Telegrams

[Caran]

Can you still send or receive telegrams? If not what would you receive in the case of an emergency?
The authorities would not have your email address or telephone number (if you were ex-directory)
Just watched Antiques Roadshow and an item on t made me think!

[tonyav]

Looks like you can, Caran.
https://www.britishtelegram.com/

[Caran]

Thanks tonyav, that's great.

[Mamyalynne]

In an emergency the Police may knock on your door, Government agencies can get round the ex directory situation.

[Buenchico]

Telegrams ceased to exist in this country on 30 September 1982 (which is getting on for 40 years ago, soit's taken you a while to catch up, Caran!)

They were succeeded by Telemessages, whereby messages were phoned into BT and then printed out, to be delivered by First Class mail the next day (rather than by a messenger, as telegrams were).

[Mamyalynne]

Oh, you meant greetings?

[albaqwerty]

founds this, Caran, interesting question, never really thought about it before now.

https://www.britishtelegram.com/

[albaqwerty]

trust our kid to get there before me :)
(the Villa must be playing well lol) xx

[tonyav]

;-)

[Mamyalynne]

I doubt the Ministry would use them :-)

[Buenchico]

Tony's link goes to an independent company, CourierGram, which (despite the references to the GPO and BT on its website) has no links to the original telegram service.

This 2009 article from The Telegraph provides a bit more information (and an indication of their prices):
https://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/uknews/royal-mail/6493410/National-postal-strike-prompts-the-unlikely-return-of-the-telegram.html

[Caran]

Thank you all, some very interesting posts there.

[Baldric]

// The authorities would not have your email address or telephone number (if you were ex-directory) //

Oh yes they they would, in fact they do.

[bunkmoreland]

over 40 years ago,my uncle died unexpectedly of a heart attack. My cousin lived in the city and although the family had her address they did not have the phone number. The police delivered the news.