History of Telephone Kiosk
The first application to have a telephone box in the village was in March 1936 - this was refused on the grounds of the high installation costs and the expectation of low usage and revenue. However, the ParrishCouncil, represented by Messers Langley, Noah, and Webb, subsequently petitioned the local MP, Mr R.V. Grimstone, who arranged terms with the Post Office to install a telephone box at the cost of £4.00 per annum for 5 years. This was agreed and the box, a type 6 Kiosk, was installed and ready for use at the end of 1936. It was then the first telephone in the village.
After being in use for 72 years but with less than 20 calls being made from it in 2007, the Parrish Council was advised in 2008 that £500.00 per annum must be paid to retain the telephone box (without the telephone equipment with its A and B buttons).
Many villagers expressed their desire to retain our telephone box as a monument to past times and memories. From 1st November 2008, having paid the £1.00 adoption fee, the non working box became the responsibility of the Parrish Council. It was decided in 2011 to convert the box into a mini library with books for all ages and tastes.
Inside the Kiosk is a print of the original painting of “Ye Old Telephone Kiosk”. It was painted by the village artist Mike Truman in 2008 and was given in his memory in 2017. There is also a footpath map.
On Sunday,11th August 2019 our village Kiosk Library was the final clue for the BBC Wiltshire Radio programme ‘Clueless’.
Can you solve this clue?
Greek Atlas both unfinished a short deer and part of Neston. Find the call centre where you can pick up a good book”.
It involves the general public phoning in when they have solved each of the five cryptic clues which the quizmaster set. The interviewer and driver follow the directions from the listeners to the correct location or building.
Beryl and Anne were standing by to be interviewed on air about the history of the Kiosk. The duo leapt out of the BBC van with microphone and other sound equipment but sadly due to the listeners misdirection earlier in the programme, they ran out of time just as they reached Great Hinton! Very disappointing but they did take our photo which went out on Twitter, we were thanked on air and the village was mentioned several times so all the listeners now know where we are!
How it works.
Books in good condition are donated by villagers, novels, modern or historical, classical, light fiction, thrillers, autobiographies etc. Unfortunately we can’t accept coffee table books or DVDs. Inside each book is a loan slip for villages to complete and there is no fee. The books are renewed every few months and the discarded books are given to charity.
The Children’s books on the lower shelves are also available for loan
We are pleased our little community library is so successful and hope you will all keep using it and donating books. We appreciate all the extra help from villagers.
Librarians Anne and Beryl