Technological change and Post Office communications in Britain, 1918–1945

Abstract

The pressures of both World War I and World War II made the British Post Office a central concern in national politics. Yet this development has received little attention in the historiography of the Post Office or the British state. The demands of war and expectations for service from individuals living in a consumer society raised questions as to how to improve technology and infrastructure to satisfy these divergent needs. The Post Office’s position as a department within the Civil Service meant that debates over the nature of technology, and the levels of spending required to sustain and improve Post Office services inevitably led to heated discussions concerning the practicalities of increased spending during the economic downturns of the 1920s and 1930s, and the subsequent pre-war planning period from 1937. This article will explore these issues by examining the nature of the Government-Post Office relationship in this period, and trace how the relationship evolved to accommodate the growing needs of the domestic and wartime economy. It will show the growing centrality of the Post Office to the nation’s communications planning. Moreover, it will demonstrate how a mixture of new technology, and an adaptation of working practices helped it adapt to both the peacetime economy of the 1920s, and the pressures of the World War II.

Keywords:

• Technology
• gender
• telephones
• efficiency
• occupational segregation
• World War II

Notes

1. This has been subject to several studies, including Mattelart, Mapping World Communication and Godfrey, British Army Communications.

2. This has been argued extensively, but most notably in Fritzsche, A Nation of Fliers; Strobl, The Germanic Isle; and Francis, The Flyer.

3. The major studies of the Post Office in wartime remain Helen Glew and Mark J. Crowley’s PhD theses (both 2010, University of London) although both focus primarily on the nature of female employment.

4. Civil Servants Post Office Branch, Accountant General’s Department Official Memorandum, Jan. 1922. The Women’s Library, London School of Economics Special Collections (hereafter WL), 6AWC/FL275.

5. Hills, The Struggle for Control of Global Communication, 223.

6. Report of the War Cabinet committee on Women in Industry, 1919. The National Archives, Public Record Office (hereafter TNA: PRO). MUN 5/88/342/18. See also discussions in Braybon, Women Workers.

7. John, Network Nation.

8. This is, in part, touched upon by Crowley’s wider analysis of the social impact of the Post Office Savings Bank in his chapter “Saving for the Nation.”

9. See Campbell-Kelly, “Data Processing and Technological Change.”

10. Sutton, “Technological Change and Industrial Relations.”

11. The most detailed study of World War II remains Crowley, “Women Workers in the Post Office,” although this examined primarily the nature of female employment and industrial relations.

12. Cited in British Postal Museum and Archive (hereafter BPMA), POST 47/384, Captain J.C. Macdonald to the General Officer, Commanding in Chief, All Commands at Home, 18 Feb. 1931.

13. See Crowley, “Women Workers” and Glew, “Women’s Employment.”

14. Clinton, Post Office Workers.

15. Daunton, Royal Mail.

16. Campbell-Smith, Masters of the Post.

17. Grayzel, At Home and Under Fire.

18. Civil servants Post Office Branch, Accountant General’s Department Official Memorandum, Apr. 1921. Cited in WL, 6AWC/FL275.

19. Statement of the Claim advanced by supervising grades of the Accountant General’s Department, General Post Office, 1920. 6AWC/FL275.

20. Clerical Classes in the Post Office, 18 Feb. 1921. WL, 6AWC/FL275.

21. Ibid.

22. Robinson, Britain’s Post Office, 250–2.

23. Statement of the Claim advanced by supervising grades of the Accountant General’s Department, General Post Office, 1920. WL, 6AWC/FL275.

24. The Flight from Equal Pay in the Civil Service, 4 Jun. 1935. Modern Records Centre, Warwick University (hereafter MRC), MSS.148/UCW/3/7/4.

25. Labour in the Present War – Preparations: Plans for the Creation of the Ministry of Labour and National Service, Nov. 1942. Cited in The National Archives, Public Record Office (hereafter abbreviated TNA, PRO) LAB 76/8.

26. The details of these findings are outlined in numerous subsequent discussions found in the files of the Association of Post Office Women Clerks, located at the Women’s Library, London School of Economics Special Collections, selected files include: 6APC/1/2/7, 17 Apr. 1917–2 Mar. 1922; 6APC/1/2/8, 20 Mar. 1922–11 Apr. 1932; Miscellaneous files: 6APC/2/05, Writing Assistants’ class, 1915–1928; 6APC/2/06, Sex Disqualification (Removal) Act 1919; 6APC/2/07, Common Seniority and Segregation, 1925–1929; 6APC/2/08, Post Office Departmental Whitley Council, 1919–1930.

27. See discussions in Lowe, Adjusting to Democracy.

28. The prospect of this had been discussed as early as 1921. For further details, see Civil servants Post Office Branch, Accountant General’s Department Official Memorandum, Apr. 1921. WL, 6AWC/FL275.

