Telephone numbers.

[Terry Smith]

Does anyone remember the telephones that were installed aboard ships at the various ports around the world, most notably in Australia and New Zealand as far as I recall. I suspect the telephones were intended to conduct ships' business but I do remember that they were used by all and sundry; to call for a taxi, fix dates with girlfriends, etc,etc.
But what I'd really like to know is, 'How were the telephone numbers allocated? Were they maybe reserved by the respective countries post offices and tele-comminications companies specifically for visiting ships?' Whatever, I'd be grateful for any assistance and thanks in advance for anyone who can supply an answer.
All the best.
Terry Smith

[Captain Kong]

No idea of the technical side of it but they were mostly used to telephone the local Nurses Home to get them down for a party on board when we were in Aus or New Zealand. Very handy too.
Cheers

[Keith at Tregenna]

Doubt if I can answer your question at all, but hope this will at least be of interest and in the postings similar vein ? Going back to the 70’s, actually in my case C 78, Barry Docks was home to what was deemed by them as American Research Vessels. To the locals they were Yank Spy Ships.

I used to drink in one of my Barry locals: The Wine Press on High Street with several chaps from these ships, this boozer was a home from home for them and first port of call.

Strangely enough for Spy Ships (ARV), no notices on the wall or in conversations etc as to sailings and arrivals / returns etc. But, if you required to know , when your mates would be back and a good session to be had by all. generally, a bar maid or one of the girls would have all the info in a diary and pass the Pillow Talk on to regulars that enquired.

There was one old sign on a wall, a relict or copy of similar from the war stated: Loose Talk – Costs Lives or similar. Should not have told you all this a guess, on reflection will now have to kill you. Mind you guess 30 odd years later I am safe in revealing all.

And a Toast to Barmaids and Sailors Girlfriends, better communications then than now and certain we still had Press button A and B phones.

Strangely never met anyone that was actually crew, they all appeared to be Oceanographers in conversation. Mind you when chatting up girls my favourite line was that I was an Airline pilot.

Pre – thought out response to being asked what was it like flying a plane: Awfully, like driving a double decker bus, but from upstairs was the wheeze.

Well if it works for Oceanographers !

K.

[Doc Vernon]

Hi Terry
As far as i am aware and can recall (as i once also worked for the Posts and Telegraphs) all Ships were allocated a Ship to Shore Number once they were in the Terrotorial Waters of whatever Country by the Local Posts and Telegraph offices.
Once they tied up the line was fixed for the term of the Ships stay,and could then be used as necesary!
Hope this may help!
Cheers

[happy daze john in oz]

Berthed in Port Melbourne 1964 and a phone was fitted. Some of the lads had gone to a pub for after hours drinking as bone fide travellers as was the case then. One asked for some beer to be dedlivered to the ship next day, not allowed but what the heck. The publican phoned the ship next morning and asked to speak with one of the lads about the beer. When he asked how he had got the number the publican told him easy, as he knew it. According to him every berth had a regular allocated number, so no matter what ship was in that betrg they would have the same number as the one before.

[alf corbyn]

hi terry. can't answer your question but you brought back a memory. i was on telephone watch on the mataroa (ss&a)in wellington NZ and one of the girls rang up. as i knew her very well we were chatting away and this bloke was pacing up and down and kept looking at me and eventually he came over and asked if i would be long. i asked him who he was as we had no bloods on board. i'm the captain he said and i quickly hung up and handed him the phone. as a plateman i had never seen him brfore. alf

[Terry Smith]

Thank for that; and I know what you mean.
I once got bawled out over the phone by a nurse in Napier. I forgot who I was talking to and and used the name of a girl I knew in Timaru.

Cheers

Terry

[Terry Smith]

Thanks for that. Sounds feasable.

Kind Regards

Terry

[Ron B Manderson]

After I left Brocklebanks I joint the post office here in Scotland.
To answer your question.

The numbers were left on the jetty with an waterproof socket The shipping agent useualy kept the phones in the harbour masters hut on each jetty.
I would pick them up when I had to install on the ships.
Some posh ships had connections to supply to their internal phone systems.
The agent paid a set fee to keep the numbers and were only charged for calls.
This was in case of fire on board.
That's what happened in Dundee, but may be differant in other ports.
Ron
the batcave

[Neil Morton]

Your answer is spot on Ron, I once had reason to phone a Port Line ship docked in Melbourne,I rang the agent told him the berth number and he gave me the phone number immediately.I guess the bill for the service went to the shipping company via the agents office.
One thing I know for sure is that without that phone to ring a taxi many a lass would have been stranded for the night aboard.