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Telecommunications Heritage Group

Who we are

The THG is a society for everyone interested the technical, organizational & social history of Telecommunications. The Telecommunications Heritage Group members in the UK and around the world who have interests that include telephones, switching systems, telegraphs, payphones and kiosks and other hardware.

The complete heritage of telecommunications – civil, military, transport, public, private, ancient and modern, British and foreign – is studied across the membership.

A brief history of UK telecommunications

The constitution of the THG is set out on this page.

You can join the Official Telecommunications Heritage Facebook group here if you are thinking of joining the THG or are a THG paid up member. You can also join this group even if you just have an interest in Heritage Telecommunications.

A map of our website is set out on this page.


What we do

A wide expertise pool of knowledge, research, publications, help and advice on all aspects of telecommunications.

Through our membership we can offer help on particular subjects such as kiosk restoration and railway telecommunications. Some enthusiasts own restored vehicles or telephone kiosks, whilst others are responsible for running complete multi-exchange telephone systems on preserved railways, using vintage telephone equipment.

Our members services offer facilities where they can; Manage their membership, join the the email group, access the members document repository and access the group resources for diagrams, technical documents, parts lists and so on.


To support our members we run ‘swapmeets’ (bring and buy meetings) several times a year.

Members also have access to an Online Virtual Swapmeet on our OVS Facebook group.

We also have a regular journal full of articles, hints, tips and news.

We have a Twitter page, an Instagram page, a Threads page and a Mastodon page too. They are open to follow to all, not just members.

These are all run by the THG and admined by committee and co-opted committee members. If you have an questions about any social media accounts please email our social media committee member who is currently Ruby at socialmedia@ thg.org.uk

You can find the events by either searching with the search bar tool or clicking on Events. They are also shared on our different social media pages & groups.

The THG has members who run legacy systems that they connect together the CNET (Collectors NETwork) system using the VOIP (Voice Over Internet Protocol) private exchanges.

Members and non-members can see our Information pages where we have links with other organisations that have a telecommunications purpose or exhibits.


Why join us?

Join us if you currently work or have ever worked in telecommunications or simply have an interest in the subject and would like to know more.

Join us if you want to complete a telecommunications restoration project or want to share your collection with others.

If you love the hobby or love collecting any type of heritage telecommunications. You can be a beginner or have worked for the GPO/BT since you were young. The THG truly has something for anyone in all walks of life.

We are so glad to see more and more young members joining the THG as well and so many of our members are happy to share their knowledge within the groups and at Swapmeets. We all have to start at the beginning but we all have a shared interest.

Join us if you study or research the subject from the deeply technical to the social and organisational.

Our members services offer facilities where they can; Manage their membership, join the the email group, access the members document repository and access the group resources for diagrams, technical documents, parts lists and so on.


We offer: Electronic, European, UK and Worldwide membership, there are more details on the membership pages.

Join us today.