29. For a detailed discussion, see Glew, Women Workers.

30. For further details, see discussions in Clinton, Post Office Workers and Daunton, Royal Mail, 39.

31. Civil servants Post Office Branch, AGD Official Memorandum, Apr. 1921. WL, 6AWC/FL275.

32. Effect on the Royal Corps of Signals of Reduction in Male Telegraph Staff (undated). BPMA, POST 47/382. See also Campbell-Kelly, “Data Processing and Technological Change,” 1–32.

33. Ibid.

34. Cited in the historical account provided in Civil Service National Whitley Council (Staff Side) Equal Pay (1935 Campaign) Committee, 3 Nov. 1936. MRC, MSS.148/UCW/3/7/1.

35. This was a Ministerial position in the government, with the incumbent responsible for negotiation between the Post Office and the Treasury. This position carried significant power, especially owing to the position of the Post Office as a government department at this time.

36. Effect on the Royal Corps of Signals of Reduction in Male Telegraph Staff (undated) BPMA, POST 47/382.

37. Cited in Civil Servants Post Office Branch, Accountant General Department’s Official Memorandum, Apr. 1921. WL, 6AWC/FL275.

38. Effect on the Royal Corps of Signals of Reduction in Male Telegraph Staff (undated) BPMA, POST 47/382.

39. This issue was raised again in 1938, with the pressures growing before World War II. For further details, see BPMA, POST 1/865, Notes of a Meeting with the National Federation of Postmasters, 16 and 17 Nov. 1938.

40. Ibid.

41. Civil servants Post Office Branch, Accountant General’s Department Official Memorandum, Apr. 1921. WL, 6AWC/FL275.

42. Quoted in TNA: PRO, T199/48, H. Parker to E. Bridges, 8 Feb. 1939.

43. Robinson, Britain’s Post Office, 250–2.

44. As Jefferys has noted, this period was characterized by a much more pragmatic approach to policy and development. For further details, see Jefferys, Churchill Coalition and Wartime Politics, 10.

45. This was discussed in detail, and was a recurring theme when preparations for World War II begun. For further details, see W. S. Douglas, H. M. Treasury to the Postmaster General, 29 Apr. 1939. BPMA, POST 1/866.

46. These ideas are revealed in discussions between Post Office managers and the War Office. For further details, see A. E. Williams, War Office, to The Secretary, General Post Office, 21 Mar. 1930. BPMA, POST 47/382.

47. For a discussion, see Balmer, Britain and Biological Warfare.

48. An Account of the work of the Post Office during the Second World War by Sir Thomas Gardiner, Director General of the Post Office, 1936–45. BPMA, POST 56/22.

49. Yet financial concerns across the public service remained dominant in all discussions. For a detailed analysis, see Clarke, The Economic Effort of War.

50. However, the effectiveness of these measures has been subject to debate, and were criticized heavily by Barnett, The Audit of War.

51. Civil Servants Post Office Branch, AGD Official Memorandum, Jan. 1922. WL, 6AWC/FL275.

52. Postmaster General to the Under Secretary of State, War Office, Mar. 1939. BPMA, POST 47/358.

53. Claim advanced by supervising grades of the Accountant General’s Department, GPO, 1920. WL, 6AWC/FL275.

54. This was also true in areas such as banking. I am grateful to Professor Richard Roberts for revealing this to me in conversation. For further details, see Ackrill and Hannah, Barclays.

55. Edgerton, Warfare State, 5.

56. This was considered for the Post Office, but also across the Civil Service more generally, and is discussed in detail by de Groot and Schrover, Women Workers and Technological Change in Europe.

57. Maintenance of the British Civilian Postal Services in the 1939/45 war (undated). BPMA, POST 56/152.

58. For a discussion if its impact in World War II, see Crowley, “Reducing, Re-defining and Retaining,” 53–77.

59. Post Office Magazine, Vol. 3, No. 1, Jan. 1936, 2.

60. Extract from report of Annual Conference of Post Office Controlling Officers’ Association – May-Jun. 1936. BPMA, POST 33/4149.

61. Civil Service National Whitley Council, Joint General Purposes Committee: Report of the Sub-Committee on Recruitment of Copying Typists, 26 Jan. 1939. BPMA, POST 1/866.

62. Passed shortly before the declaration of war, it empowered government to transfer workers to areas it deemed of ‘national importance to the war effort’.

63. Director of Recruiting and Organization to the Secretary, Telecommunications Department, General Post Office, 30 Jan. 1939. BPMA, POST 47/358.

