1st August 1939
The telephone line between Jersey and the mainland is inaugurated
Jersey was connected to the mainland by a very circuitous route at the beginning of August 1939 when the Postmaster-General, Major GC Tryon, placed a call from a London post office to the Lieutenant-Governor and Bailiff in Jersey.
The Times explained that, before reaching the co-axial cable that had been laid across the seabed, the call first had to travel from the capital to Compass Cove, near Dartmouth, but the achievement was sufficient to gain national press coverage, and generate excitement about what it might lead to.
Although the cable was at the time carrying just one call, when fully exploited it would allow 12 simultaneous Jersey to mainland calls, four between Guernsey and the mainland, and five between Jersey and Guernsey.
FREE Jersey history newsletter
Don't miss our weekly update on Jersey's fascinating history. We promise never to sell your data to anyone else, and there's a super-easy unsubscribe link on the bottom of each email so you can leave whenever you want.
Other events that occured in August
Gerald Durrell features on Desert Island Discs
- When Jersey Zoo founder Gerald Durrell appeared on the BBC's Desert Island Discs he chose writing materials as his luxury.
- Read more…
Jersey plane makes bomb threat detour
- Thirty passengers on their way to Jersey strapped themselves in as their aircraft performed an about turn in mid-air
- Read more…
Jersey’s military government is dissolved
- The Channel Islands’ political recovery from the Occupation of the Second World War was swift, even if the physical scars remain.
- Read more…
Divers move 70 primed bombs
- The Navy was called in to move 70 primed bombs that had been found in a sunken freighter just outside St Helier.
- Read more…
