K6 Telephone Kiosk

The Department's description

Exterior description and setting

A freestanding type K6 telephone kiosk constructed to Sir Giles Gilbert Scott's standardised design of 1935. Cast iron construction painted red with glazing to three elevations (E, N, W) and incorporating a solid panel to the fourth elevation (S). The Orby Drive kiosk bears a St Edward’s crown symbol, this dates the kiosk to having been installed between 1953 and 1968, the K6 design was discontinued in 1968.

The kiosk is located on the back edge of the footpath within a small car parking area adjacent to the entrance to Orby Drive and can be seen from the main Toberdoney Road. The glazing is predominantly Perspex, and it is noted that modern telephone equipment is present. The kiosk is in reasonable condition apart from some minor damage to the bottom of the door. The lower leather hinge strap is missing, and the upper leather hinge strap is detached from the hinge. The upper-level signage is in good condition on three sides, (N, W, S) and faded on the Eastern side.

Historical information

The style of the crown motifs and the fact that these are integral to the main body of the structure indicates that this kiosk was manufactured c.1953-55. The lack of documentary evidence makes it difficult to confirm this period as coinciding with the date of installation also, but it seems likely given that introduction of a public telephone to this area relates to the development of the houses along the present Orby Drive, which appear to be of the mid-1950s. It is marked as a telephone call box on the OS map of 1972.

The kiosk was manufactured by the Lion Foundry of Kirkintilloch, Glasgow, a firm established in 1880 as ‘Jackson, Brown, Huson and Cuthbert’, adopting the Lion name in 1885. The company was largely involved in architectural ironwork during its early decades but branched into the production of street furniture in the 1950s, becoming the main supplier of Royal Mail pillar boxes shortly before its closure in 1984.

GENERAL INFORMATION ON K6 KIOSKS The K6 model was designed by Sir Giles Gilbert Scott in 1935 to celebrate the Silver Jubilee of King George V. Constructed in cast-iron with a teak door, compact in size and easily mass-produced, the design of the K6 was developed from Scott’s previous telephone kiosk models, the larger K2 (introduced in 1926) and K3 (1929). It was distributed throughout the UK from 1936 and represents the most successful and populous type of kiosk to be introduced with some 60,000 being placed around the country. About 8,000 of these were installed as part of the 'Jubilee Concession', which allowed towns and villages with a post office to apply for a kiosk. A year later, under the 'Tercentenary Concession' celebrating the Post Office's 300th anniversary, a further 1,000 kiosks were installed over 12 years for local authorities willing to pay a five-year subscription of £4. After 1949 this was succeeded by the ‘Rural Allocation scheme’, under which kiosks were placed in out-of-town areas upon the recommendation of a rural authority.

A minor alteration in the K6 design occurred following the coronation of Queen Elizabeth II in 1953, when the ‘Tudor’ crown motif was replaced with the St. Edward’s crown. From 1955 the Crown of Scotland was used for kiosks in that country, a slot in the fascia allowing either version to be inserted into all of those manufactured from this date. The model continued in production until 1968 when the more modernist K8, designed by Bruce Martin, was introduced.

References – Primary sources
1 OS map, IG sheet 14-03 – 1972

Secondary Sources
2 N. Johannessen, ‘Telephone Boxes’ Shire Publications (Princes Risborough, 2010)
3 Linge, Nigel and Sutton, Andy, ‘The British phonebox’, (Amberley Publishing, 2017)
4 The Telephone Box - http://www.the-telephone-box.co.uk/ (accessed 8 October 2025)
5 GPO - KIOSK No. 6 (K6) - https://www.britishtelephones.com/k6.htm (accessed 8 October 2025)
6 ‘Grace’s guide to British industrial history’ - https://www.gracesguide.co.uk/Lion_Foundry (accessed 8 October 2025)

Criteria for listing: architectural interest

A. Style
B. Proportion
C. Ornamentation
D. Plan Form
H-. Alterations detracting from building
H+. Alterations enhancing the building
I. Quality and survival of Interior
J. Setting

Criteria for listing: historic interest

R. Age
Z. Rarity
S. Authenticity
V. Authorship
Y. Social, Cultural or Economic Importance
X. Local Interest

Evaluation

This structurally intact telephone kiosk designed in 1935 by Sir Giles Gilbert Scott is likely to be a 1953 to 1968 K6 model, as indicated by the presence of the St Edward’s crown design to the pediment. It is located in a prominent location along the Toberdoney Road and adds to the distinctiveness of the setting. This iconic piece of street furniture, once common but almost entirely replaced by modern mobile phone use, is now increasingly rare.