Telephone Kiosk Tandragee Road Kilmonaghan Jerrettspass Newry Co. Armagh BT35 6LN

The Department's description

Exterior description and setting

Located on the roadside to the east of the Tandragee Road, in the hamlet of Jerretspass, the kiosk is a traditional British K6 series red telephone kiosk, designed by Sir Giles Gilbert Scott. It dates from between 1955 – 1968, with evidence suggesting that it is a replacement for an earlier model. The Kiosk has retained much of its essential character, despite the replacement of several panels of the original glazing to the cast iron body. Cast-iron body painted 'currant red' (as defined by a British Standard BS 381C-539). Door to front, outward opening with closer and finger grip pull handle. The interior remains largely intact, the only modern addition has been the installation of a new BT telephone system.

The kiosk is an adaptation of the original classical design for the earlier K2 (1926) type, for which Giles Scott drew inspiration, particularly for the characteristic pendentive roof, from the mausoleum of regency architect, Sir John Soane. Originally embellished with a Tudor crown motif from the Post Office crest, the change to a St Edward’s crown on the kiosk, following the accession of Elizabeth II confirms that it can be securely dated to between 1955 and 1968, when the K6 design was discontinued.

The kiosk bears the maker’s name of the Carron Company of Falkirk in Stirlingshire, one of five foundries which manufactured the K6 kiosk. A relatively rare example of a cultural icon which ceased production in 1985. This is further compounded by substantial reduction in numbers across NI.

To the rear of the kiosk, a small, square, pitched roofed red brick building may be the original automatic exchange, subsequentially relocated between 1955 - 1974, which had provided a 24 hour telephone service and had opened in 1934.
Roofing: Cast iron
Walling : Cast iron
Glazing: Perspex
Door: Hardwood

Historical information

The telephone kiosk beside the Tandragee Road in Jerrettspass dates from between 1955 and 1968 and is likely a replacement for an earlier kiosk.

The iconic design for the red telephone kiosk, known as K6, was commissioned by the Post Office in 1935 to mark the jubilee of King George V. The design, by celebrated English architect Sir Giles Gilbert Scott, was an adaptation of his original classical design for the earlier K2 (1926). Scott drew inspiration, particularly for the characteristic pendentive roof or ‘handkerchief dome’, from the mausoleum of regency architect, Sir John Soane.

The K6 originally carried a Tudor crown motif from the Post Office crest. This was changed to a St Edward’s crown on the ascent of Queen Elizabeth II to the throne, and telephone kiosks after 1953 carry the new motif. The motif was further modified after 1955 when a slot was introduced so that the Queen’s Crown of Scotland could be fitted to Scottish phoneboxes, when necessary. As the Jerrettspass phone kiosk bears the St Edward’s crown with the slot, it can be securely dated to between 1955 and 1968, when the K6 design was discontinued. The Jerrettspass kiosk bears the maker’s name of the Carron Company of Falkirk in Stirlingshire, one of five foundries which manufactured the K6 kiosk.

A rural automatic telephone exchange, providing the district with a 24-hour telephone service for the first time, was opened in Jerrettspass in 1934, the 28th automatic exchange to be opened in Northern Ireland (Belfast Newsletter). The small red brick building to the rear of the current telephone kiosk may be the automatic exchange, however, this could be not be established with certainty as the building does not appear in valuation lists up to 1975. A replacement, slightly larger telephone exchange was constructed further along the Tandragee Road to the N, between 1955 and 1974, first appearing on the 1974 large-scale map.

A T[elephone] C[all] B[ox] is indicated on the 4th edition OS map of 1955, however evidence suggests that there was a telephone kiosk at Jerrettspass for some years prior to this, a telephone kiosk being mentioned in newspaper reports in 1942 and 1949. The kiosk indicated on the 4th edition map may, therefore, be an earlier model and the current phone box a later replacement.

References:
Primary Sources:

1. Belfast Newsletter, 1st February 1934
2. Belfast Newsletter 15th September 1934
3. Ireland’s Saturday Night, 18th July 1942
4. Northern Whig, 2nd May 1949
5. PRONI OS/6/2/22/4 Fourth edition Six Inch OS map (1955)
6. PRONI VAL/3/C/2/13 First General Revaluation ED Drumbanagher (1936-1957)
7. PRONI VAL/4/B/2/22 Second General Revaluation ED (1956-1975)
8. Large scale OS maps 1955, 1974 (https://shop.centremapslive.co.uk/)

Secondary Sources:

9. Johanssen, N (2011) Telephone Boxes. Oxford: Shire Publications Ltd
10. Linge, N and Sutton, A (2017) The British Phone Box. Stroud: Amberley Publishing

Criteria for listing: architectural interest

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

Criteria for listing: historic interest

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

Evaluation

A largely intact telephone kiosk of the K6 type originally designed in 1935 by Sir Giles Gilbert Scott, with this model dating from 1955-1968. Once common these iconic pieces of street furniture are now increasingly rare with this rural roadside example a focal point with the attendant brick building to the rear of the kiosk which may have housed the exchange equipment but this has not been established with any certainty. The kiosk appears in the location between the maps of 1954 and 1964. The telephone box bears a St Edward's crown motif which was introduced in the mid 1950s following the coronation of Queen Elizabeth II. Despite the loss of the original glazed panels and replacement with perspex, this is a rare roadside example prominently located on the east of Tandragee Road, Jerretspass.