"What is believed to have been the first telephone to come into operation in Port Hope was the one connecting the Queen's Hotel with the Grand Trunk Railway station," Arnold Craick wrote in Little Tales of Port Hope. "The telephone, invented by Alexander Graham Bell in 1876 was then quite a novelty, but as The Guide remarked on 08 March 1880, it had been brought to a fairly satisfactory working order and several Port Hopers were talking of supplying themselves with 'this most modern convenience'".
Mr. Craick reported that among the early acquirers was J.B. Trayes, owner of The times, who had a line strung from his office to his house. Shortly after the line was completed, the 46th Battalion Band went into the Times office and played a couple of tunes. These were heard distinctly at the Trayes' residence.
The result of this experiment led to an interesting proposal. A line was to be run between the Drill Shed and the Town Hall. The Band could put on a concert in the Drill Shed, to be listened to by a seated audience in the Town Hall. "In this way," said Mr. Craick," the citizens would have an opportunity to realize the wonderful utility of the telephone." There is no record of this scheme ever being carried out.
These early telephones were installed by a representative of the Holt Telephone Company of Toronto and were independent lines.
The Bell Telephone Company entered Port Hope in March 1882 and established an exchange in the office of Thomas Long, who had taken an active interest in the sale of Bell stock. As reported in The Guide on 14 March 1882, there were at the outset six instruments in good working order. But by 1883, just six years after the telephone's invention, there were 53 in operation in Port Hope.
59 Aldrich, Dr. A.G. Physician Walton 83 Andros, E.B. Residence King 15 Bank of Toronto E.B. Andros, Mgr. Walton & Queen 29 Barker, J.A. Meat Market Queen 76 Barrett, H. Co., Ltd. Millers Barrett 85 Barrett, H. Residence Barrett 97 Beggs, T.A. Butcher Ridout 150 Bell Telephone Co. Local Mgr.'s Office Queen 43 Bennett House L.G. Bennett, prop. Ontario 95 Benson, T.M. (Judge) Residence Dorset 5 Braund, William Hardware Walton 34 British Hotel Isaac Gillespie, prop. Queen 64 Brown & Henning Coal & Wood Mill 48 Brown, F.H. Grocer Walton 47 Brundrett, Jos. & Son Tinsmiths & Stoves John 46 Chisholm, D.H. Barrister Walton 7 Clark, W.T. Coal & Wood Wharf 41 Clarke, M.L. (Mrs.) Residence Dorset 61 Clemesha, Dr. J.W. Office Walton 52 Corbett, Dr. R.A. Office John 32 Costello, W.J. Residence Walton 62 Craig, Wm. & Son Tanners Cavan ? Curran, Jno. Bakery John Paper punch ? Curtis, John Grocer Walton Paper punch 92 Deyell, Robert Druggist Walton & Ontario 58 Dickinson, Dr. Geo. A. Physician Walton 26 Dickinson, S.S. Vet. Surgeon Ontario 28 Dunfee, James Grocer Walton 39 Dunn, R. & Co. Plumbers & Gasfitters Walton 80 Edgar, E. (Mrs.) Residence Pine 93 Furby, Geo. M. Residence Bramley 6 Galbraith, F.W. Lumber Dealer Queen 44 George, Alfred Furniture & Undertaker Walton 2 Glidden, W.L. Grocer Ridout 18 Globe File Mfg. Co. Office Cavan 72 G.N.W. Telegraph & Can. Express J. Harcourt, Agt. Walton 49 Gould, N.B. Residence King 96 Grand Trunk Ry. Station 79 Gray, R. Waterworks & Gas Office Walton 51 Guide Printing Office G. Watson & Son, props. Walton 56 Hagerman, C. Livery Queen 63 Harbour Office Wharf 4 Helm, J.H. Founder Queen 42 Hemmick, R.J. Res. "Idalia" Dorset 14 Hewson, Dr. T.B. Residence Walton 53 Holmes, T. Geo. Hides, Skins & Wool John 100 Honor, J.F. Grocer Ward 69 Hopper, S.T. Druggist Walton 16 Hotel St. Lawrence W. Whittleton & Son, props. Walton 50 Howden, R. Office Post Office bldg. 35 Hume, John Elevator John 19 Hume, John Grain John 45 Hunter, James Wine Mcht. Walton 75 Hutchings, Chas. Butcher & Fish Dealer John 30 King, H.H. Residence Penryn Park 89b Kinsman, W.H. Miller Canton 11 Long, Thomas Ins. & Ticket agt. Queen 86 Long, Thomas Residence King 88 Midland Loan & Sav. Co. G.M. Furby, mgr. Walton 71 Millward, M. Stoves & Tinsmith John 36 Mulholland, R.A. Hardware Walton 70 Oke, Fred T. Fruit & Confectioner Walton 22 Philp & Greenaway Whol. Fruit & Produce Mchts. John * 67 Port Hope Brewing & Malting Co., Ltd. Cavan 23 Port Hope Brewing & Malting Co., Ltd. John Brown, res. Ontario 17 Port Hope Preserv'g & Cann'g Co., Ltd. Wm. M. Miller, mgr. Queen 87 Port Hope Steam Laundry J.C. Honey, prop. Walton 25 Powers, Dr. L.B. Office Walton 21 Queen's Hotel A.A. Adams, prop. Walton & John 90 Quinlan, J.W. Office Walton 37 Robertson, Peter Grocer Walton & Queen 20 Royal Hotel Chas. Nixon, prop. Foot of Walton 9 Russell, W.A. 13 Sculthorp, Hy Machine Shop Cavan 10 Smith Bros. Cab Office John 40 Smith, Geo. A. Coal Shed The wharf 57 Smith, Joseph Res. "Bluestone" King 8 Smith, S.S. Barrister Midland Loan bldg. 12a Spooner, A.W. Whol. Oils & "Copperine" John 12b Spooner, A.W. Residence John 98 Stacey, George Butcher & Grocer Walton 84 Times Printing Co. W. Swaisland & Sons, props. Walton 94 Town Hall Clerk's Office 68 Traders Bank J.L. Willis, mgr. Walton 66 Trinity College School Ward 1 Walker, John Residence Ontario 77 Ward, H.A. Barrister Walton 38 Ward, H.A. Residence King 31 Waterworks Pumping Station Smith 78 Watson, T. George Druggist & C.P.R. Telegraph Walton 54 White, J.B. Vet. Surgeon John 65 Williams, H.B. (Estate) H. White, agent Walton 99 Wright & Rosevear Wood & Coal Ontario
* Long Distance Equipment