64. Postmaster General to the Under Secretary of State, War Office, Mar. 1939. BPMA, POST 47/358.

65. Quarterly Meeting of the Executive Council, 10–13 Oct. 1939, 93. MRC, MSS.148/UCW/2/1/23.

66. Special Meeting of the Executive Council, 7 Sept. 1939, 65. MRC, MSS.148/UCW/2/1/23.

67. Reintroduction of cheap trunk call facilities, 12 Jan. 1940. BPMA, POST 56/96.

68. Cited in Civil Servants Post Office Branch, AGD Official Memorandum, Apr. 1921. WL, 6AWC/FL275.

69. W. E Parsons to The Secretary, H. M. Treasury, 5 Apr. 1939. BPMA, POST 1/866.

70. W. S. Douglas, H. M. Treasury to the Postmaster General, 17 Apr. 1939. BPMA, POST 1/866.

71. This made provision for expenditure to develop the Postal, Telegraph and Telephone systems.

72. W. S. Douglas, H. M. Treasury to the Postmaster General, 29 Apr. 1939. BPMA, POST 1/866.

73. J. Innes to E. Rowe-Dutton, H. M. Treasury, 6 May 1939. BPMA, POST 1/866.

74. W. S. Douglas, H. M. Treasury to the Postmaster General, 9 Jun. 1939. BPMA, POST 1/866.

75. J. Innes to E. Rowe-Dutton, H. M. Treasury, 6 May 1939. BPMA, POST 1/866.

76. Extracts from memorandum relative to the principle following the Committee’s Report: Equal Pay for Equal Work (undated). BPMA, POST 33/5694.

77. Pay of Established Copying Typists: 15 Feb. 1939. BPMA, POST 1/866.

78. W. S. Douglas, H. M. Treasury to the Postmaster General, 9 Jun. 1939. BPMA, POST 1/866.

79. Hay, The Post Office Went to War, 8. BPMA, POST 56/20.

80. An Account of the work of the Post Office during the Second World War by Sir Thomas Gardiner, Director General of the Post Office, 1936–45. BPMA, POST 56/22.

81. Post Office Magazine, Vol. 3, No. 1, Jan. 1936, 2.

82. Ibid.

83. Air Raid Precautions Department, Weekly Information Sheet, 24 Mar. 1939. BPMA, POST 56/67.

84. Director General’s Emergency Committee Papers for Discussion, Friday 25 Nov. 1938. BPMA, POST 56/65.

85. Edgerton, The Shock of the Old, 150–1.

86. P. J. Grigg, War Office, Jul. 1941. BPMA, POST 56/108.

87. Ibid.

88. Ibid.

89. Labour in the Present War – Preparations: Plans for the Creation of the Ministry of Labour and National Service, Nov. 1942. TNA: PRO, LAB 76/8.

90. There is extensive literature on this issue, but it was Germany’s war machine that was causing the greatest concern to the British government. This is examined in Strobl, The Germanic Isle and also Fritzsche, A Nation of Fliers.

91. Edgerton, Britain’s War Machine.

92. This is a recurrent theme in twentieth century British labor history, and seems to represent, at least in part, a major phobia on the government’s part. It was experienced after World War II again in the 1970s, and was discussed by David Cameron’s coalition government, 2010–2015.

93. Director General’s Emergency Committee Papers for Discussion, Friday 25 Nov. 1938. BPMA, POST 56/65.

94. Report of the Association of Service and Reconstruction, 2 Mar. 1939. British Library of Political and Economic Science, London School of Economics (hereafter BLPES), Markham 7/28.

95. J. Innes to E. Rowe-Dutton, H. M. Treasury, 6 May 1939. BPMA, POST 1/866.

96. Civil Service National Whitley Council, Joint General Purposes Committee: Report of the Sub-Committee on Recruitment of Copying Typists, 26 Jan. 1939. BPMA, POST 1/866.

97. Post Office Departmental Whitley Council, Notes of an informal Meeting between the Official and Staff Sides, 22 Mar. 1939. BPMA, POST 65/43.

98. Memorandum by the Head Postmaster, Huntingdon to the Secretary, General Post Office, 22 Jul. 1931. BPMA, POST 33/3279A.

99. T. W. H. Inskip to H. Parker, 22 Dec. 1938. TNA: PRO, T199/48.

100. See Crowley, “Women Workers in the General Post Office.”

101. Another Post Office Service, 30 Nov. 1940. BPMA, POST 56/96.

102. Army Recruitment Office Circular, undated. BPMA, POST 47/358.

103. Telecommunications Report, 24 Oct. 1939. BPMA, POST 69/11.

104. Ibid.

105. Tributes to Post Office staff, 17 Jul. 1940. BPMA, POST 56/96.

106. The Maintenance of Post Office services in war (undated). BPMA, POST 56/27.

107. Cited in Reintroduction of cheap trunk call facilities, 12 Jan. 1940. BPMA, POST 56/96. It was discussed in January 1940, although it was not officially reintroduced until the following month.

