A NEW book entitled The British Phonebox will be launched at Bromsgrove’s Avoncroft Museum on Tuesday (March 28).
Avoncroft is home to the National Telephone Kiosk Collection – a unique set of fully-working telephone boxes, which includes examples of nearly every type of public kiosk issued by the General Post Office and British Telecom (later BT).
Many of the kiosks, including the emergency call boxes provided by the police, RAC and AA, feature in Nigel Linge and Andy Sutton’s book which explores the evolution of these iconic 20th century creations.
It also looks at the resourceful alternative uses residents of towns and villages have found to give their cherished kiosks a new lease of life, such as making them into mini libraries or homes for defibrillators.
And the book examines the exciting new designs intended to extend the life of the phonebox into the 21st century.
The British phonebox, or ‘kiosk’, was introduced at the end of the 19th century but only established itself firmly as part of our street scenes in the 1920s when the first standardised K1 model was introduced.
It was not until the K2 design by Sir Giles Gilbert Scott, and his subsequent K6 design, that the now familiar red box hit our towns and rural landscapes.
Lucy Lewis, Avoncroft Museum’s head of engagement, said the venue was the ideal place to launch the book.
“Today a generation of Millennials are unlikely to have stepped inside a phonebox, let alone used one.
“Nevertheless, there they remain as an essential part of what makes Britain, Britain.”
Avoncroft’s collection was first assembled in the 1990s amidst public concern for these vanishing icons and since then it has been added to as rarities have become available.
The National Telephone Kiosk Collection was officially opened in June 1994.
The book launch will begin at 11am on Tuesday with tea and coffee in the Museum’s New Guesten Hall and that will be followed by a talk at 11.30am by the authors who are both academics at the University of Salford.
Nigel is Professor of Telecommunications and Andy Sutton is Visiting Professor with the Department of Computing, Science and Engineering at the university.
Those who go along will then be able to buy copies of the book and get them signed.
And there will be a question and answer session about the book and the subjects it covers.
Places are free to the event but places are limited.
Anyone wanting to book a place should email [email protected] – putting ‘British Phonebox’ as the subject line or call the museum on 01527 831363.
Visit www.amberley-books.com and search for ‘The British Phonebox’ for more information on the book.
