Local dialling codes in Liverpool in the 1950s and 1960s

[snathe]

Hi all.

Slightly unusual request but I hope one of you will be able to help me!

I'm trying to get hold of a list of all the local telephone dialling codes that were in use within the Liverpool 'director' area in the 1950s and 1960s - you know, back in the days when the exchanges had names and you'd dial the first three letters of the exchange and then the number (e.g. ROYal 9333, which then became 709 9333 in the late 60s when all-figure numbers were introduced)

Specifically, I'm looking for the codes that you would have dialled from Liverpool to get to exchanges NOT in the Liverpool area but which were still local to it (today's equivalents would be numbers in the 01704/01695/01744/01925/01928/01244/01352 areas, which are all local to 0151).

These were usually published on a card which fitted in the drawer of the old 200- and 300-series bakelite telephones, along with instructions for calling subscribers on your own exchange, calling directory enquiries, placing telegrams and reporting faults etc.

I've managed to track down a couple of mid-60s examples - hopefully these are correct:

* AU4 for Aughton Green
* HA9 for Hawarden
* 555 for 4-digit Southport numbers
* 71 for 5-digit Southport numbers

Can anyone help out with completing the list? Does anyone maybe have one of the aforementioned cards (the official name of them was "A5599 Telephone Dialling Code Cards") that they can reference?

Thanks in advance!

Nathan.

[ChrisGeorge]

Hi all.

Slightly unusual request but I hope one of you will be able to help me!

I'm trying to get hold of a list of all the local telephone dialling codes that were in use within the Liverpool 'director' area in the 1950s and 1960s - you know, back in the days when the exchanges had names and you'd dial the first three letters of the exchange and then the number (e.g. ROYal 9333, which then became 709 9333 in the late 60s when all-figure numbers were introduced)

Specifically, I'm looking for the codes that you would have dialled from Liverpool to get to exchanges NOT in the Liverpool area but which were still local to it (today's equivalents would be numbers in the 01704/01695/01744/01925/01928/01244/01352 areas, which are all local to 0151).

These were usually published on a card which fitted in the drawer of the old 200- and 300-series bakelite telephones, along with instructions for calling subscribers on your own exchange, calling directory enquiries, placing telegrams and reporting faults etc.

I've managed to track down a couple of mid-60s examples - hopefully these are correct:

* AU4 for Aughton Green
* HA9 for Hawarden
* 555 for 4-digit Southport numbers
* 71 for 5-digit Southport numbers

Can anyone help out with completing the list? Does anyone maybe have one of the aforementioned cards (the official name of them was "A5599 Telephone Dialling Code Cards") that they can reference?

Thanks in advance!

Nathan.

Hello Nathan

Yes this is an unusual request. Good luck to you in your research. My grandparent's telephone number in Mossley Hill was GARston 1777, later changed to CREssington Park 1777, though that may not do you much good. I would think there should still be local telephone directories around from the Fifties or Sixties. The Records Office may have some of them, and possibly collectors have some as well. You might be able to get what you want on ebay, for example, if you keep looking.

All the best

Chris

[steveb]

Mine was, and still is, STAnley xxxx, now of course 226

[snathe]

My grandparent's telephone number in Mossley Hill was GARston 1777, later changed to CREssington Park 1777, though that may not do you much good.


Yeah, I'm looking for the codes for the exchanges *outside* of the Liverpool area which were still classed as local; but this still makes for interesting reading (I've always had an interest in this kind of thing, which is probably unusual for someone of my age (29), but never mind!) so many thanks for sharing the info!

It would seem that 0151-427 numbers are on the "Cressington Park" exchange today, yet 427 is also the correct letter-to-number mapping for GARston, so was it actually the exchange code that changed as well as the exchange name, or just the name itself?

(I've found a list of the Liverpool director exchanges and changes at http://www.rhaworth.myby.co.uk/phreak/tenp_0x1.htm but I've already spotted a couple of errors on there and this has now added to the mystery - e.g. CREssington Park changed from 273 to 422 according to that page, yet 0151-422 numbers are now listed on the Widnes exchange!)

Anyway, I'm keeping an eye on eBay for any old Liverpool dialling code bookets or directories that might help out but haven't found anything yet :sad:

Any more information gladly received!

Thanks again,

Nath.

[bluesareus]

I can remember the following

STO- Stoneycroft... ROY -Royal.....NOR-North....BOO-Bootle...WAT-Waterloo

SIM-Simmonswood..KIR-Kirkby..ANF-Anfield..WAL-Walton. :handclap:

[skgogosfan]

I think the older phone books used to have a map down to exchange level of what codes were for where,but they don't seem to now. However you can look at every phone book issued before 1984 here...or so they claim...

http://content.ancestry.co.uk/iexec/?htx=List&dbid=1025&offerid=0%3a7858%3a0

...which may be useful. There's a 14 day free trial [which didn't work when I clicked on it] which you could probably take advantage of.

Dave.

[shoney]

when we were little kids mum used to tell us to pick the phone up and say "hello huyton **** " if it rang when she was out, never thought of it till now. the code is 489 which ties in with the thread about the codes 489=HUY