the film at IMDB. The film chronicles the tales of several characters, whose paths intersect at the mysterious, deserted phone box.
Photo: Flickr, Eyetwist, creative commons Attribution 1.0. 2000
Video: You Tube
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Seen a yellow box?
Belfast, 2006. This yellow call box is in the centre of Belfast and helps people who have been shopping or out late a night to call a taxi cab
Taxi kiosk, Belfast, 2006. Photo. Mateer, Creative Commons, A, N-C, S-A
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Phone cards...1977
Phone cards were introduced to the UK in the 1977.
The first telephone kiosks with phones adapted to use cards had a green band around the tops.
History of Phone Cards
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He who pays the piper...
A BT box with the "Piper" logo which was used between 1991 and 2003.
Photo: Mateer, March 2007, East Yorkshire, UK.
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BT Coin and Card kiosk
A BT Coin and Card kiosk, York , 2007.
Photo: Mateer, 2007
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BT, square top, open front...
BT 'square top' kiosk, York, 2007:
Photo: Mateer, 2007
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Gang of Four: 'KX Plus' red-top kiosk.
The KX Plus design has red domed roofs.
:: Two "Coin and Card" kiosks, one "email, text and phone"kiosk and one "Cash" (or ATM) kiosk. These BT kiosks, although modern in design, materials and manufacture, retain the same low-dome roof as the original K2 and K6 kiosks.
Photo: Mateer, York , UK, 2007
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Non-BT - but still red - kiosks.
Kiosks for GPT Marconi Saphire phone.
Photo: Mateer, London, 2007.
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Close Competition
Today there is competition to provide telephone services in the UK; so kiosks from different companies often offer their services in the same location. Whick kiosk would you use?
Photo: London, 2007. Mateer
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...and in Western Australia...
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...and in Tasmania...
A pair of red phone kiosks in Tasmainia with double pyramid-style roofs with ventilation, wide overhang for shade and no built in floors. Probably made of wood. Where is Tasmania?
Photo: Flickr: Catharina58, 2005. see Flickr
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Green and yellow: kiosk in Budapest
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...and a long, long time ago...The Golden Kiosk...
The Golden Kiosk in the Topkapi Palace, Istanbul, Turkey was built in the 15th century. The palace is made up of many ornate buildings set into four courtyards and overlooks the seaway called the Bosphorous. :: Where is Istanbul?
Photo: Flickr. Yeyo Pepe
:: Return to the top of the page.
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...the dissappearing kiosks...
Telephone boxes are one of those bits of the landscape that you don't miss - until they've gone of course. And when you forgot your mobile; your mobile doesn't have coverage; the battery is flat; you forgot it; it's raining; you've been mugged; the car's broken down miles from anywhere; you can't afford a top-up; you just need a phone. It's not just in the Mojave Desert that phone boxes vanish.
:: Kingston Communications in Hull have just announced - 15th March 2007 - that they are to remove about 100 of their 450 kiosks due to "changing social patterns of behaviour." more from Hull Daily Mail
:: In 2001 BT had 150,000 telephone boxes in the UK and announced that it will do away with under-used telephone boxes. Oftel said it must maintain service to rural areas. Read full story, November 2001.
:: Read the, news stories from Scotland
:: Sad case of dissappearing phone booths in New York.
Photo: Death of a phone box', Priddy in Somerest, 2009 by Geoff Williams, Flickr.
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Oh Superman!
Telephone booths are getting rare in New York This one was still standing in 2006. Superman must be finding it hard to locate a handy changing booth these days.
Note the red police call box on the pole (under the "red hand gang" sign). Fair chance Superman and Top Cat might get in each other's way.
Photo: Ann Warren, New York, 2006, Flickr.
Graphic: Mateer, 2007
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Ah...Top cat!
"Is that a red police call box attached to the pole?"
"Yes"
"Is Officer Dibble about?"
"No"
"Then on we go...my own private phone service...!
...stand still Benny the Ball!"
Photo: Ann Warren, New York, 2006, Flickr.
Graphic: Mateer, 2007
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Comfort zone
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The new and the old fitting in...
There are two kiosks fitted under the stairs in the Old SwanHotel in Harrogate, Yorkshire, UK. The oval windows are in the doors to the kiosks which open outwards to admit you to a comfortable and secluded space.
Originally the kiosks had telephones fitted, but in the refurbishment of 2006 the phones were replaced by Internet links. In both cases the provison of the latest in communications technology was provided for the guests without distriburbing the decor and style of the stairs or corridors.
The Old Swan was built in 1777 - originally called 'The Smiths Arms' - and visited, by amongst many others, by Karl Marx in 1873.
It was also where the crime writer Agatha Christie was found after she went missing in 1926. The hotel was used for the making of the film about this strange event in 1977. It was called 'Agatha' and starred Dustin Hoffman and Vanessa Redgrave . Agatha Christie's Disappearance'
Photo: Mateer, Harrogate, Yorkshire, UK, 2007.
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But now, in the digital age - who's the daddy?
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Top Dozen: Telephone Kiosks/Booths in Films
1. The Birds/Blackmail: 1963 and 1929. dir. Alfred Hitchcock.
In at number one, Alfred 'I know a good thing when I see one' Hitchcock. Kiosk as Tippi Hedren's protection from the Birds...scary!
And not forgetting the phone box in Hitchcock's first talkie, the 1929 thriller, 'Blackmail'.
2. The quick change and out...
:: Superman 1 - fast stuff ... but
:: Gregory's Girl - has it on sheer class ...
