Skip to product information
1 of 7

British GPO

23821

GPO - 232 - Mother inlaw Hook

GPO - 232 - Mother inlaw Hook

Regular price $549.95 USD
Regular price Sale price $549.95 USD
Sale Sold out

General Post Office - Model 232 with a Mother in law hook


The 200 series was introduced in 1934 and was available for some time alongside the earlier 100 series, which many people preferred. It remained in production until 1957, when it was replaced by the 300 series. The Tele. 232 Handset Micro Telephone, was the first UK phone to incorporate the transmitter and receiver into a single unit, 'The Handset'. Originally launched as the last of the 100 series, the tele. 162, once its potential was realized it was quickly promoted to a series of its own. It was designed as a very lightweight domestic phone, which could be carried around whilst in use, by hooking the fingers under the switch-hook cradle. For this purpose it could be ordered with an extra long instrument cord at additional cost. It was even lighter in CB form, with a blanking plate instead of the dial. Like the Tele. 150, it was an empty shell, which came without any electrics or bells, which was the norm at the time, as a separate bell set was provided. This was either mounted below the telephone or mounted separately in another location. The Tele. 232 came out of the box fitted with a base plate containing a drawer, holding a personal directory card. This base plate was often removed and discarded. The telephone could then be screwed directly onto the matching Bell set 26, making a true, but very heavy, telephone set, or screwed down onto the desk of a CCB (coin collecting box), in a Public Telephone Kiosk. In this form, with a dial which could not be unscrewed from the front and a more durable handset cord, it was re-numbered as the Tele. 242. There was one other variant. With modified internals and designed purely to be used in combination with a Bellset 39a or 44, this was the Tele. 248 in the guise of the Extension Plans 5 & 7.

This GPO has been beautifully restored by buffing it to its original sheen and luster. This example is of partiucular interest due to the addition of the mother in law hook at the rear and the manual dial. The brown braided cords finish the look very nicely. As it stands right now the phone is wired for a hardwire installation

View full details
  • Shipping

    We ship Monday to Friday. Parts orders received before 9am will generally go out the same day.

    Learn More 

Hassle-free returns within 14 days of purchase.

Access our 90-day parts and labour warranty for manufacturing defects.

Learn More

Shipping

We ship Monday to Friday. Parts orders received before 9am will generally go out the same day.

Learn More