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Here can be seen the the operator's breast transmitter and headset and the phone in its booth. Telephone booths were made of wood and specially at the beginning they were elaborate affairs as can be seen from this example. They were located in public buildings such as hotels, train and bus stations. Exterior booths only appeared during the Second World War because phones could not be had and women had to work in industry. They needed a means to call in when they couldn't report to work.

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Combined Jack & Signal
1910 - 1970
Throughout Canada

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These are the switchboard jacks and signals, known as drops, the little door drops when a subscriber rings the operator. When she plugs into the jack the drop self restores to the closed position. It is interesting to note, the earlier switchboards had their drops located at the top the board while the jacks were at the operator's height. These boards were shortlived as the operator took more time to complete a call as she had to determine jack and signal association for each call.

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Open Wire
1870 - 1980
Throughout Canada

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The bare wire known as open wire was used to connect subscribers to the telephone exchange and exchanges to each other. Iron then coated steel wire was used to connect subscribers while copper wire was used for toll circuits. The greater the distance the heavier the gauge was used.

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Open Wire Congestion
Circa 1905
Brantford, Ontario, Canada

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This shows the wire congestion in a small city like Brantford, Ontario, imagine a large city where a very large number of wires were required, so poles could be 90 feet (27mtr) high. With the advent of lead covered cable, these were run in ducts buried under city streets.

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Model 20B Desk Stand
Circa 1904
Throughout Canada

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A typical desk stand phone of the early 1900s was nickel plated brass, it only contained the transmitter, handset and switch-hook. It cannot operate without a ringer box.

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Model 1120PC Desk Stand
Circa 1912
Throughout Canada

Credits:
Ken Lyons

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The desk stand with its common battery ringer box which contains the ringer and induction coil. Common battery was introduced by Northern Electric for the first time in Ottawa, Ontario. The batteries were located in the telephone exchange building instead of having local batteries for each subscriber. This was more economical since repairmen didn't have to be dispatched to replace batteries.

When the subscriber took his receiver off hook it caused a lamp to be illuminated at the switchboard, he no longer had to crank a generator.

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Model 293A Common Battery Phone
Circa 1902
Throughout Canada

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This 293A Common Battery Wall set was manufactured prior to 1915 as its decal shows Northern Electric and Manufacturing Co Ltd (NEMCo) . When NEMCo merged with the Imperial Wire and Cable in 1914 it changed its name to Northern Electric Co. Ltd. This model was preceded by two short lived earlier models known as fiddlebacks.

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Model 293A Phone Interior
Circa 1902
Throughout Canada