The Byron Telephone Company In 1906, a meeting was held in the school for the purpose of forming a telephone company. Col. Robert McEwen, Alfred Kains, Harry Wickerson and Wesley Meriam were appointed directors of the new Byron Telephone Company. The original subscribers had to buy one share at $30 plus $22 for a phone to get service. In 1908, the Byron Telephone Company received its charter. The first switchboard was in McLaren’s store and in 1912, the company moved to new quarters on the NW corner of Boler and Commissioners. Ralph Irwin was the manager for 30 years. Byron Telephone Co. covered Byron, Lambeth, Delaware and Belmont. There were four operators who lived under the house mother, Grace Irwin. By 1924, there were 722 phones in service and in 1950, the company moved to a new building on the NW corner of Boler
The postcard (above) was created in the early 1950s to celebrate the first Bell phone booth in Byron at the corner of Boler and Springbank Avenue, outside of the Byron Telephone Company office. On the back of the postcard it reads: This type of phone booth was selected not only for its handsome appearance but its ability to withstand extreme conditions of weather and the use and abuse such a public facility is subject to. Pictured on the front is Frances O’Toole. Photo submitted by Frances’ daughter, Sharon Poole.
and Springbank. Byron was served until August 1960 by the Byron Telephone Com - pany, when it was sold to Bell Canada. A manual tele - phone exchange continued to operate until September 15, 1963. At that time, to im - mediately connect to the By- ron operator and complete a call, you could dial the short code 471.
Byron telephone switchboard, 1918
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