- Contributed by
- eastcote23
- People in story:
- Hilda Hocken (nee Rosier)
- Location of story:
- London
- Background to story:
- Civilian
- Article ID:
- A4378890
- Contributed on:
- 06 July 2005
My mother was a GPO telephonist during WW2 and often told me of the times she had to stay on duty in the exchange during an air raid. Many exchanges in those days were manually operated so the operators had to relay the air raid warnings to the police stations and then relay the “all clear” after the raid.
Although she worked in many London exchanges it was at the Seven Kings exchange in Ilford where she relayed these warnings. After each raid she told me how the switchboards would light up and get hot as so many people would call family or friends to check they were safe.
She told me that in the Seven Kings exchange the air raid warnings were given the name “WILFRED” which meant “Warning Ilford Red”.
Today, anyone with a London number beginning 020 8590 xxxx has an old Seven Kings number.
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