Telephone Kiosk, Quintinbay Road, Portaferry, Co Down, BT22 1RE

The Department's description

Exterior description and setting

A ‘K6’ telephone kiosk designed by Sir Giles Gilbert Scott, dating from sometime between c.1955 and c.1966. The kiosk is in a rural location on the S side of Quintin Bay Road, 50m from junction with Ballyfounder Road, 3.75km SE of Portaferry. The kiosk has had modern telephone equipment installed and continues to fulfill its original function, although it appears no longer in regular use.

The kiosk has the usual ‘K6’ cast-iron body painted red, but with replacement perspex glazing. All panes are intact but heavily weathered. Each elevation displays the St. Edward's crown motif over a glazed ‘TELEPHONE’ panel, which is missing on the N elevation. The teak door opens to the W and, following the standard arrangement, the S face (where the phone itself is attached) is blank. The S elevation is in dense vegetation and was not observed externally.

Historical information

This telephone kiosk can be dated to sometime between c.1955 and c.1965, the former year being that in which this particular version of the ‘K6’ type was in use (see below). The first available OS map on which it is shown is that dated 1965.

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 paying a five-year subscription of £4.

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 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 maps 1900-01, 1920-21, 1965

Secondary Sources
1 N. Johannessen, ‘Telephone Boxes’ Shire Publications (Princes Risborough 1994).
2 The Telephone Box - http://www.the-telephone-box.co.uk/ (accessed January 2019)

Criteria for listing: architectural interest

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

Criteria for listing: historic interest

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

Evaluation

K6 telephone kiosk in a countryside setting, installed sometime between 1955 and 1965. Mid-20th century kiosks such as this are becoming increasingly rare and rurally located roadside ones such as this have become particularly scarce.