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.