Telephones: red kiosks in Oxford
Oxford has three red telephone kiosks which are Grade II listed:
Catte Street
(ref. 1485/900)
Jowett Walk
(ref. 1485/828)
Pembroke Street
(ref. 1485/1001)
The three kiosks above were not replaced when BT brought in its new-style telephone boxes in the 1980s, and so have never been removed from their original site. There are another twelve red kiosks in the Oxford, most of which were donated to the city and reinstalled.
All the kiosks in Oxford except the one at Carfax are K6 square kiosks with domed roofs, designed in 1935 by Sir Giles Gilbert Scott and introduced as part of the Jubilee celebrations. They were made of cast iron by various contractors, and have unperforated crowns to top panels and margin glazing to windows and door.
Left: The telephone kiosk at Carfax is Scott's earlier K2 design of 1924. It was installed in recent years, and is of a type not previously seen in the city.
Right: Telephone kiosks can be found in surprising places. This one is in Magdalen College.
There are also red kiosks in the following locations in Oxford:
- Broad Street (south side)
- Carfax (north-west corner)
- Gloucester Green (near Walton Street)
- High Street (outside Warden's House, All Souls College)
- Market Street (outside Market)
- Old High Street, Headington (outside Baptist Chapel)
- Parks Road (outside Wadham College)
- Queen Street (west end)
- St Giles' Street east (outside St John's College)
- St Giles' Street west (outside No. 65)
Brief early history of Oxford's telephone system
BBC Oxford News Magazine 6 Feb 2008:
"Who uses phone boxes?"