108. Reintroduction of cheap trunk call facilities, 12 Jan. 1940. BPMA, POST 56/96.

109. An Account of the work of the Post Office during the Second World War by Sir Thomas Gardiner, Director General of the Post Office, 1936–45. BPMA, POST 56/22.

110. Reintroduction of cheap trunk call facilities, 12 Jan. 1940. BPMA, POST 56/96.

111. Finance Committee: Review of Economy Proposals, 3 Oct. 1939. BPMA, POST 56/9.

112. W. R. Birchall to the Secretary, H. M. Treasury, 31 Oct. 1939. BPMA, POST 56/9.

113. Director General’s Emergency Committee Papers for Discussion, 25 Nov. 1938. BPMA, POST 56/65.

114. Director of Recruiting and Organization to the Secretary, Telecommunications Department, General Post Office, 30 Jan. 1939. BPMA, POST 47/358.

115. Interview with Tommy Flowers. Imperial War Museum (hereafter IWM), File 1332. For a general overview, see Bennett, Behind the Battle.

116. For a detailed discussion, see McKay, The Secret Life of Bletchley Park, 259–271. See also Beesley, Very Special Intelligence.

117. This was particularly important in the overall context of espionage and code-breaking during World War II. For a detailed discussion, see Downing, Churchill’s War Lab.

118. Interview with Tommy Flowers. IWM, 1332.

119. 24th Annual Conference, Blackpool, May 3–6, 1943, 79. MRC, MSS.148/UCW/2/13/25.

120. Interview with Tommy Flowers. IWM file 1332.

121. Ibid.

122. Telecommunications Report, 24 Oct. 1939. BPMA, POST 69/11.

123. Gardiner, An Account of the work of the Post Office. BPMA, POST 56/22.

124. Suspension of Cheap Night Trunk Call Service, 1 Sept. 1939. BPMA, POST 56/96.

125. Statement by Postmaster General W. S. Morrison, 28 Oct. 1940. BPMA, POST 56/97.

126. Gardiner, An Account of the work of the Post Office. BPMA, POST 56/22.

127. Hay, The Post Office, 6. BPMA, POST 56/20.

128. Gardiner, An Account of the work of the Post Office. BPMA, POST 56/22.

129. Ibid.

130. Statement by Postmaster General W. S. Morrison, 28 Oct. 1940. BPMA, POST 56/97.

131. For an autobiographical account of the raids, see Brittain, Seed of Chaos.

132. Statement by Postmaster General W. S. Morrison, 28 Oct. 1940. BPMA, POST 56/97.

133. Ibid.

134. War and Civil emergencies, 1858–1969. BPMA, POST 56 series.

135. 24th Annual Conference, Blackpool, May 3–6, 1943, 79. MRC, MSS.148/UCW/2/13/25.

136. Post Office War Diary, entry for 2 Feb. 1941. BPMA, POST 56/127.

137. Post Office Heroines of the Switchboard: Why they are Called ‘Stickit’ Girls, 25 Aug. 1941. BPMA, POST 56/96, BPMA, POST 56/96.

138. An Account of the work of the Post Office during the Second World War by Sir Thomas Gardiner, Director General of the Post Office, 1936–45. BPMA, POST 56/22. See also Boycott, The Elements of Imperial Defence.

139. Post Office War Diary, entry for 2 Feb. 1941. BPMA, POST 56/127.

140. Ibid.

141. BPMA, POST 56/65, Director General’s Emergency Committee Papers for Discussion, 25 Nov. 1938.

142. Post Office Diary (Hansard), Apr. 30, 1941. BPMA, POST 56/160. This came as a part of several other technological developments. For further details, see Hartcup, Challenge of War.

143. Glasgow Evening Times, 1 Mar. 1941. BPMA, POST 56/160.

144. Engineers were central to the war effort, and many had joined the Army Engineering Corps from Post Office units. For a detailed analysis, see Croucher, Engineers at War.

145. Glasgow Evening Times, 1 Mar. 1941. BPMA, POST 56/160.

146. Post Office War Diary, entry for 2 Feb. 1941. BPMA, POST 56/127.

147. This was their official title, and that given to those who joined the Post Office from school on an apprenticeship scheme. At this stage of the war, these were training to be telephonists, and they were in the latter stages of their training.

148. Post Office War Diary, entry for 2 Feb. 1941. BPMA, POST 56/127.

149. Ibid.

150. Harbottle, “The Telecommunications Network for Defence.”

151. Post Office ARP Manual, 16. BPMA, POST 56/23.

152. Post Office War Diary, entry for 2 Feb. 1941. BPMA, POST 56/127.

153. Post Office Diary (Stores Department), 31 Mar. 1941. BPMA, POST 56/127.

154. Post Office Diary, (Press Notice) 12 Sept. 1941. BPMA, POST 56/127.

155. This is discussed in Campbell Smith, Masters of the Post, 393–9, and in more detail in Sutton, “Technological Change.”