Hold the Line Please

Sally Southall - christened Kathleen, but always Sally. A pet name since a small child living in Handsworth Birmingham. In 1949 at the age of 17 she became a GPO telephonist at Telephone House, Birmingham until she married John two years later. In those earlier years of marriage Sally was kept fully, but very happily occupied while staying at home raising their four sons. Eventually becoming involved in local politics and what are generally described as worthy causes, she had no thought of returning to her former work until she saw the advertisement, Telephone operators required...training given. In 1988, almost forty years since first becoming a telephonist she returned. Not now the GPO but BT, operating computers in Directory Enquiries. Ironically, on the site of the old Midland Exchange where she had been seconded for a short time 38 years earlier. Sally remained until the exchange closed in 1991. Now she has left Birmingham and the city life to retire with her husband of 52 years, to the heart of leafy Warwickshire, but is always happy to return to her roots.