3. Top Cat, the series:
My private phone...apols Officer Dibble. (...and we know it's not a kiosk/booth... but it is a box and it is RED)
4. Daffy Duck
Daffy the Commando, a 1943 'Looney Tunes', anti-Hitler wartime epic in which Daffy uses a phone booth (well, a green 'Telefon' booth actually) to play the old "It's for youuuu!" joke on his Nazi adversary Von Vulture. There's also a scene with Daffy singing in a Cockney (mockney) accent.... Read more at Wikipedia Daffy or watch the video at Google Video Daffy or use the embedded link below!
BTW it appears that this short is in the public domain; as someone forgot to re-register the copyright! More on that in Wikipedia
5. Dr Who/Bill and Ted:
A Timelord and his lass and/or a couple of time travelling lads.
6. The old being sent from one box to another kidnap/hijack scam.
Twelve Monkeys/Die Hard 3/etc:
The Ipcress File:
7. Local Hero: dir. Bill Forsythe, 1983
In which a telephone kiosk - albeit a props one made of wood - plays at being a telephone kiosk, no messing.
Iconic Phone Box will remain...!
8. Phone Booth: 2002. dir. Joel Schumacher.
So you heard the phone ring in the phone box...and you answered it?
9. The Conversation: 1974. dir. Francis Ford Coppola.
Who's listening to you?
10. Black and white but red all over.
Equal 10. A Hard Days Night: 1964. dir. Dick Lester and starring the Beatles. Not so much "swinging London" as a gritty post-war make-do-and-mend metropolis. See http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/A_Hard_Day's_Night_(film)
Equal 10. Control: 2007 dir Anton Corbijn. And in another atmospheric black and whiter, this time in Manchester, there's a shot of Ian Curtis walking by a red phone box . See http://www.joydiv.org/these.htm and http://www.controlthemovie.com/
11. The Eyes of Laura Mars: 1978.
The phone booth ain't red...but the shoes sure are.
...and then there's Harry Potter...but we're talking "films"....
:: As of 4th September 2007.
Please submit suggestions to info@shapesoftime.net
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Daffy the Commando (click arrow twice)
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Telephone Kiosk stuff in Pathe
:: 1922 EVE'S WIRELESS Film ID 998.16
A new invention - a cross between a mobile telephone and a walkman - Steve Jobs eat your i-heart out!
:: 1936 THE TALKING LINK Film ID 1136.17
A look at the history of the telephone and the improvements which have been made.
:: 1937 NUMBER PLEASE!" Film ID 160.16
Trainees at a Bristol post office school see how telephone kiosks and overhead cables are erected
How many men does it take to erect a telephone box?
:: 1939 POLICE! Film ID 1194.27
A look at the new emergency telephone boxes with a direct line to the police in South Africa.
:: 1939 DAVE AND DUSTY - PHONE BOX Film ID1369.22
Little boy with dog makes faces at woman in phone box as she is talking too much.
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To view the films go to the British Pathe website and choose Advanced Search and enter the Film ID number into the little box top right, click GO and, hey presto, you can see the film.
Schools can see the films without the watermark as part of the special National Education Network licence.
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Paris par Nuit
The transparent cabine téléphonique catches the lights and shadows of Paris at night.
What voices echo in this kiosk of glass?
Conversations; silences; wrong numbers hanging.
Listening to the pulse of the neon scrolls, "flickered light",
and the deep breath of cars at rest,
barely touching,
along the street outside the old hotels.
Photo by Marceline on Flicker with permission. You'll see it much better best in the large, oriiginal size :-) cabine téléphonique, Paris 18è. Rue Custine.
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Weblinks and resources
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Acknowledgements
:: Jonathan Cadwallader, for his photographs of the "Warrington Giant!"
:: Ian Davey for several photographs of telephone kiosk's. Ian Davey's website Suffolk Cam.
:: Banksy website www.banksy,co.uk
:: Roderick Farrugia at DHD Multimedia Gallery, http://gallery.hd.org/index.jsp
:: Steve Craft, www.felindrecottages.co.uk
:: Carla Magnani-de Laat, for the Tasmanian kiosks, flickr id: catharina58.
:: Ken Lussey of Undiscovered Scotland for the Pennan (Local Hero) image; http://www.undiscoveredscotland.co.uk/
:: Eyetwist; for the Mojave Phone Booth image, on Flickr at Eyetwist
:: Richard Coltman for K3, K7 and K8 images. See his lovely website http://heritage.elettra.co.uk/intro.php
:: Graham McKenzie-Smith for the Blue Police Coffee Bar Box. And another good website at http://www.gmsphotography.com/
:: Kevin Walsh for the New York library booths image: Forgotten New York Street Scenes
:: Old Swan Hotel; Old Swan Hotel, Harrogate
:: Sewerby Hall, Sewerby Hall, East Riding of Yorkshire Council
:: Google Video WB, Daffy Duck film link.
:: Geoff Williams, Flickr: Geoff's photostream
:: Marceline on Flicker Marceline's Photostream
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About and feedback
This material about the Red Telephone Kiosk is collated by and is copyright Marshall Mateer. It was originally written in 2006 and was last updated, 4th September 2008.
:: If you have any feedback please contact me at info@shapesoftime.net
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Oh! ... and here's another green one?
A K6 painted green, to maintain the ambience of it's village surroundings at Felindre Holiday Cottages near Porthgain, Pembrokeshire coast, South Wales.
Photo: Steve Craft. www.felindrecottages.co.uk
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