Telephone Boxes

Background to the GPO

Formed in 1881, The National Telephone Company (NTC) was a British company that consolidated smaller local companies in the early years of the telephone. The company was nationalised in 1911, and the General Post Office (GPO) took over the operation of phone boxes in 1912 and started to standardise the process, so each user’s experience would be the same regardless of where they made a phone call, including what the phone box looked like.

Types of 'Ks'

As you may, or may not know, there are different styles of kiosks. All starting with a K. Here is a quick rundown of the different styles of (sometimes) red gems.

K1

Unsurprisingly the first telephone box under the control of the GPO was a K1. Designed and introduced in 1921, this was Britain’s first national kiosk. Originally painted white with an ‘Open Always’ signage. It took inspiration from the NTC ‘Birmingham’ kiosk. This was the first attempt at a national telephone box, but the nation didn’t really take to it, which is why it was replaced, and so few survive today. It was considered outdated quite quickly and a new design was sought. The second version of the K1 came in 1927.

We have 7 listed K1’s on the National Heritage List for England.

K2

The K2 was Britain’s first red telephone box, its distinctive shade was described as ‘Currant Red’.

Designed by Sir Giles Gilbert Scott and introduced to the nation in 1924. Over a 9 -year period roughly 1,700 K2 Phone boxes found a home within Britain (most of them in London). The large body of the phone box was cast iron, and the door was made from Teak wood. So, each one came at a significate cost.

We have just over 200 listed K2’s on the National Heritage List for England.

K3

The K3 was designed to be used nationally, unlike its more costly predecessor the K2. Introduced in 1929 and again designed by Sir Giles Gilbert Scott. Between 1929 and 1935 11,000 K3 were installed. The K3 was designed to be cheaper than the K2. Made from concrete to save costs, many K3’s were damaged in transit. Only 1 K3 is on the National Heritage List for England.

K4

The K4 was designed by the engineering department of the GPO. It was based on the K2 but expanded to include a post box…and a stamp machine!

With the added post box and stamp machine, the massive K4 was even larger than the K2. It was over 9 feet high, which for context is taller than a grizzly bear at full stretch! Unfortunately, the K4 wasn’t well received. The K2 had proved hard to instal due to the size, the added bulk and weight of the K4 proved too much.

We have 5 K4’s on the National Heritage List for England.

K5

Designed in 1935, The K5 never went into full production, with only a small number of sample kiosks made. Photos exist of K5’s that were made from plywood (these would have been shown at exhibitions and fairs) but they never went into production so we don’t have any listed on the National Heritage List for England.

K6

This is the most common of all. Once again designed by Sir Giles Gilbert Scott to commemorate the Silver Jubilee of the coronation of King George V in 1935. Ultimately 60,000 were installed throughout Britain and Northern Ireland- meaning that if you walk past a red telephone box, it might well be a K6.

Having learnt from previous mistakes (avoiding brittle materials or unwieldy size)) the K6 proved to be durable enough and cheap enough to be found throughout the land.

Another point of interest regarding the K6 is that they weren’t just red! In rural areas they were found in green and grey. By 1960 the K6 was starting to look a little dated.

We have over 2,200 listed K6’s on the National Heritage List for England.

K7

In 1959 the ‘winds of change’ were blowing, in a dramatic way. Britain was out of the post-war austerity, cars were changing, buildings were changing. The phone box needed to represent this brave new world. The K7 was designed in 1959, and was put into production in 1962. However, so strong were the ‘winds of change’ that production also ended the same year.

The K7 was revolutionary in every way and a massive departure from the previous Kiosks. No teak door, no cast iron body and not much ‘currant red’. Aluminium was the material of choice but discoloured. Only 12 prototypes were built.

No K7’s are on the National Heritage List for England.

K8

This design is my personal favourite! Designed in 1965 and put into production in 1968, all whilst standing at a cool 7 foot 8 inches.

The K8 was constructed of cast-iron sections and bolted together. The K8 is made up of 183 components, compared to the K6 which is made up of 450 components. They took less time to build and were much smaller compared to the previously mass-produced Kiosks. The first K8 was in Westminster in 1968 and the run lasted until 1983. It was the final Kiosk produced by the GPO.

There are 23 entries for K8 Kiosks on the National Heritage List for England.

Add your missing pieces

With over 2,500 listed phone boxes in England we have most of the picture, but we need your help! Please see the map below to add memories or images.