Browse Items (77 total)

Women walk-out of Boston Dispatch Company in Telephone Operators 1919 Strike.

"an historic telephone exchange with two rows of service desks"

Female telephone operator, 1911. Photo copyrighted by the New England Telephone and Telegraph Company, which was founded by Alexander Graham Bell and his father. This company is later absorbed by American Bell and subsequently, American Telephone &…

"Into this switchboard pass the trunk lines from theatres and from it pass out the lines from which carry the music to the many subscribers"

Young boys operate telephone switchboards, 1876-77. After Alexander Graham Bell patented the telephone in 1876, his company would then hire teenage boys for cheap to work the switchboards and connect callers. Bell, however, found that the boys were…

Training course for female telephone operators, 1900.

A drawing by Paris opera costume designer Charles Bianchini of Sieglind's costume from 1893. Jeanne Hatto would go on to play the role in 1904.

A drawing by Paris opera costume designer Charles Bianchini of Sigmund's costume from 1893 .Charles Rousselière would go on to play the role in 1904.