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

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11-05-2007
snathe

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

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.
11-05-2007
ChrisGeorge

Quote:

Originally Posted by 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.

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
11-05-2007
steveb

Mine was, and still is, STAnley xxxx, now of course 226
11-05-2007
snathe

Quote:

Originally Posted by ChrisGeorge

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.
01-11-2008
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:
01-27-2008
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/...d=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.
01-27-2008
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
03-27-2011
chriscoulter41

1 Attachment(s)

Liverpool Local Dialling codes

Just seen your query regarding local dialling codes. I suppose you've found the answer by now but if not have a look at the attached.
Hope you find it useful.
Chris.

Quote:

Originally Posted by 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.
03-28-2011
az_gila

Quote:

Originally Posted by snathe

....
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?
....

My parents always had 427-xxxx even in the dark days of only a land line and rotary dials - like the 50's... :)

I believe it was called GAR-xxxx for Garston back then, their number did not change and is still the same now.
03-28-2011
lindylou

Quote:

Originally Posted by 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

yeah, I can remember right up until the 1970s, people would answer their phone that way. :)
They would say, ''hello, Anf 2*02'' - and then in later times just the number when the number code was introduced.
Some people even said their name too :)
03-29-2011
underworld

HUN for Hunts cross
SEF Sefton Park
HUY Huyton
LAR Lark Lane
CHI Childwall
CEN Central
ALL Allerton
GRE Great Crosby