In 1886 you got three minutes talk for only tuppence on an instrument in a small wooden hut. It brought the telephone to the people and they were originally known as ´silence boxes´.
Shortly after the Post Office took over in 1912, the interiors of kiosks were improved. Indeed, some were admired for their carpentry and exotic timber such as Burmese or Honduras mahogany, English oak and Indian laurel.
However, there was no standard format. So Kiosk No. 1 was designed. Despite a certain elegance, some thing better was sought. In 1924 several leading architects were invited to submit ideas for a new cast–iron kiosk.
Enter Sir Giles Gilbert Scott, and Kiosk No.2. A handsome design by this famous architect was chosen and, with its bright red colour, an enduring popular image was established. The K2, introduced in 1926, was initially restricted to London. The later K3 was of reinforced concrete and painted in cream. Used as an economy measure, it cost half as much as the cast–iron type.
Only fifty Kiosk No.4´s were made because they were too ambitious, a sort of mini post office. For example, postage stamps available from a coin ox attached outside got soggy in damp weather. And kiosk No. 5 was a portable odel which could be erected at temporary sites. But George V´s Silver Jubilee ws the inspiration for Kiosk No. 6.
Updated from earlier models in 1936 by Sir Giles Gilbert Scott, the Jubilee was the most famous and best loved. The first standard kiosk to be used throughout UK, its popularity lasted for over three decades.
Then came a break from tradition with K7, K8, the birth of British Telecom in 1981 and the present day KX range. When it was decided to scrap most of the old kiosks, we moved in to rescue a much loved and valuable piece of English heritage.
When the Post Office took over responsibility for Britain´s telephones in 1912, a new heraldic sign appeared. It shows a scarlet enameled lion, crown, shield and unicorn motif. Below, you can see outlines of the old telephone booths.
