Phone firm celebrates centenary

Kingston Communications is famous for white phone boxes

A phone company known for its independence and white call boxes celebrates its centenary this weekend.

Kingston Communications started life in November 1904 when Hull Corporation opened its first telephone exchange.

Hull was the only area of the UK where telephone services were not run by the Post Office and then BT.

Chief executive Malcolm Fallen said the firm was proud of its first century: "It has given us a strong foundation on which we can build for the future."

Fully digital

The firm claims many phone service innovations, including installing the first fully automatic exchange in the 1920s and publishing the first "Golden Pages" business directory in the 1950s.

In the 1980s, Hull became the first UK city to have a fully digital telephone network.

To mark the centenary a day early, which actually falls on Sunday, an open day is being staged at Telephone House in Hull on Saturday.

"We're hoping to give people an insight into our past as well as a glimpse of life behind the scenes as it is today," said manager Cathy Phillips.