With the rates proposed to be charged their exchange will soon smash up so they may as well be allowed to ruin themselves in their own way.

GPO comment on the Guernsey Telephone Department (an early "low cost" operator) circa 1900. Quoted in Telecoms Heritage Journal, Second Half 2002.

Subscribers are invited not to have their telephone numbers printed on their stationery, as in the event of their number having unavoidably to be changed, considerable inconvenience is caused.

Preface to Provincial Section and General Instructions, North-Western Section telephone directory (UK). July, 1906.

Have strong suspicions that Crippen London cellar murderer and accomplice are amongst saloon passengers moustache taken off growing beard accomplice dressed as boy voice manner and build undoubtably a girl both travelling as Mr and Master Robinson = Kendall +

Telegram to the Atlantic liner Montrose which led to the hanging of Dr Crippen for the murder of his wife by poisoning, dismembering and burying her in the cellar. 22nd July, 1910.

On first using an Automatic Telephone:

Tried it. Officiating wizard, and I at opposite ends of room, about six yards apart, gravely asked one another if we were there. Temptation to say I wasn't assailed me. Hung up receiver just in time.

Anonymous diary of a New Zealand Post Office Worker. 1912.

Representatives of railway companies, universities and scientific bodies are today inspecting the Von Kramer wireless inductive railophone system for signalling to and from trains to stations. With this system it is possible to stop trains in motion by pressing a button in the signal-box. This telegram was dispatched wirelessly from a moving train by the inventor.

Telegram to His Majesty the King, 1912. Quoted in The Stratford Upon Avon & Midland Junction Railway, by Arthur Jordan, 1982 and in Telecoms Heritage Journal, First Half 2001.

It claims to ensure safe travelling by rendering collision impossible, and repairing (also recording) mistakes made by careless signalmen. We refer to the Railophone double-automatic signalling apparatus.

The Stratford Herald, reporting on the same occasion (source as above).

To each subscriber's telephone is affixed a calling dial with two discs, one about an inch above the other. The lower, a fixed one, bears figures, and the upper, a movable one, has holes. A finger inserted in one of these holes will be over, a figure on the lower disc, and the finger has to be inserted in the hole corresponding to the digit to be signalled. The movable disc has then to be turned round as far as possible for each digit to be signalled, the subscriber having to allow the disc to come to rest before signalling a fresh digit.

The Times, describing (badly!) how to use an automatic telephone. 17th May 1912.

In every telephone conversation four operators are engaged. Two are trained servants of the Post Office; two are amateurs, members of the telephone-using public.

Evening News, 1914. Reprinted as Telephone Trouble, by a Journalist, Telecom Technology Showcase, January 1989.