Photo of Manager Charles Nixon, Operator Mary Pollock, and Chief Operator Ethel Nixon (née Baker) taken inside the Bell Telephone Office in Cookstown in 1929. The picture was taken with the group standing beside the switchboard equipment, and the operator's headset is visible on Ms. Pollock's shoulders. The telephone office in Cookstown was located for many years in Thomas Banting's jewellery store on Queen Street. The original office was first installed in 1886 in the implement office of C.J.S. Banting, and the first listing of subscribers from 1903 had ten names. Once the switchboard moved into Banting's jewellery store it offered service from 7:30 a.m. to 9:00 p.m. on weekdays and from 2:00 p.m. to 4:00 p.m. on Sundays. The connection to Cookstown was made possible by a long distance line having previously been installed between Barrie and Newmarket. The line extended to Cookstown also passed through Beeton, Alliston, and Bond Head. Telephone numbers were largely considered unnecessary as the operator was familiar with all the subscribers by name. Customers were on party lines, meaning numerous subscribers shared a single line and incoming calls differentiated who should answer by the number and style (long or short) of rings. This photo can also be found in the Bell Canada Historical Collection, 7499. This photo also appeared in an unidentified newspaper with the caption "Staff at Cookstown telephone office in 1929. A big advance since the first phone was installed. Charles Nixon who was branch manager from 1923 until 1931. Seated in front of the switchboard is Mrs. C. Nixon, chief operator and standing at her right is operator Mary Pollock."
