Telephone Booth
Maker and role
New Zealand Post Office, Manufacturer
Production date
Circa 1911
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Object detail
Accession number
2005.57
Maker
Production period
Description
Octagonal (8-sided) shaped telephone booth, painted red with a green roof. The booth is made of wood with glass panels. The roof is tin, segmented sheeting with a circular ventilation on top. The door has a brass handle fixed to it.
Brief History
Public telephone boxes first came into use in New Zealand in the 1910s; a hexagonal phone box is known from a photograph taken in Christchurch in 1912. Octagonal boxes such as this one were made until the 1920's. Early telephone boxes were built in New Zealand, either by private contractors or in the Post Office workshops and were wooden with brass hinges and door handles.
By 1926 there were 409 telephone boxes in New Zealand and the Post Office had decided to change the materials from which they were made. One type was to be made of concrete, and the other with a steel framework following the ‘K2’ kiosk shape designed by Sir Giles Scott in England. 'K2' kiosks were imported from England.
With increased use of mobile phones, public telephone usage has declined greatly although 2,500 public telephone boxes can still be found across New Zealand, with some of these functioning as WiFi hotspots.
By 1926 there were 409 telephone boxes in New Zealand and the Post Office had decided to change the materials from which they were made. One type was to be made of concrete, and the other with a steel framework following the ‘K2’ kiosk shape designed by Sir Giles Scott in England. 'K2' kiosks were imported from England.
With increased use of mobile phones, public telephone usage has declined greatly although 2,500 public telephone boxes can still be found across New Zealand, with some of these functioning as WiFi hotspots.
Marks
PUBLIC TELEPHONE Painted
Media/Materials
Credit Line
New Zealand Post Office. Circa 1911. Telephone Booth, 2005.57. The Museum of Transport and Technology (MOTAT).
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